A dairy herd is typically composed of four types of cattle:
Cows are female animals that give birth to calves and produce milk. Cows make up the majority of animals in a dairy herd.
Bulls are the dairy herd's dads. A dairy farm only requires a handful, though most dairy farms now utilize artificial insemination instead.
Heifers are female cattle that are young. They are the herd's "teenagers," having never had a calf or having only had one. Within the herd, they make up the second-largest group.
Calves are young cattle. Female calves develop into heifers, who subsequently become milking cows. Male calves can be raised to become breeding bulls or sold for veal production.
Which type of dairy cow am I?
In Australia, there are numerous dairy cow breeds. The most popular are Holstein, Jersey, and Aussie Red, all of which have specific traits.
Holstein cow
Holstein cattle originated in Northern Europe. Many breeding animals now originate in North America.
The majority of these cows are black and white.
Holsteins are the most common breed of dairy cow in Australia and around the world. About 1.4 million of the 1.65 million dairy cows in Australia are Holsteins.
Holstein cows generate a lot of milk; some Holsteins produce 10,000 liters of milk every year. That is the equivalent of 5000 two-liter milk cartons (14 cartons every day!).
Holsteins are among the largest dairy cattle. Cows can stand more than 1.5 meters tall and weigh more than 600 kg, while bulls can stand more than 1.8 meters tall and weigh more than 1000 kg (about the same as a small car).
Jersey cow
They were first introduced to Australia in the year 1829 from their original home on the island of Jersey, which is located in the English Channel between England and France.
The color of these cows is fawn, and they have black points on their muzzles, ears, feet, and tails. They are not very large.
The breed with the second highest frequency of occurrence in Australia
Jersey milk is often used to make butter because it has an especially high fat content.
Jerseys are the smallest type of dairy cow, yet they may still gain up to 500 kilograms in weight.
Aussie Red
Aussie Red was created in Australia by combining genetic lines from Scandinavian Red with other Australian red breeds like the Illawarra and Ayrshire.
These cows are modest in size and mostly red with white markings.
a robust breed that yields milk with a high protein level and a medium milk fat content.
Illawarra cow
crossbred a number of breeds in the Illawarra region of New South Wales. In 1910, they were recognized as a new Australian cow breed.
The color is a deep red with a hint of white on the flanks.
Illawarra cows generate a lot of milk; many of them produce more than 40 liters per day.
Brown Swiss cheese
Originating in the country of Switzerland,
One of the breeds that is seen the most frequently all over the world
The color is consistent throughout, ranging from a very light brown to a very dark brown.
Guernsey
Originating from the teeny-tiny island of Guernsey, which is located in the middle of the English Channel,
coloration of fawn with white patterns on the body.
Milk has a golden hue that is easily recognizable.
A Guernsey cow produces around 22 liters of milk every single day on average.
A Guernsey cow will reach its mature weight of 600 kg at age three.
Ayrshire
It was first brought to Australia in the 1850s from the County of Ayr in Scotland, where it had its origins.
The color may range from a light cherry red all the way to a deep cherry red, mahogany, or brown, or it can be a blend of these colors with white. Some of them are completely white.
