Choosing dairy cattle has a direct effect on how much money you make from your farm.
First of all, when people talk about improving performance, they usually think of ways to make the cattle more productive and how to train the people who take care of the animals. But production is directly affected by which cattle are in the herd.
So, choose animals with traits that are good for the conditions where they will be raised. So, before picking an animal just because it is productive or because you like it, you should think about a few important things:
the region's climate and other environmental factors;
How the land looks and what your production will be used for
Holstein dairy cows
At the moment, it is the most closely mirrored European breed in the world and has the most potential to produce milk. Their coats are white and black or white and red. Also, Holstein animals are picky about their climate, comfort, and how they are handled.
So, it is a matrix that is often used in crossbreeding because it can produce a lot. So, heifers can have their first calf when they are 2 years old, and when they reach adulthood, they produce an average of 6,000 to 10,000 liters of milk in 305 days of lactation.
Jersey breeds
This breed comes from Europe, but it is more "rural," which means it can adapt more easily. Also, Jersey cattle are voted the second-best dairy breed because they produce a lot of milk, have high fertility, and live a long time.
The breed is small, and its brown coat ranges from dark brown to light yellow. Milk has a lot of protein and fat. Also, a unique thing about the breed is that because the cows are sexually mature at a young age, the first birth can happen anywhere from 15 to 18 months after they are born.
Lastly, the average milk production is between 3,500 and 5,500 liters in 305 days of lactation.
The Swiss brown breed
This breed of cows comes from Europe. They can be used to make meat, but most of the time they are used to make milk. Its coat is light brown to dark gray, and it is a country animal that is very fertile and lives a long time.
At first, labor starts around 30 months. The average amount of milk a cow makes in 200 days is about 2,500 liters.
Dairy cattle are Zebu breeds
Different from the breeds above, dairy zebu cows come from India. First, they are known to be animals that can change quickly and can handle high heat and humidity well.
Also, zebu cattle stand out because they are productive even when fed food with low nutritional value. So, the three most popular breeds of Zebu are:
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First, you should know that this is the most cross-bred Indian breed. It has a large size, a varied coat, and a docile temperament. It is also characterized by productive and reproductive longevity.
Also, the first delivery usually occurs at 43 months. On average, about 777 kg of milk are made every 286 days.
Guzerat
The Guzerat is said to have been the first Zebu breed that people used. Because of this, this breed of cattle is easy to work with and can be used to make milk and meat.
In the same way, the breed is known for being very fertile. If it is well cared for, it can have a calf every 13 months and produce an average of 2,071 kg of milk during its 270-day lactation period.
Sindhi
Sindhi cows are very common. They do well in dry areas with few food sources.
So, it is small and has a red coat that ranges from dark red to orange-yellow with white spots. It gives birth to an average of 2,266 kg of milk in 250 days.
Girolando is a good choice for milk cows
The Zebu Gir breed and the European Holstein breed were crossed to make this mix. It had the roughness of the Gir breed and the high production of the Holstein breed. So, in addition to being sexually mature at a young age, living a long time, and having lots of babies, mixed breeds are also cheaper than purebreds.
Finally, the average milk production is optimal, reaching around 5061 kg in 283 days.
Are you new to the activity with dairy cattle? First, buy rustic or mixed-breed animals, since they're the best choice. But the better you get at the activity, the more you should check your herd to make sure they are purebred and good at making milk.
So, if the system is intensive, where the goal is usually to get the most out of the animals or to make a good product, choose cows with a lot of milk solids and a lot of milk production.
On the other hand, choose medium-sized cows if the system used is the least intensive and the animal has to walk to the feed. Why? So more animals will be able to be raised per hectare.
