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Wisconsin 2007: Dairy Cattle ÔÇô a riders guide

mika

Still Wondering
In the rest of the nation they may be cows. In Wisconsin they are dairy cattle. Here is a riderÔÇÖs guide to the various breeds you see along and at times on the road.
Dairy cows come in different sizes and shapes. Those having the same size, shape, color, temperament, and abilities are classed by breed. The major US dairy breeds are Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein, Jersey, and Milking Shorthorn. The largest dairy breed in terms of number of cows is the Holstein.
 
Ayrshire

Ayrshires came to the United States from the County of Ayr in Scotland in 1822. Their color varies from light to deep cherry red, mahogany, brown, or a combination of these colors with white. Some are all white. They weigh 1,200 pounds when mature.
 

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Brown Swiss

Brown Swiss came to the United States from Switzerland in 1869. They are solid brown varying from very light to dark. They weigh 1,500 pounds when mature.
 

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Guernsey

Guernseys came to the United States from the Isle of Guernsey, an island in the English Channel off the coast of France in 1831. Their color is a shade of fawn with white markings. They weigh 1,150 pounds when mature. Their milk is a distinctive golden color.
 

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Holstein

Holsteins came to the United States from Holland in 1621. They are black and white. They weigh 1,500 pounds when mature. They produce the most milk on average
 

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Jersey

Jerseys came to the United States from the Isle of Jersey, another of the islands in the English Channel. They are fawn in color and may have white markings. They weigh 900 pounds when mature. They are the smallest of the dairy breeds but produce milk with the highest protein and fat content.
 

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Milking Shorthorn

The Milking Shorthorn originated in Northeastern England and arrived in the United States in 1783. Milking Shorthorn cattle are red or white or any combination. A mature cow usually weighs about 1400 pounds..
 

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Milage will vary with size and feed
 

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robnye said:
You must have been really bored.
:bolt

not really dairy farms were great fun as kids
riding cows, jumping out of hay lofts, hiding in the corn

it wasn't until we got we got older that we got got recruited to help on them....
 
There are small hurds of galloway and belted galloway sprinkled through the state. Here is a link to one such operation.
 

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The University of Wisconsin is running a research project in SW Wisconsin with Highlands. They will happily eat invasive weeds etc and thrive doing it. This is an attempt to control invading plants without chemicals.
 

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Garlic ginseng and Canadian thistle I believe. Darn Canadians.

If they are real Wisconsin Cows they could go into overtime at Lambeau in the middle of a snow storm.

Tofu...ask me no questions and I tell you no lies...
 
Highland cattle

Like most things Scottish, they are hardy, ornery, will eat anything and don't suffer fools. Definitiely not Purina cake eaters!!!

Breeze

PS I've tipped a few dairy cows in my day. lol.
 
Spotted Cows are my favorite

You forgot to mention one of my favorite herds, the New Glarius Spotted Cow. :drink I just wish we could get them in Indiana.
 
marK11LT said:
not really dairy farms were great fun as kids
riding cows, jumping out of hay lofts, hiding in the corn

it wasn't until we got we got older that we got got recruited to help on them....
I've heard that they can be tipped if you catch them sleeping. Wisconsin college students have been know to do this to avoid the boredom.
 
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