Dairy Production

1. LECTURE THREE
DAIRY MANAGEMENT
BREEDS
Fayol (BSc. Hons Animal Production and Technology)

2. • Traits of economic importance
• Breed/Strains
• Variation in trait performance
• Genetic parameters
• Genetic Evaluation/Improvement Programs
• Recording Schemes
• Factors enhancing/limiting genetic progress
• Prospects for genetic improvement in Zimbabwe

3. • Milk yield
• Milk composition,
• fertility,
• mastitis,
• type & conformation,
• dairy character,
• body capacity,
• mammary system,
• temperament,
• milking speed.

4. • Holstein-Friesian,
• Jersey,
• Red-Dane,
• Guernsey,
• Ayrshire,
• Dexter

5. • Lactation length
• Times milked per day
• Age of cow and parity
• Calving interval
• Herd-year-season
• Days dry (Dry Period)
• Days open

6. • Dams
• Their reproductive rate is low at most the leave 4 – 6 calves
• One calf per year
• Selection of dams for future cows accounts for 6% of genetic
improvements compared to 43% of improvements from
selection of sires of future sires.
• Sires
• Artificial Insemination (A.I)
• Sire Evaluation
• Bull Sound Evaluation
• Performance Testing
• Progeny Testing

7. • Breed Milk Yield/per annum
• Friesland 500-7000kg
• Holstein-Friesian up to 9000kg
• Jersey 3600-4000kg
• Guernsey up to 6000kg

9. • These are found all over the world. The three main
types available include
• The Dutch Friesian – Holland
• The Holstein-Friesian – North America
• The British Friesian – Intermediate
• This is a dairy breed with distinctive black and
white markings.
• They are famed for their high production averaging
10 000kg of milk per year.

10. • A number of black and white Friesian carry a recessive gene and these have a
25% chance of producing a red and white offspring.
• These are the largest dairy breeds and crosses well with beef breeds.
• The cow mature mass lies between 550 – 600kg. Dutch Type fleshy, dual purpose
animal. Friesians not as early maturing as some of the beef breeds.
• The Friesians are high yielding breeds (7 000-15 000kg per lactation), with low
Butter Fat (3.7%) making them more suitable for fresh milk trade and the cheese
industry and 3.1% is protein
• The heifers are bred at 15 – 18 months, when they weigh over 360kg to calve at
24 – 27 months. A healthy calf should weigh between 35 and 40 kg.
• The breed is ideally suited to a cool equable climate and they are of good
temperament.

11. • Challenges of Friesians
• Calving Difficulties
• Weak pendulous udder
• Poor leg conformation
• Milk fever
• These however can be astounded by selection.
• Advantages of Friesians
• Extremely lean conformation
• A very good udder
• Good temperament
• Suited to warmer drier climates

12. • The Jersey breed is quite small, ranging from only 400–500kgs.
• The main factor contributing to the popularity of the breed has been their greater economy of
production, due to lower maintenance requirements, and superior grazing ability.
• They have a calving ease and a relatively lower rate of dystocia leading to their popularity
in crossbreeding with other dairy and even beef breeds to reduce calving related injuries.
• The breed is known for high butterfat (4.84%) and protein (3.95%), and the ability to thrive on
locally produced feed.
• Bulls are also small, ranging from 540 to 820kg, and are notoriously aggressive.
• Jerseys come in all shades of brown, from light tan to almost black.
• They are frequently fawn in colour.
• The cows are calm and docile animals, but tend to be a little more nervous than other dairy cow
breeds.

14. • Has the highest butter fat content all breeds ±5%.
• Has high carotene fat content characterised by yellow colour
• The highest protein content of all the breeds’ ± 4%.
• Also almost the highest solid not fat percentage ± 10% (Lactose,
minerals, protein)
• Due to the large fat globules its milk is suited to butter and cream
industry.
• Disadvantages
 Bulls can be temperamental
 Cows – sickle hocked
 Milk Fever
 Hollow backs
 Very Lean – yellow fat – not suitable for slaughter or veal

15. • These originated form the isle of Guernsey and is
similar but larger than jersey.
• The cow average weight is 450 kg, the bulls are 850kg
and the calves between 30 and 38kg at birth.
• The milk yield range between 5 800 – 7 250 litres per
lactation.
• Problems with Guernsey:
1. Slight weakness in the back
2. Coarseness in the shoulders
3. Frontal attachment of the udder is somewhat weak.

16. Guernsey

17. ARYSHIRE
• These originated in Ayr Scotland, they are medium sized, ranging
between Friesians and jerseys. Mature cows weigh 450 – 500kg.
• They are hardy animals, utilize roughage well and they are suitable to
cold mild climates.
• They have excellent shaped udders, their horns grow forward, up and
back.
• Distinct colouring they are white with brown or red patches or spots.
• Distinct colouring they are white with brown or red patches or spots.
Ayrshires are intermediate in milk yield, falling between the Friesian and
the jersey.
• Their milk is inherently white in colour, ideally suited to the retail milk
trade, cheese and processed milk industries. Cow average 4 000kg
milk/lactation butter fat 3 – 4%.

18. Aryshire

19. Red Dane
• The Red Dane breed originated in Denmark and it may be
classified as a dual purpose animal.
• The Calving interval is on average 12.9 months.
• The breed is heathy and productive a remarkable longevity,
fertility, calving ease, mastitis resistance and functional
conformation.
• Characteristics
 The desirable animal is medium sized, with a brown smooth coat with
a dark brown to black muzzle and black hooves
 Mature cows should have a live mass of 565 – 785kg
 Lactation yields can be as high as 7 310 kg with butterfat and protein
levels between 4.1% - 4.3% and 3.43 – 3.61% respectively.

20. Red Dane

21. Red Dane
• This is a Danish dairy breed that produces 8 600 kg
of milk per lactation composed of butterfat (4,2%)
and protein (3.5%).
• The calving interval is on average 12,9 months.
• The breed is healthy and productive a remarkable
longevity, fertility, calving ease, mastitis resistance,
and functional conformation

22. Dexter
• The Dexter is a dual purpose very small breed with both beef
and dairy qualities.
• Bulls are between 106 and 121 cm at the rump while cows
are between 96 and 111 cm.

23. Montebelliarde
• This is a dual purpose breed used for milk production and originated from
the South west to west of France.
• Characteristics
• Monteberlliades are well built cows, typical of dual purpose breeds, and should have a
mature weight of between 625 and 750kg.
• This makes it desirable of the calves to weigh between 40 – 50 kg at birth and therefore sire
selection is important to prevent calving problems particularly those in the first calving
season.
• Coat colour is generally fawn to dark to dark brown with patches of white
• Muzzles are typically pink and current breeding is favouring dark pigmentation around the
eyes
• Milk yields range between 5 850 and 7 500 litres per lactation with butterfat and protein
levels between 3.4% - 3.8% an 3.3% - 3.6% respectively.
• These are docile, have a good mothering ability and adaptable and are often used in
crossbreeding programmes with local indigenous breed.

24. Sahiwal

25. Contact Details
Mobile Number
:+263782108484
Email:
angellight.sunrise@gmail.com
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