Guernsey cattle

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The Guernsey is a breed of cattle used in dairy farming. It is fawn and white in color, and is particularly renowned for the rich flavour of its milk, as well as its hardiness and docile disposition.

Milk

The unique qualities of the milk produced by the Guernsey cow have made the breed world famous. The milk has a golden colour due to an exceptionally high content of beta carotene which may help to reduce the risks of certain cancers. The milk also has a high butterfat content of 5% and a high protein content of 3.7%. Guernsey cows produce around 6000 litres per cow per annum.

Origin

As its name implies, the Guernsey was bred on the British Channel Island of Guernsey. It is believed to be descended from two breeds brought over from nearby France; Isigny cattle from Normandy and the Froment du Léon from Brittany. The Guernsey was first recorded as a separate breed around 1700. In 1789, imports of foreign cattle into Guernsey were forbidden by law to maintain the purity of the breed although some cattle evacuated from Alderney during World War II were merged into the breed.

Exports of cattle and semen were for a while an important economic resource for the island and in the early 20th century a large number of Guernsey cattle were exported to the United States. Today the breed is well-established in Great Britain, the United States, Canada, South Africa and elsewhere.

Specifications

The cow weighs 450 to 500 kg, slightly more than the average weight of the Jersey cow which is around 450 kg (1000 pounds). The bull weighs 600 to 700 kg which is small by standards of domestic cattle, and they can be surprisingly aggressive. The Guernsey cow has many notable advantages for the dairy farmer over other breeds. These include high efficiency of milk production, low incidence of calving difficulty and longevity.

References

External links

• The American Guernsey Association
• English Guernsey Cattle Society
• The World Guernsey Cattle Federation