Swiss are definitely a more stubborn breed. They make the decisions to do what they want to do. Have worked with several dairyman that raised and showed swiss. There is a syndrome in the swiss as far as the calves go... if they suck a cow, they will be next to impossible to get on a bottle. This has been discussed at several BS breeder meetings/forums. The one dairy farmer would check the cows HOURLY when they were due so that the calf DID NOT go on the cow to get colostrum. They were easy to start on a bottle if they never sucked the cow. But if they got on the cow, they would about starve themselves rather than take a bottle. This farmer also had very little problem getting the calves to transition to a bucket... but would have an occasional one.
The cows are usually very easy to get along with and have made good nurse cows for me in the past. I just had a problem with them deciding to do what they wanted WHEN they wanted.
They do eat alot more than a smaller jersey.... just the nature/size of the breed. They do not milk comparably as much for the size/feed intake that a jersey does.
I happen to like guernseys, and they are a bigger cow than a jersey... don't milk as good as a jersey in comparison to their size.... but I like them.
That's the trick.... gotta like the animal....
Dutch belted make good family/nurse cows.... something with Montebeliarde makes a good milk cow and carries more body... I have holsteins that make good nurse cows too... GOT to make sure you either cut the grain to cut the production... or you put enough calves on them.