Brown Swiss

[MountainFarmChar]

Can anyone share any experience/knowledge about Brown Swiss dairy cows; temperament, milk quality (high butterfat or not), easy to hand milk, etc.?

Thanks in advance,
MFC

 

[Canadian_Cowgirl]

I was showing some once for a older couple, and one of them kicked me in the knee and broke a chip off, but they seem to be nice animals. They usually have a good temperment.


Katy

 

[bigbull338]

Can anyone share any experience/knowledge about Brown Swiss dairy cows; temperament, milk quality (high butterfat or not), easy to hand milk, etc.?

Thanks in advance,
MFC

brown swiss are gentle easy to handle.they give alot of rich milk.they are high butterfat.rich milk for butter or drinking.they have nice size teats.

 

[funky 4-Her]

In my opinion they are rathar stubborn but other wise have a good temperment. All the ones we had, had longer teats so they would be easy to hand milk... Im not sure about the butterfat.

 

[OK Jeanne]

I love my brown swiss cow, Heidi. She has great milk,
and as we speak she is raising two calves...one her
own calf and another one from a cow that we had to
put down when injured. She's great...terrific butter from
her cream. And she stays in good shape on forage alone
if the forage is green(so far so good!).

 

[glover36]

we have had them for a while great cows grow big to. good milkers they are quite laid back to. very larged framed. have a longer gestation period than most cows so dont be to agitted when they go over there due dates.

 

[cowlady1]

I have been buying a few swiss bull calves. They are easy going but hard to start.I've been around show cows they didn't seem to mind who milked them in the milking contest which was by hand. They had 5 different people milking the same cow at change of 2 minute & how much milk you could get.Cows just stood there. This was at a fair. Cow will do what the handler makes her do. Been around cows 62 years. Been kixed 3times.Swiss breed is a real laid back animal.

 

[born2run]

Boss has two Brown Swiss in a herd of over 580+ milking Holsteins. One is a real pain, literally. She fast gained the reputation as what I refer to as a "lighting bolt kicker". Second one is a bit "steppy" but laid back and easy to handle. Production from her isn't spectacular, maybe peaked at 90 lbs. Obviously this is in a parlor setting...can't help you from the hand milking angle.

 

[Fleckvieh DPB]

brown swiss are generaly very stubron
as calves dont want to drink
and as cows they can put the brakes on!!!

 

[FarmGirl10]

All of the ones I've ever been around are really laid back. The Swiss's that my brother has let me pet them (I know I'm not supposed to do it...but if they have their heads in the feed bunk I try). One of them got out and my little 12 pound puppy put him away, so as far as i know they are really laid back