lancemart
Well-known member
How are Gurnseys compared to Holsteins. Are they easy to handle and milk.
Gurnseys
- Thread starter lancemart
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Keren
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- My little patch of earth, Perth, WA, Australia
You'll probably get the best answer from Milkmaid.
However, my view of the two:
Friesians are about volume, volume, volume (of milk). However, it is at the sacrifice of some taste. They are great big buggers and as such will eat more. They tend to be more flighty. That said, the friesian is really the only breed to have if you are wanting to do dairying full time, economically (here in Australia, anyway).
Guernseys are a slightly smaller cow, and so may be a little lower maintenence in terms of feeding. They will have a creamier milk but wont produce quite as much. In my experience they are slightly quieter. I have never milked one, so am not sure how they go in that department. In Australia, the guernseys have very little foot problems, whereas most of the friesians have terrible feet and legs.
What are you looking for? A house cow, nurse cow or commercial dairy operation?
Might I suggest for a house cow a jersey (creamy milk, small cow so low maintenence) or if you want a bit more milk an Illawarra?
For a nurse cow or in a commercial operation I would stick with the friesians. The large quantity of milk will allow up to four calves to be reared on her, and if in a commercial situation they are the only ones that really make money.
However, my view of the two:
Friesians are about volume, volume, volume (of milk). However, it is at the sacrifice of some taste. They are great big buggers and as such will eat more. They tend to be more flighty. That said, the friesian is really the only breed to have if you are wanting to do dairying full time, economically (here in Australia, anyway).
Guernseys are a slightly smaller cow, and so may be a little lower maintenence in terms of feeding. They will have a creamier milk but wont produce quite as much. In my experience they are slightly quieter. I have never milked one, so am not sure how they go in that department. In Australia, the guernseys have very little foot problems, whereas most of the friesians have terrible feet and legs.
What are you looking for? A house cow, nurse cow or commercial dairy operation?
Might I suggest for a house cow a jersey (creamy milk, small cow so low maintenence) or if you want a bit more milk an Illawarra?
For a nurse cow or in a commercial operation I would stick with the friesians. The large quantity of milk will allow up to four calves to be reared on her, and if in a commercial situation they are the only ones that really make money.
I would take a Guernsey over a Holstein anyday. They are a little more moderate in size, have a very calm temperment and produce the best milk (golden) of any of the dairy breeds. Cream content is also quite high. We are just going to ship our last dairy cow next Thursday. She is a 1/2 Guernsey, 1/4 Hereford and 1/4 Holstein. Her teat structure and udder attachment were fantastic (picture perfect), but she would produce more milk than her calves could handle at birth and began to lose quarters to mastitis, as we haven't milked her for ourselves in a couple of years. Good natured cow and VERY inquisitive.
bigbull338
Well-known member
the gurnsey has a higher butterfat an protine than holsteins.an they wont produce near the milk a holstein will.with either cow you will be throwing alot of milk away.ive got a friend that used to fire his dairy up to milk 3 cows for home use.an he was always feeding skim milk to calves an hogs.an he would drink 7 to 10 gal of milk a week hisself.lancemart":1uh7anqs said:
