List of dairy cattle breeds

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Dairy Cows

Dairy cattle are those primarily raised for their milk as part of dairy farming. Dairy cattle are breeds of cattle specifically raised for the production of large quantities of milk.[1] This milk is processed into dairy products such as cheese, butter, yogurt, and cream. Dairy farming plays a critical role in the agricultural economy worldwide, where dairy farming is both a commercial and subsistence activity. There are several popular breeds of dairy cattle globally, including Holstein, Jersey, Guernsey, Ayrshire, and Brown Swiss.[2] Holstein-Friesian and Jersey cattle are particularly common due to their high milk production and adaptability to local conditions.[3] Holsteins are preferred for large-scale commercial farming, while Jerseys are popular among smallholder farmers.[4]

Breed  | Country of origin  | Average milk output per day[Note 1] | Other

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|
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Volume (L)  | Volume (US Gallons)  | Milk solids (kg)  | Butterfat (% w/v)  | Butterfat (kg)  | Protein (% w/v)  | Protein (kg)

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Abondance | France |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Alderney | England |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
American Milking Devon | United States | 23  | 5  |  |  |  |  |  | Originally bred from the North Devon cattle
Australian Braford | Australia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Australian Friesian Sahiwal | Australia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Australian Lowline | Australia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Australian Milking Zebu | Australia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ayrshire | Scotland[5] | 24.6  | 6.5  |  | 3.86[6] |  | 3.06[6] |  |
Belgian Red | Belgium |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Bianca Modenese | Italy |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Brown Swiss | Switzerland[5] | 30  | 8  |  | 4.04[6] |  | 3.38[6] |  |
Burlina | Italy |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Buša | Balkan | 5.7  | 1.5  |  |  |  |  |  |
Canadienne | Canada | 11  | 3  |  |  |  |  |  | Extremely rare, found in Quebec.
Dairy Shorthorn | England | 22  | 6  |  |  |  |  |  |
Danish Jersey | Denmark |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Danish Red | Denmark |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dexter | Ireland | 7.5  | 2  |  |  |  |  |  | Very small in size. Used in domestic farms.
Estonian Red | Estonia | 11.2  | 2.9  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fleckvieh (Simmental)  | Austria | 25.4  | 6.7  |  |  |  |  |  |
French Simmental | France |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gangatiri | India | 7  | 1.8  |  |  |  |  |  |
German Black Pied Dairy | Germany |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Girolando | Brazil | 11.4  | 3  |  |  |  |  |  |
Guernsey | Guernsey[5] | 19  | 5  |  | 4.51[6] |  | 3.37[6] |  | One of the Channel Islands cattle.
Harzer Rotvieh | Germany |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Hays Converter | Canada |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Hérens | Switzerland |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Holstein-Friesian | Netherlands[5] | 53  | 14  |  | 3.65[6] |  | 3.06[6] |  | Known for producing the most milk of any cattle.
Illawarra Shorthorn | Australia[5] | 7.5  | 2  |  |  |  |  |  |
Irish Moiled | Ireland | 7.5  | 2  |  |  |  |  |  | Rare breed and can be dual purpose, meat and milk.
Jamaica Hope | Jamaica |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Jersey | Jersey[5] | 19  | 5  |  | 4.60[6] |  | 3.59[6] |  | Has a very high content of butterfat in the milk.
Lakenvelder (Dutch Belted)  | Netherlands | 18  | 5  |  |  |  |  |  |
Meuse-Rhine-Issel | Germany |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Montbéliarde | France | 21  | 6  |  |  |  |  |  |
Normande | France | 18  | 5  |  |  |  |  |  |
Norwegian Red | Norway | 18  | 5  |  |  |  |  |  |
Old Gloucester | England |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Randall Lineback | United States |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pie Rouge des Plaines | France |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pinzgauer | Austria |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Podolica | Italy | 5  | 1.3  |  |  |  |  |  |
Red Chittagong | Bangladesh |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Red Poll | England | 15  | 4  |  |  |  |  |  | A cross of Norfolk Red and Suffolk Dun
Red Sindhi | Pakistan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sahiwal | Pakistan | 7.2  | 1.9  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sussex | England |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tipo Carora | Venezuela |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Tyrol Grey | Austria |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Vorderwald | Germany |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

## Notes

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1. ^ Milk production varies due to a significant range of variables including age of the cow, time of year, climate conditions, type of feed and specific breed lineages. Particular attention should be made to citations for figures used in this table for the methods used to obtain these average figures.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "dairy cattle - Agrovoc - AGROVOC". agrovoc.fao.org. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
2. ^ "Dairy cattle breeds | Milk Production, Domestication, List, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
3. ^ "Holstein-Friesian Cattle - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics". www.sciencedirect.com. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
4. ^ "Holstein-Friesian Cattle - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics". www.sciencedirect.com. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
5. ^ a b c d e f "Dairy cow breeds in Australia". www.dairy.edu.au. Dairy Australia. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Heinrichs, Jud; Jones, Coleen M.; Bailey, Ken. "Milk Components: Understanding Milk Fat and Protein Variation in Your Dairy Herd". PennState Extension. Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. Retrieved 2022-06-13.

* http://www.thecattlesite.com/breeds/dairy/
* http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/dairy_cow_breeds.html
* http://www.sites.ext.vt.edu/virtualfarm/dairy/dairy_breeds.html
* http://www.wellfedhomestead.com/choosing-a-dairy-cow-breeds
* http://www.dairy.edu.au/discoverdairy/Students/From-Farm-to-Plate/About-Dairy-Cows.aspx
* http://www.thedairysite.com/breeds/dairy/

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Hasheider, Philip (2011). The Family Cow Handbook: A Guide to Keeping a Milk Cow. Voyageur Press Inc. ISBN 9780760340677