-January 20,2024-
The Anthony and Bob Brazil Dairy is holding a complete herd dispersal on January 17 at the A&M Livestock yard in Hanford.But the long time dairy is not going out of business says auctioneer Richard Martella.He explains that the dairy is selling their 300 familiar black and white Holstein cows to replace them with brown Jersey cows and continue their Hanford area operation which is already been in business for 87 years.
Jersey cows have become in-favor recently in the San Joaquin Valley based in part on the assertion that they need less feed to put out the milk volume. This factor is key for Central Valley dairies, who are under the gun to reduce their groundwater pumping under SGMA (Sustainable Groundwater Management Agency) as they plant feed crops like corn and alfalfa nearby for their cows.
One Jersey cow website boasts that ” Although smaller, Jerseys cows are incredibly efficient feed converters compared with other breeds. They have the unique biological ability to utilize the energy in feed for milk production, rather than expelling it as waste.
Jerseys deliver a quality product that you get paid for. Compared to average pooled milk, a glass of Jersey milk has 18% more protein, 29% more milkfat and 20% more calcium. It is also especially rich in vitamins.”
The formula is said to be good for cheese making. Jersey is a British breed of small dairy cattle from Jersey, in the British Channel Islands. The Holstein breed was exported from the Netherlands.
Martella points out that the cull value of a Holstein animal is far higher than a Jersey.
The US Holstein Association advocates just as vigorously for their breed pointing out “Holstein dairy cattle dominate this country’s milk production industry. The reason for their popularity is clear: unexcelled production, greater income over feed costs, unequaled genetic merit, and adaptability to a wide range of environmental conditions. Added up, this means more profit for the dairy producer who milks Holsteins. This point becomes even clearer when you consider that nine of every 10 dairy producers currently milk Holsteins.”
Certainly if you drive around Central Valley, you’ll see a lot more Holstein cows than Jerseys.
Jersey cows are brown and Holsteins are black and white