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The history of the most common and most milk-producing breed of cow in the world, oddly enough, is well documented, although it began before our era. This is a Holstein cow, which arose due to the mixing of the original Friesian cattle with “migrants” from modern Germany.
History of the Holstein breed
In the 1st century BC, a group of settlers from the German state of Hesse came to the lands of what was then Frisia, located in the modern territories of the provinces of North Holland, Groningen and Friesland, bringing with them cows. Cattle Frisian tribes in those days were of a light color. The settlers brought black cows. The mixing of these two breeds most likely gave rise to the breeding of Holstein-Friesian cattle - the ancestor of the modern Holstein cow breed.
The inhabitants of Frisia did not like to fight, preferring to work as shepherds. To avoid conscription, they paid a tax to the Roman Empire in cow hides and horns. Most likely, the large size of Holstein cows dates back to those times, since large skins were more profitable for making armor and shields. The breed was bred almost pure, not counting small random admixtures of other livestock.
In the 13th century, as a result of a flood, a large lake was formed, dividing Frisia into two parts.The single livestock population was also divided and two breeds began to form: Friesian and Holstein. As a result of historical processes, both populations mixed again. Today, Holsteins and Friesians are united under the common name “Holstein-Friesian cattle breed.” But there is some difference. The friezes are smaller. The weight of Holsteins is 800 kg, Friesians are 650 kg.
The soil of the Netherlands, drained of swamps, is still ideal today for growing grass for livestock feed. It was famous for the same thing in the Middle Ages. In the 13th – 16th centuries, former Frisia produced a huge amount of cheeses and butter. Raw materials for the manufacture of products were obtained from Friesian cattle.
The goal of breeders of that time was to obtain as much milk and meat as possible from the same animal. Historical records mention cows weighing 1300 – 1500 kg. Inbreeding was not practiced in those days, often equating animals with people. Suffice it to recall the medieval trials of animals. And close relationships were prohibited by the Bible. Some differences in size existed among Friesian cattle, but not due to inbreeding, but due to different soil composition. Low-nutrient feed prevented cows from certain Friesian populations from growing to full size.
Since the Middle Ages, Holstein cattle have been exported to all European countries, participating in the improvement of local cow breeds. In fact, about all of today's dairy cow breeds, it can be safely said that they were Holsteinized at one time or another. Holsteins were not brought in only to the populations of the islands of Jersey and Guernsey, whose laws prohibited the crossing of local cattle with imported ones. Perhaps this saved the Jersey breed of cows, whose milk is considered the best in quality.
In the mid-19th century, Holstein cattle were imported to the United States, where their modern history began from that moment.
In the Soviet Union, Holstein cattle served as the basis for breeding black and white breed.
Description of the modern Holstein cow breed
Although historically the Holstein breed was a meat and dairy breed, today the cow of this breed has a pronounced dairy exterior. While remaining a supplier of meat. But even Holstein bulls will have a low meat yield compared to beef breeds of cows.
However, the same can be said about bulls of any breed.
The height of an adult Holstein-Friesian cow is 140 – 145 cm. Holstein bulls are up to 160. Individual specimens can grow up to 180 cm.
The colors of Holstein cattle can be black and piebald, red piebald and bluish piebald. The latter is a very rare occurrence.
The blue color of the dark spots is caused by a mixture of black and white hairs. A Holstein cow with such gray hair looks bluish from a distance. In English terminology there is even the term “blue roan”. In the photo there is a young Holstein bull of a bluish-piebald color.
The most common color in the Holstein breed is black and piebald. Black and piebald cows have higher milk yields than their red and piebald counterparts.
The red color is caused by a recessive gene that may be hidden under the black color. Previously, red and piebald Holstein cows were culled. Today they have been identified as a separate breed. Red-piebald Holstein cattle have lower milk yield, but higher milk fat content.
Exterior:
- the head is neat, light;
- the body is long;
- the chest is wide and deep;
- long back
- the sacrum is wide;
- croup straight;
- legs are short, with correct posture;
- The udder is cup-shaped, voluminous, with well-developed milk veins.
The amount of milk a cow produces can be determined by the shape of the udder and the development of the milk veins. An udder that is too large and irregularly shaped often produces little milk. The milk yield from a cow with such an udder is low.
A high-quality udder has evenly developed lobes, cup-shaped. The nipples are small. Rough nipples are undesirable. The back wall of the udder protrudes slightly between the hind legs, the bottom of the udder is parallel to the ground and reaches the hocks. The front wall is pushed far forward and smoothly blends into the line of the abdomen.
Productive characteristics of Holstein cows
The productivity of the Friesian breed varies greatly depending on the country. In the States, Holstein cows were selected for milk yield, without paying attention to the fat and protein content of milk. For this reason, American Holsteins have a very high milk yield with a relatively low fat and protein content.
If the diet is deficient in nutrients, the fat content of the milk may fall below 1%, even if there is sufficient feed.
Although the average milk yield in the United States is 10.5 thousand kg of milk per year, this is offset by the low fat content and low percentage of protein in milk. In addition, such milk yield is achieved through the use of hormones that stimulate milk production. Typical Russian-European indicators are in the range of 7.5 – 8 thousand liters of milk per year. At Russian breeding farms, black and piebald Holsteins produce 7.3 thousand liters of milk with a fat content of 3.8%, red piebalds - 4.1 thousand liters with a fat content of 3.96%.
Now the concept of dual-purpose cattle is already losing its position, but so far Holstein cows have good productivity not only in milk, but also in meat. The slaughter yield from the carcass is 50 – 55%.
A calf at birth weighs 38–50 kg. With good maintenance and feeding, by the age of 15 months, calves gain 350 - 380 kg. Then the bulls are sold for meat, as weight gain decreases and keeping calves becomes unprofitable.
Reviews from private owners of Holstein cows
Conclusion
The Holstein cow breed is more suitable for industrial milk production.Farms have the opportunity to control the quality of feed and its nutritional value. A private owner often does not have this opportunity. Holsteins require a lot of space to keep and large supplies of feed due to their large size. Most likely, it is for this reason that private owners do not risk having Holstein-Friesian cattle, although this breed predominates on farms.
