Jersey

The Jersey breed originated on the Island of Jersey, a
small British island in the English Channel off the coast of France. The
Jersey is one of the oldest dairy breeds, having been reported by authorities
as being purebred for nearly six centuries.

The breed was known in England as early as 1771 and was regarded very
favorably because of its milk and butterfat production. At that early date,
the cattle of Jersey island were commonly referred to as Alderney cattle
although the cattle of this island were later referred to only as Jerseys.
Jersey cattle were brought to the United States in the 1850's.

Adaptable to a wide range of climatic and geographical conditions,
outstanding Jersey herds are found from Denmark to Australia and New Zealand,
from Canada to South America, and from South Africa to Japan. They are
excellent grazers and perform well in intensive grazing programs. They are
more tolerant of heat than the larger breeds. With an average weight of 900
pounds, the Jersey produces more pounds of milk per pound of body weight than
any other breed. Most Jerseys produce far in excess of 13 times their
bodyweight in milk each lactation.

The modern Jersey breed is unexcelled in dairy type. Breeders in the United
States commonly referred to two distinct types of Jerseys in the past, these
being the Island and the American; this distinction is not commonly made at
present. It should be recalled that this is a different usage of the word
"type" than is usually implied and refers to the general size and quality of
the animal rather than to its use for dairy purposes. The Island-type Jerseys
excelled in refinement and those qualities that were deemed necessary to win
in the show ring. Refinement and beauty of such cattle in mature form led to
the marked superiority of cattle imported from the island of Jersey or their
direct descendants in winning most of the major awards of the American show
ring. The so-called American-type Jerseys were noted much more for production
than for beauty. Cattle referred to by this description are usually larger, a
bit coarser, and have been bred for years for those qualities that suit them
for milk and butterfat production. Some have referred to them as the
"Farmer's" Jersey. Usually after two or three generations in the United States
in the hands of the ordinary feeder, the refinement of the Island cattle gives
way to the larger and less refined American kind.

In recent years there has been less concern about these type variations; no
doubt the program of type classification has tended to reduce the extremes.
Additional emphasis on milk production and less stress on butterfat production
had, no doubt, resulted in general acceptance of Jersey cows with more size
and scale. Recent importations of Jerseys have consisted of larger cattle than
many previously brought to the United States. Their offspring have not only
been acceptable in type but have also been used advantageously in improving
production.

Cows show very marked refinement about their heads and shoulders, carry
long, straight top lines, and usually carry out long and level at the rump.
For their size, they are usually deep in the body and full and deep in the
barrel. There is no more appealing dairy animal than the well-balanced Jersey
cow, and although usually somewhat more nervous in disposition than the other
dairy cows, she is usually docile and rather easy to manage. Jersey cows
usually have an extreme weight range of between 800 and 1200 pounds, but
medium-sized cows are usually preferred.

Jersey bulls, while small as compared to the other dairy breeds, are
extremely masculine. They are quite muscular about their crests and shoulders
and are considerably less refined throughout than are the females. The same
general qualities of straight lines and diary conformation as are found in the
cows are desired in bulls. They usually range in weight from 1200 to 1800
pounds, but as in the females, medium weights are usually preferred. Jersey
bulls are known for having the least docile temperament of the common breeds
of cattle. It is folly to trust any dairy bull and particularly Jerseys past
eighteen months of age.

Modern Jerseys may be of a wide range in color. There is little preference
today between the solid and broken colors although most breeders slightly
prefer the cattle with an unbroken color pattern. Most prefer the dark tongue
and switch, but this is more a matter of an identification point than a point
of discrimination. The color in Jerseys may vary from a very light gray or
mouse color to a very dark fawn or a shade that is almost black. Both the
bulls and females are commonly darker about the hips and about the head and
shoulders than on the body. Most breeders slightly prefer the medium shades of
color to the extremes, but nearly all of them realize that type and producing
ability are far more important than the shade of color or whether the color is
solid or broken.

References:

The American Jersey Cattle
Association, 6486 East Street, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-2362 Phone:
(614) 861-3636 FAX: (614) 836-8040 Internet: [email-masked]

Briggs, Hilton M and D.M. Briggs. 1980. Modern Breeds of Livestock. Forth
Edition, MacMillan Company

Photographs:

The American Jersey Cattle Association

Hoards Dairyman, Fort
Atkinson, WI

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Updated December 12, 1997