Jersey cattle

A small, honey-brown breed of dairy cattle, the Jersey is renowned for the high butterfat content of its milk, as well as a genial disposition.

Characteristics

The Jersey cow is quite small, ranging from only 800 to 1200 pounds (360 to 540 kg). The main factor contributing to the popularity of the breed has been their greater economy of production, due to:

the ability to carry a larger number of effective milking cows per unit area due to lower body weight, hence lower maintenance requirements
high butterfat content of their milk, which economises in energy requirements in food per pound of butterfat
the ability to stand up to a wide range of climatic conditions, and to thrive on locally produced food.

(Rex Paterson in Jersey Cattle, ed. Boston, 1954, pp81-95)

Bulls are also small, ranging from 1200 to 1800 pounds (540 to 820 kg), and are notoriously aggressive.

File:Jersey cattle judging.jpg

Jersey cattle being judged at a show in Jersey, home of the breed

Due to the small size, curious docile character and attractive features of the Jersey cow, small herds were imported into England by aristocratic landowners as props for aesthetic landscapes.

History of the breed

As its name implies, the Jersey was bred on the British Channel Island of Jersey. It apparently descended from cattle stock brought over from the nearby Norman mainland, and was first recorded as a separate breed around 1700.

Frank Falle has speculated^[1] (on the basis of DNA evidence) that the oldest settlers in Jersey were Danish vikings who had been to Nantes with Hatain, where it is recorded that tribute was given by the King of France to Hatain of 500 cattle to leave that area, whereupon they settled in the Normandy area. The marked resemblance between Jersey cattle and the Nantaise cow would seem to bear this out.[1]

While the breed is isolated from outside influence today, this was not always the case. Before 1789 cows would be given as dowry for inter-island marriages between Jersey and Guernsey (Boston, 1954). This was, however, not widespread.

Since 1789, imports of foreign cattle into Jersey have been forbidden by law to maintain the purity of the breed, although exports of cattle and semen have been an important economic resource for the island. The restriction on the import of cattle was initially introduced in 1789 to prevent a collapse in the export price. The United Kingdom levied no import duty on cattle imported from Jersey. Cattle were being shipped from France to Jersey and then being shipped onward to England to circumvent the tariff on French cattle. The increase in the supply of cattle, sometimes of inferior quality, was bringing the price down and damaging the reputation of Jersey cattle. The import ban stabilised the price and enabled a more scientifically controlled programme of breeding to be undertaken.

Sir John Le Couteur studied selective breeding and became a Fellow of the Royal Society - his work led to the establishment of the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society in 1833. At that time, the breed displayed greater variation than it does today with white, dark brown and mulberry beasts. However, since the honey-brown cows sold best the breed was developed accordingly. In 1860 1,138 cows were exported via England, the average price being £16 per head. By 1910 over a thousand head were exported annually to the United States alone. It is now the fastest growing dairy breed in the world.

On 1866, at the Annual General Meeting of the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society, H.G. Shepard notes in his history that "it was resolved - on the motion of Col. Le Couteur, that the Hon. Secretary be hereby invited to open and to carry on a "herd book" in which the pedigree of bulls, cows and heifers shall be entered for reference to all the members of the Society.". In 1869 for the first time prizes were awarded at the Society`s Shows for Herd Book Stock Cattle.

The States of Jersey took a census of stock in 1866, and Jersey then supported 12,037 head of cattle, of which 611 were bulls, and no fewer than 6,322 pigs and 517 sheep. This was before the motor age and 3,227 horses were kept, Saint Helier being responsible for 888.

Famous Jersey Cattle

Brown Bessie, the famous champion butter cow of the Chicago World's Fair dairy test, averaged over 40 pounds (18 kg) of milk a day for five months, and made 3 pounds (1.3 kg) of butter a day several times. [2][3]
Elsie the Cow, the famous mascot of Borden Milk Products. Her face appears on cans of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk, cheeses, fresh and shelf stable milk.
Hurionia Centurion Veronica 20J, the famous show cow. In 2003 she was sold for $85,000 at public auction. She is currently residing as the 2006 World Dairy Expo Supreme Champion. She has also been named the All-American Grand Champion Jersey. She has yet to be defeated in the showring.

Reference

^ http://www.thisisjersey.com/code/showarticle.pl?ArticleID=000248

Balleine's History of Jersey, Marguerite Syvret and Joan Stevens (1998) ISBN 1-86077-065-7
One Hundred Years of the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society 1833-1933. Compiled from the Society`s Records, by H.G. Shepard, Secretary
Jersey Cattle, Eric James Boston. 1954.
Butterfat in Relation to the Jersey Breed, Boston, E.J. and H.L. Webb,WJCB, 1954.
A Short History on the Origins of Jersey Cattle., Boston Eric, WJCB 1965

External links

[1] ttp://www.thisisjersey.com/code/showarticle.pl?ArticleID=000248

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