Our Herd

Brown Swiss cattle are thought to be one of the oldest dairy breeds in the world. These cattle originated in the Swiss Alps, a mountain range that covers more than half of Switzerland’s surface area. The Brown Swiss or American Brown Swiss is an American breed of dairy cattle. It derives from the traditional triple-purpose Braunvieh of the Alpine region of Europe. The breed was selectively bred for dairy qualities as well as for its draft and beef.

Brown Swiss are one of the largest bodied dairy breeds, with a mature cow weighing 1,300-1,400 pounds and a mature bull weighing as much as 2,000 pounds. The fat to protein ratio in Brown Swiss milk is ideal for cheese, thus making them one of the most popular breeds around the world for cheese making.

Guernseys are a neighbor to the Jerseys, having been developed on the Island of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Guernseys are thought to have originated from a mix of two French breeds: Brindle cattle, also known as Alderneys from Normandy, and the Froment du Leon from Brittany.

Guernsey cattle are fawn (a light reddish-brown) and white with hide markings clearly defined. The light coat color allows them to tolerate heat better than some of the darker breeds of dairy cattle. They are a medium-bodied cow, weighing about 1,200-1,300 pounds at maturity. Guernsey cattle are adaptable to different climates.

This breed is famous for the “golden” color of their milk, which happens because they have a high concentration of solids – 4.7 percent ± 0.4 butterfat, 3.4 percent ± 0.2 protein according to Dairy Records Management Service.The high concentration of components also makes Guernsey milk more desirable for cheese processing.

Located off the coast of France and in the English Channel lie the Channel Islands, home to the Isle of Jersey, where this breed of dairy cattle originated. First called “Alderney cattle,” Jerseys are one of the oldest breeds of cattle having been brought to England in the 1740s and the United States in the 1850s.

Jerseys have a black muzzle and either a white or black tongue and switch, the hair at the very end of the tail. They may have some white markings on their hide mixed in with the fawn coloring. Jersey cattle are a smaller bodied breed, reaching only about 1,000 pounds as a mature adult. Jersey cattle are very efficient grazing animals and can thrive in many different climates and geography types around the globe. Over time, this breed has been selected to produce very high components, which are butterfat and protein, in their milk.