Friesian Cow Facts
The term "Friesian cows" can refer to any of a number of black-and-white spotted dairy cattle originating from the general region of the Low Countries. Friesian breeds are readily known to the public as Holstein or Friesian-Holstein cattle. The American Holstein is one very common and easily-identified type of Friesian cow. Much like other Friesians, it is recognized for good milk production but with a low-butterfat content. The breed’s characteristic black patches can be replaced with an orange-tan color (known as "red" in the industry) in a minority of animals.
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American Holsteins
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The American Holstein, the U.S. version of the Friesian cow, has, with its distinctive black-and-white coloration, become an almost iconic symbol of farming and rural life in the United States. The animal is descended from fewer than 9,000 original specimens that came to the New World in the 19th century. An adult cow can be more than four-and-a-half feet tall and weigh 1,500 pounds. About 90 percent of all milk production in the United States comes from these animals, which greatly outnumber all other dairy cows in the country.
British Friesians
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Mention of Friesian cattle often refers to the Holstein--and especially the American Holstein--variety. Heavy interbreeding between Friesian cattle and their Holstein descendants have further blurred the often ill-defined lines separating them. The British Friesian Cattle Society, which later became the Holstein Friesian Society, now classifies cattle as British Friesian if they are 87.5 percent Friesian. British Friesian animals are very similar to Holstein, though a bit smaller than their more populous cousins.
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Swedish Friesians
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Swedish Friesian cattle were created by crossing Nordic breeds with cattle imported from northern Europe. The animals, which, like the British variety, are a bit smaller than the Holstein, have also been strongly influenced by the American strain of the species. More commonly known as Swedish Lowland cattle, they are regarded as good milk producers but lack hardened resistance to disease. They are the second-most-common cattle in Sweden.
Dutch Friesian
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Much like the other Friesian varieties, Dutch Friesian cattle were bred with Holsteins to improve milk production. The result has been a breed that is now estimated to be from one- to three-quarters Holstein. The origins of the animal are murky, but it is thought to be the result of an importation of cattle from Jutland in what is now northern Germany.
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Friesians and Holsteins have spread to a variety of countries: In Canada, they make up 93 percent of the nation’s milk-producing animals as of June 2010; in New Zealand the animals were introduced in the 1880s. Artificial insemination has led to a dramatic increase in milk production since the beginning of selective breeding. About 85 percent of American Holsteins are created through this process.
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References
- Photo Credit cow image by david purday from Fotolia.com
