Abstract

This paper provides an overview on differences between Holstein-Friesian (HF), Jersey (J) and crossbred cows, for feed conversion efficiency (FCE), dry matter intake (DMI), cheese yield and carbon emissions. It was found that J cows have significantly higher DMI per kilogram of live weight (LWT) compared to HF and F1 HFxJ cows (3.64, 3.81 and 3.23 g DMI/kg LWT, respectively). A higher DMI per kilogram of LWT can result in more energy available for milk production, assuming that the maintenance requirements per unit of LWT are equal between the breeds. Estimates of FCE measured as grams of milksolids (milkfat plus milk protein) per kilogram of DMI were higher in J than HF cows (112 vs 97 g MS/kg DMI) in the reviewed papers. For grazing cows, a higher proportion of feed consumed is converted into milk production than used to cover maintenance energy requirements in J cows. This may result in lower greenhouse gas emission intensity from J than HF cows. Opportunities for the utilisation of breed differences to increase FCE and reduce carbon footprint and increase overall farm profitability in grazing dairy systems requires further farming system research to elucidate the relative efficiencies of the most common dairy breeds.

NW, Sneddon, N Lopez-Villalobos, and J Baudracco

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 71, Invercargill, 214-218, 2011