Holstein Friesian

The Holstein Friesian cattle (Bos primigenius taurus) are a breed of dairy cattle and an living aurochs that originated in the Dutch provinces of North Holland and Friesland, and Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany. They are known as the world's highest-producing dairy animals.

Etymology

Today, the term "holstein" is used to describe North or South American stock and the use of that stock in Europe, particularly in Northern Europe. "Friesian" is used to describe animals of traditional European ancestry that are bred for both dairy and beef use. Crosses between the two are described as "Holstein-Friesian."

Physical Appearance

Holsteins have distinctive markings, usually black and white or red and white in color, typically exhibiting piebald patterns. On rare occasions, some have both black and red coloring with white. The red factor causes this unique coloring. 'Blue' is also a known color. This color is produced by white hairs mixed with black hairs, giving the cow a bluish tint. This coloring is also known as 'blue roan' in some farm circles. They are famed for their high dairy production, averaging 22,530 pounds (10,220 kg) of milk per year. Of this milk, 858 pounds (3.7%) are butterfat, and 719 pounds (3.1%) are protein.

A healthy calf weighs 40 to 50 kg (75–110 lb) or more at birth. A mature Holstein cow typically weighs 680–770 kg (1500–1700 lb) and stands 145–165 cm (58–65 in) tall at the shoulder. Holstein heifers should be bred by 11 to 14 months of age, when they weigh 317–340 kg (700–750 lb) or 55% of adult weight. Generally, breeders plan for Holstein heifers to calve for the first time between 21 and 24 months of age and 80% of adult body weight. The gestation period is about nine and a half months.

Abilities

Cows produce milk for the same reason humans do—to feed their young—but calves on dairy farms are separated from their mothers when they are only one day old. They are given milk replacers (including cow blood) so that their moms' milk can be marketed to humans. This will open a new window.

Bloat is a form of indigestion marked by excessive accumulation of gas in the rumen. Immediately after cattle consume a meal, the digestive process creates gases in the rumen. Most of the gases are eliminated by eructation (belching). Any interruption of this normal gas elimination results in gas accumulation or bloat.

Ecology

They moo to: seek their herd mates, calf, or mother; say they are hungry; call for a partner when they are wishing to mate; raise an alarm to warn their herd mates of potential danger; show contentment; and express pain.

Livestock animals, such as cows, sheep, goats and chickens, have many roles in the farm ecosystem. They eat corn and hay grown on the farm, they provide milk, eggs, wool and meat for humans, and their waste can fertilize the soil. Animal manure contains many nutrients that plants can use to grow. The National Agricultural Statistics Service compiles data on cattle loss by specific predator species such as coyotes, dogs, mountain lions, bobcats, cougars, pumas, lynx, eagles, vultures, wolves, and bears. Other animal species that can harm cattle include hawks, rattlesnakes, pythons, cobras, orcas, sharks, crocodiles, and even fire ants.

Cattle diseases were at the center of attention in the 1980s and 1990s when bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) was of concern. Cattle health is at once a veterinary issue (for animal welfare and productivity), a public health issue (to limit the spread of disease), and a food safety issue (to ensure meat and dairy products are safe to eat). These concerns are reflected in farming regulations. These rules can become political matters, as when it was proposed in the UK in 2011 that milk from tuberculosis-infected cattle should be allowed to enter the food chain.

Behavior

Even while most people assume that cattle are calm creatures, the adage "when you mess with the bull, you get the horns" is not to be taken lightly. These big animals have an innate tendency to become far more hazardous when they are anxious or irritated.

Distribution and Habitat

If cows need a level place to live, they can be found all over the world on grasslands. If there is sufficient foliage and protection from predators, it may thrive in any type of habitat. A grassland is a region where a constant grass cover dominates the vegetation. Compared to deserts, grasslands receive more rain, but not as much as woods.

Movement Pattern: Not a Migrant
Individual Type: Solo/Group
Recovery Category: Largely Depleted
Population Trend: Increasing
Population: ???
Locomotion: Terrestrial
Habitat: all
Earth:
- Native (resident and breeding): Kazakhstan; Mongolia; Russia; Uzbekistan
- Native (non-breeding and vagrant): Turkmenistan
- Extinct: China; Ukraine
Berbania: North Kihangor
Reinachos: Horatian Plains
Sawintir: Whisoala

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Lore

Holstein Friesian cattle now dominate the global dairy industry. The Holstein-Friesian has the highest milk production of all breeds worldwide.

Near 100 BC, a displaced group of people from Hesse migrated with their cattle to the shores of the North Sea near the Frisii tribe, occupying the island of Batavia, between the Rhine, Maas, and Waal. Historical records suggest these cattle were black, and the Friesian cattle at this time were "pure white and light colored." Crossbreeding may have led to the foundation of the present Holstein-Friesian breed, as the cattle of these two tribes from then are described identically in historical records.

Known Individuals

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Gallery

Foreign Languages

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Trivia

The first breed of animal in this century, as well as the first domesticated animal.