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Canada Agriculture Museum
Tour of the Museum

Dairy Breeds
at the Canada Agriculture Museum

As you walk through the Dairy Barn you will notice how the size, shape, markings and milk production differ from cow to cow. The Dairy Barn features the six most common dairy breeds in Canada and other important heritage breeds, notably the rare Canadienne.

Holstein

Holstein cow

90% of dairy cows in Canada are Holstein. A good food conversion ratio (ability to turn feed into milk), the highest average milk production (30 litres per day) and the greatest content of protein in milk make this breed a very popular choice for dairy farmers. Most Holsteins are black and white although some have a red and white coat. You can see both sets of colouring at the Canada Agriculture Museum.

Ayrshire

Ayrshire cow

This breed was developed in the County of Ayr, Scotland. An efficient grazer, it is known for vigour and efficiency of milk production, superior shape and quality of udder and adaptability to all management systems. With a red and white coat this breed produces an average of 25 litres per day.

Guernsey

Guernsey cow

The Guernsey is a breed of dairy cattle developed on the Island of Guernsey in the English channel from cattle brought to the island by monks from France about 980 A.D. The Guernsey was first imported to Canada by Sir John Abbott a former Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture for Canada in 1878. Guernseys are very adaptable. They do well under close confinement such as zero grazing or dry lot feeding and under intensive as well as extensive conditions of grazing. This breed has been declared endangered by Rare Breeds Canada. Its numbers have declined dramatically in recent years. This tan and white breed produces an average of 23 litres every day with a high fat content (similar to the Brown Swiss).

Jersey

Jersey cow

The milk of a Jersey cow has the highest fat content of all the breeds, which makes excellent cheeses, ice cream and, of course, whipping cream. The Jersey cow originally came from the Island of Jersey in the English channel off the coast of France. They were first imported to Canada in 1868. Canadian Jersey cows are generally a light fawn to black (deer-like) colour and may have white patches. The Jersey is one of the smallest dairy breeds and its average milk production follows close behind the Guernsey at 22 litres per day.

Brown Swiss

Brown Swiss

With a grey/beige coat, this cow is known for being large, robust and, in general, very gentle. Native Swiss pastures are on average 3500 metres above sea level, making this breed naturally strong and rugged. The Swiss Government supported the development of this breed by offering prizes and subsidies to locate the best females and bulls in the country. Average milk production is 25 litres per day with a high fat content.

Milking Shorthorn

Milking Shorthorn cow

Canada's first Shorthorns, which arrived in the early 1800s, were multipurpose animals that provided meat, milk and a source of power for farmers. Today, the Milking Shorthorn is considered a hardy, good-natured and efficient milk producer. It comes in red, white and roan, a unique mix of red and white hairs. You can see its close relative, the beef Shorthorn, in the Horse and Cattle Barn.

Canadienne

Canadienne cow

Descended from cows brought to Canada by Jacques Cartier in the early 1540s and Samuel de Champlain between 1608-1610, this is the only dairy breed to have been developed on the North American continent. Through self-selection, this breed multiplied inheriting those traits that allowed them to survive, reproduce and give milk on the poorest of feeds throughout the harsh Canadian seasons. Due to policies of the Canadian government in the 1850s and to modern dairy industry priorities, the Canadienne breed has gone from being the primary breed used for milk production (prior to the 1950s) to being declared a rare breed by Rare Breeds Canada. Currently there are less than 100 purebred females in Canada.

Their milk is rich in fat and protein and is used to produce specialized cheeses. Coats may be black, brown, tawny or russet and they are generally lighter along the back line, around the muzzle and near the udder.

Antoinette, our new Canadienne calf born December 18, 2011

Read all about the arrival of Antoinette here: "Museum celebrates preservation of rare breed"


Canada's Got Treasures!

YouTubeVideo of the Canadienne Cow from Canada's Got Treasures. Canada’s Got Treasures is an innovative online destination where museum treasures and your treasures come together.


For further information on the Canadienne breed, visit http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/.