Holstein Cows

Have you ever seen a black and white cow? It is a Holstein cow. It originated in Europe and was developed specifically in the Netherlands. This cow comes from two breeds. The Batavians and the Friesians, who were migrant European tribes, first bred these cows. Dairy breeders throughout the world began searching for a good milk cow. A Massachusetts dairy breeder purchased one of these cows from a Dutch sailor who was bringing cargo to Boston in 1852. The cow gave such good production of milk that the breeder purchased more cows. Holsteins soon became an established cow breed in the Americas.

The Holstein breed is easily identified with its black and white markings. It is known for its great milk production. This is very important to dairy farmers. These cows are big animals. The Holstein calf weighs about 90 pounds at birth. An adult female Holstein weighs somewhere around 1,500 pounds. It stands as tall as 58 inches from the shoulder.

A normal Holstein is productive for about six years. Once the cow is no longer productive, the cow is typically sent to the slaughterhouse. The Holstein cow can be bred as early as 15 months. The gestation of a Holstein cow is typically nine months. Most Holstein cows are able to deliver their calves with little assistance. Once the baby is born, it is kept in a calf stall where it is bottle-fed. The mother is able to produce gallons of milk.