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ENVIRONMENT


All Weather Cow

There are no climate or geographic barriers for Jerseys as they are very resilient animals and thrive in the heat of Brazil as well as the frigid winter of northern Canada.

Carbon Footprint

Your nutrient management program and the conservation of our natural resources is important to protect our precious planet. An article in the Journal of Dairy Science compared the environmental impact of Jersey to Holstein milk for cheese production. It concluded that producing cheddar cheese from Jersey milk consumes fewer natural resources and has a lower environmental impact compared with using milk from Holstein cows. For Jerseys and Holsteins to produce the same amount of protein, milkfat and other solids, the Jersey population requires 32% LESS water, uses 11% LESS land and substantially LESS fossil fuels, and produces LESS waste. The research claimed a 20% reduction in the total carbon footprint. Source: J. L. Capper and R. A. Cady, "A comparison of the environmental impact of Jersey compared with Holstein milk for cheese production", J. Dairy Sci. 95 :165–176, doi:10.3168/jds.2011-4360, © American Dairy Science Association, 2012

Housing

Jersey's require 80% of the space that a mature Holstein cow requires. Regardless of your barn style and type of milking equipment, the Jersey breed thrives in any dairy environment. Part of the Jerseys success stems from a smaller body size as they take up less square footage than larger breeds. Source: ProAction, Animal Care Reference Manual, July 2015, p 7

Domino Effect

Decreased feed requirements result in less land base and fewer costs required to harvest and store feed. With the Jerseys early calving capability, it also means that you need less feed to get them to first calving than larger breeds.

Manure Storage

Research tells us that Jerseys require 24% less manure storage than larger breeds. Less manure output also means less manure to spread. Source: E. Curry, The Economic Analysis of Dairy Breeds, 2014, p 8, University of Guelph

Farmers work diligently to maintain effective nutrient management programs while maximizing herd size. A milking Jersey cow produces 55% LESS phosphorus (P2O5) in her manure than larger dairy breeds, which greatly benefits the environment. Source: Schedule VII; Agricultural Operations Regulation, Environment Quality Act; Ch Q-2, a.31, 53.30, 70, 109.1 & 124.1

LEARN MORE

View or download our 8-page brochure that talks about the efficient and profitable Jersey cow, breed progress, and why the Jersey breed is perfect for today's dairy operation.

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