Click Here for a color, printable picture.Click Here for a color, printable picture.The Isle of Guernsey,
a tiny island in the English Channel off the coast of France,
is the birthplace of the Guernsey cow. About 960 A.D., besieged
by buccaneeres and sea rovers, the Island came to the attention
of Robert Duke of Normandy. He sent a group of militant monks
to educate the natives to cultivate the soil and defend the land.
The monks brought with them the best bloodlines of French cattle
-- Norman Brindles, also known as Alderneys, from the province
of Isigny and the famous Froment du Leon breed from Brittany --
and developed the Guernsey.
Importation to America
Introduction of the Guernsey to America occurred
around September 1840, when Captain Belair of the Schooner Pilot
brought three Alderney cows to the port of New York. Later, Captain
Prince imported two heifers and a bull from the Island. These
animals were the original stock of a great majority of the Guernseys
that make up the national Guernsey herd today.
America's Guernseys
With the understanding that positive identification
is crucial to preserving the purity of the breed, a group of Guernsey
breeders founded the American Guernsey Cattle Club in 1877. Since
then, the organization has registered over 3 million Guernseys.
Now the American Guernsey Association, the national organization
for the registration and promotion of Guernsey cattle, has introduced
many other programs for the advancement of the breed.
Making Strides in Genetic Improvement
Genetically, the Guernsey of today is much different
than that of 960 A.D. Due to the advent and commericalization
of artificial insemination, a process by which a cow is inseminated
without ever seeing a bull, a particular bull can sire thousands
of offspring. This genetic improvement has been generated by a
progressive, aggressive young sire program. Young bulls' semen
is distributed throughout the Guernsey population until the bulls
have a large enough daughter population that their offspring's
qualities are predictable. As proven bulls, these sires may have
as many as 1,500 daughters in 400 herds. However, every six months
the list of available sires is updated. At that time, new bulls
with superior genetics are added and older sires lose ther "active"
status. This insures that the breed-wide effort to improve the
Guernsey's sound genetic base continues.
Guernseys' Golden Product
The Guernsey cow is known for producing high-butterfat,
high protein milk with a high concentration of beta-carotene.
Being of intermediate size, Guernseys produce their high-quality
milk while consuming 20-30 percent less feed per pound of milk
produced than larger dairy breeds. They have a younger average
age of first calf heifers than the larger breeds. Other attractive
characteristics of Guernseys are their lack of any known undesirable
genetic recessives and their adaptability to warmer climates.
The Guernsey is also an excellent grazer. She
is a cow that is made for pasture-based milk production. Because
of her grazing abilities, gentler disposition, calving ease and
ability to efficiently produce milk with less feed than other
breeds, she is the ideal candidate for intensive grazing. Dairy
producers can realize her profit potential while reducing management
costs.
The Tanbark Trail
During the summer and fall of the year, Guernsey
enthusiasts from all over the United States congregate at state
fairs and national shows to have their Guernseys judged. This
show season is referred to as the "Tanbark Trail". Each
year, approximately 200 breeders participate in three national
shows which culminate in one national contest to find the Guernsey
that best represents the ideal conformation of the breed.
The Guernsey Today
Data from herds enrolled in the American Guernsey
Association's Dairy Herd Improvement Register program during 1998
shows the breed average to be 15,887 pounds of milk, 699 pounds
of butterfat and 545 pounds of protein on a mature- equivalent
basis. Today, although Guernsey breed numbers are steadily decreasing
as the total dairy cow population decreases across the United
States, the commitment of the AGA Board of Directors, staff and
Guernsey breeders is stronger than ever. Evidence supporting the
ability of Guernsey cow to compete effectively can be found throughout
the country. Join others who are taking advantage of this profitable
cow!