The Jersey cow in the Island The Jersey breed of dairy cow originates from the Island of Jersey and it is quite distinct from all other breeds of livestock. Renowned for its beauty, ease of management and natural ability to produce rich creamy milk, the 'Jersey' is a product of the Island, its soil, its climate, its people and their history. The early influences on the breed are shrouded in obscurity, as with most domestic breeds, although legislation introduced by the States of Jersey in 1763 preventing the importation of cattle, to protect the local market for agricultural products, ensured the evolution of the 'Jersey' breed. Local farmers concentrated on developing their cattle from the limited local population and their skill 'fixed' the special characteristics of the 'Jersey' resulting in the cattle we see today. The Island breed is recognised internationally as a unique population of livestock. The 'Jersey' is predominantly fawn in colour, although they can range from almost pure mulberry (black) to broken coloured, including patches of white. The most distinctive features of the 'Jersey' are its black nose with a mealy white band round it, the traditional dished face, refined bone and graceful beauty.
The Cattle Export Industry The exportation of cattle from the Island commenced in the 18th century and during the 19th and 20th centuries became a very important industry in the Island as a result of the growing worldwide demand for Jersey cattle. There is evidence of 'Jerseys' being exported to
England during the 17th century and records show Jersey cattle being exported to
America by 1850,
Australia by 1854,
New Zealand by 1862,
Canada by 1868,
South Africa by 1877,
Sweden by 1893 and
Denmark by 1896. In 1882 the cow 'Khedive's Primrose' was sold to America for the incredible sum of £1,000, which in those days would have been sufficient to purchase an average size farm, house and buildings. The importance of the cattle export industry to the Island can be illustrated when, in the three years from 1830, some 5,756 head of livestock were exported. Over a hundred years later, in 1948, as trade resumed following the end of
World War II, some 2,041 animals were exported from the Island which, at that time, had a population of 8,973 head of cattle with 2,404 heifer calves being registered in that year. As importing countries have developed their own national herds to suit their particular conditions the export of cattle has declined in recent years, however, top bloodlines from the Island herd are still exported mainly in the form of frozen bull
semen.
The Jersey Cow Around the World The qualities of the 'Jersey' breed have been much prized by dairy farmers all over the world and the 'Jersey' can now be found grazing fields in over 100 countries. The adaptability of the 'Jersey' to a variety of different environments ensures that the breed will thrive in climates where other dairy breeds struggle. Major populations of 'Jersey' cattle can be found in the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Denmark and Latin America. With an estimated worldwide population in excess of 2 million head, the 'Jersey' is now the second most numerous breed of dairy cow and an important influence in the global dairy industry. Most countries with a significant number of 'Jersey' cattle have founded a breed association to manage and promote the breed in their respective countries. In 1949 the leading countries held a conference in this Island and in 1951 formed the World Jersey Cattle Bureau as an umbrella organisation for the breed around the world. The World Jersey Cattle Bureau has its office in the RJA&HS headquarters building.
The Jersey Herd Book The Jersey Herd Book is a register in which is recorded information relating to the bovine population, including the owner, a description of the animal, its ancestry, date of birth and many other facts. The Jersey Herd Book was formed on the 4 April 1866 and the ancestry of all pedigree 'Jerseys' in the world can be traced back to the Herd Book maintained on the Island. The first animal registered in the Herd Book was a bull named 'Dandy', owned by Mr James Godfray of
St. Martin, and the first cow registered was named 'Daisy', belonging to Mr. P. Paisnel of
St. Clement. In addition to holding pedigree details the Herd Book also records an animal's production and conformation, which is very important for assessing the breeding value of individuals so that the farmers can improve their stock, and therefore, the general condition of the cattle population. Every animal is appraised visually and scored against a scale of points to describe its physical conformation, known as 'Herd Book Exams'. Initially production performance was measured by milk testing at shows during the 1860s, with 24-hour butter tests starting in 1893. These were replaced in 1912 by a system of recording the weight of milk yielded by the individual cattle, which was the forerunner of the system of milk recording carried out to this day. ==References==