Holstein-Friesian

Holstein-Friesian, breed of large piebald dairy cattle originating in northern Holland and Friesland and highly valued worldwide for its milk-producing ability. Today, Holstein-Friesians outnumber all dairy breeds in the United States and produce nearly all of the country’s milk supply. Purebred or crossbred cattle of Holstein descent are also dominant in the United Kingdom and several other European countries, Australia, and New Zealand. It is also a major contributor to the United States’ beef industry owing to its greater proportion among the country’s dairy herds. The breed is sometimes referred to as the Friesian or the Black-and-White in Europe, whereas in the United States it is simply called the Holstein.

History of the breed

The Holstein-Friesian is believed to have descended from the cattle of two migrant European tribes of the Rhine Delta—the black stock of the Batavians and the white stock of the Frisians. The breed has long been widely distributed over the more fertile lowlands of continental Europe and was probably selected for its dairy qualities for about 2,000 years. Although it was possibly introduced to the United States as early as 1795, the first confirmed record of Holstein-Friesian husbandry is from 1852. The largest importation of these cattle to the United States was between 1879 and 1887.

Characteristics of the breed

Holstein-Friesians are large animals with a mild temperament. A mature cow can be about 1 meter (5 feet) tall at the shoulder and weigh as much as 725 kg (1,600 pounds). Heifers weigh about 363 kg (800 pounds), and newborn calves weigh about 40 kg (90 pounds). Breeding is planned in such a way that heifers give birth when they are 23–26 months old. Holstein-Friesians gestate for approximately nine months.

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Besides its large size, the breed’s chief characteristic is its coat of black and white patches. The patches are sharply defined rather than blended and unique for each animal, just like human fingerprints. The breed can adapt to both grazing and stabling and does well under different farming and production management systems.

Milk and meat production

Holstein-Friesians are prized for their superior milk production. A 2021 United States production-testing program found that the average annual production by all participating cows was 12,722 kg (28,047 pounds) of milk, 508 kg (1,121 pounds) of butterfat, and 398 kg (877 pounds) of protein. Holstein-Friesian cows may produce as much as 32,658 kg (72,000 pounds) of milk in a year. Although the breed produces milk with low butterfat content, its high productivity has led to its dominance in the U.S. dairy industry.

Given the growing interest in the production of lean beef, the Holstein-Friesian, either as a purebred or crossed with a beef bull, is playing an increasingly important role in beef production in the United Kingdom and the United States. It is estimated that 32–60 percent of the prime beef harvested between 2002 and 2018 in the United States came from Holstein-Friesian steers.

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