Questions about Guernsey milk?....

[pipergrey93]

Is Guernsey milk real yellow or just slightly more yellow than jersey milk? And is the taste much different?

I have my eye on a guernsey (and not ONE member on this forum has tried to talk me off this ledge yet) ;D Anyway - my son LOVES jersey milk and since I don't NEED another cow, I don't want to take a chance on getting a second cow and he doesn't like the milk.

Will those of you who know guernsey milk give me your taste reviews on it? Thanks - Sandy

I do not need another cow, I do not need another cow, I do not....

[jdranch]

lol- you've got the Guernsey bug! Ever since reading the thread about how milk tastes (Guernsey milk had a great ratings) I have been curious what it tastes like. Someone also posted something about it is healthier? I need to go back and reread that thread. I wonder- are they as big as Holsteins? What is their production like? Do they require lots of grain/ feed? Just curious...

[throwback]

I think what the cow is eating has more to do with the flavor of the milk than what breed of cow, although of course the butterfat content is different from breed to breed. But I am biased since I have a Guernsey. Guernsey milk is marketed as Golden Guernsey because of the yellow tint. And no, they aren't as big as Holsteins, but a little larger than Jerseys.

[hazelsmilker]

We had a Guernsey for a while when I was growing up. She was a delightfully calm milker, but all my dad's cows were. Guernsey milk is yellower, and has a little different flavor than Jersey milk. Hard to describe. The A1/A2 testing that's being done shows Guernsey as A2. I don't know how extensive it is though. Guernseys have gotten bigger since I was a kid; formerly they were just a bit bigger than Jerseys. The ones I saw recently at the Oregon State Fair seemed significantly bigger to me. You know, you only live once. If you really want a Guernsey, you should get one to try. She'll be different than a Jersey.

[donahue12inchrist]

I don't know about the milk, but her cost is such that you should be able to sell her for a profit if she isn't exactly what you like. Those of us who can't have one must live vicariously through those of you who will :D.

As for size, the gal said the guernsey in question is about 1200 pounds, so she sounds closer to holstein, BS size.

Stephanie

[pipergrey93]

Yes - apparently guernsey milk has a better omega 3 to omega 6 ratio. So, arguably it could be healthier.

Lol - don't be too impressed by this knowledge. When I talked to Cat this morning to get cons on getting another cow, she looked it up. Yep, healthier - another pro.....I'm in trouble here!

Also, remind me, which is better A1 or A2?

Anyone know ANYTHING bad about guernseys? My 'con' column is way shorter than my pro column. And I do not NEED another cow, I do not need another cow, I do not........Sandy

[crowinghen]

Sandy- Is the cow your going to buy in milk? When you go to look at her , after you park your stock trailer, and before you get your check book out, can you ask for a quick taste before you load her up?

Susie

[pipergrey93]

VERY good suggestion Susie and yes, she is in milk!

Stephanie, I think you need to go to the photo gallery and see those precious puppies Janene has. I told her you'd take 2. ;D ;D ;D

AND, if you don't behave, I'm going to bring you one of my puppies, in addition to the two you're getting from Janene..... Sandy

[rainyclayday]

Here are the cons I've heard (keeping in mind this is just what has been told to me). They have been described as fragile. I have been told they have higher rates of mastitis. The people who have two of them that live in Florida have said the Guernsey calves born in Florida are hard to keep alive when they are born but once they reach a certain age are fine. Another breeder has described them as "born to die."

Again, these are the cons I've heard about or been told. I don't have any idea how true they are or if they are just a bunch of hoo-ha. It doesn't stop me from wanting one! lol. The two breeds I have wanted for a while now are Brown Swiss and Guernsey. I got my swiss so one down and one to go! lol.

Sandy, what you should do I think is just go check her out and try the milk if you can. Maybe you could ask them to have some chilled for you. But also remember that the taste of the milk will vary according to what she is being fed.

Good luck!

[Bobbie]

Sandy I had 2 guernseys yrs ago and 2 jerseys. I personally like the guernsey's milk better. I thought it was creamer. But that was long ago and I don't know about genetics now a days. If I could have I would have bought a guernsey before my jersey but I just couldn't find many of them. And the one's I did were FAR away from me. Get her and I can live vicariously though YOU!!! LOL

Bobbie

[mamanaturale]

get her! lol i can be just as enabling as you!

[Claire]

It depends on the cow, but the breed average is about 900-1000 lbs. My cow is 1025 and is a big, tall Guernsey. Most other Guernseys I've encountered were smaller than she.

They don't have any known genetic issues like many other breeds, they calve easily, and the dairy farms that I know of around me that run large numbers of them haven't found them to be more fragile or prone to health issues compared to other breeds. I've never had a sick Guernsey calf- they've all been quite hardy and fast growing in my experience. They are very temperature tolerant, on both extremes.

[pipergrey93]

This cow is supposed to be a very large guernsey Claire. Is it good or bad to be big vs. smaller?

Mamanaturale - that's not right! You go back and read that thread and you'll see that I was the LEAST enabling poster you had!!!! ROFL - at least I told you I wasn't a credible source. ;D ;D ;D Sandy

[Claire]

Size isn't really an issue, unless you've got a Guernsey the size of a Holstein, and then I would wonder about her genetics! If you plan on showing in the major national shows I know the AGA said last year it wants to work back to the slightly smaller original size, but that size won't be penalized.

If you have a big Guernsey and want smaller offspring you can pick a bull that throws smaller cows. My cow's sire is named Goliath for a reason- he and his sons in AI all tend to sire larger, taller cows.

[pipergrey93]

Thanks Claire. I have no interest in showing. One cow just can not keep up with the cream demand around here and I really like the idea of the higher level of omega 3 in guernsey milk. Plus, I love the white on them. Plus, I think Eunice needs a girlfriend.

LOL - bottom line, I 'm sick and I have a million excuses why I need another cow and NOT ONE is credible.

Sandy

[rainyclayday]

Mar 11, 2010 11:16:03 GMT -5 pipergrey93 said:

Also, remind me, which is better A1 or A2?

A2 is what you want. Most Guernseys are A2. Followed by Brown Swiss, then followed by a group of three (Jersey, Ayrshire, Milking Shorthorn), lagging behind is the Holstein at mostly A1. According to the studies I've read.

I've not heard anything about the omega 3 adn 6 ratio being better but I've read quite a lot about A2 versus A1.

[donahue12inchrist]

What?

Nothing.

Nothing.

What?

;D

[throwback]

File under more enabling: I've always had Guernseys for milk cows and Herefords for beef cows. Lots of calves and calvings and I have not seen any shortcomings with the Guernseys compared to the beef breeds. It depends on the health of the cow and quality of feed how the calf will turn out, unless of course there are some inbreeding problems. That being said my friend buys sick organic cows from a Jersey dairy so he can "fix" them and sell raw milk The dairy in question has the same thing to say about Guernseys, that they are fragile, etc., , yet he has a lot of sick Jersey cows and calves - so I would only take the breed bashing with a grain of salt.

On the Omega 3 to 6 ratio, it has to do with the feeding, grass vs. grain and the difference is that Omega 3 from plants is not the same health giving Omega 3 that comes from fats of grazing animals. The two need to be in balance for the highest benefit. www.eatwild.com

Here's a picture of my Guernsey & her butter just in case you weren't sure you wanted one yet
matronofhusbandry.wordpress.com/2009/12/07/knowing-what-side-my-bread-is-buttered-on/

[pipergrey93]

Throwback - Della is BEAUTIFUL and I can't believe that's her winter coat! You're certainly doing something right! WOW!!!

Stephanie - you're COLD girl, COLD!

[throwback]

Piper, thanks, she doesn't look too bad for 12, It helps that she is dried off for the winter, she lost her last calves (twins) so I took the opportunity to get her back on a late spring calving schedule - I milked her for 15 months though - she needed a rest.