How To Breed A Brown Swissmansonian Cow

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3 A little history... Probably the oldest of the dairy breeds, Brown Swiss descended from cattle used in the valleys and mountain slopes of Switzerland since before historic records began. It was here that the transmitting ability of certain breed characteristics became so firmly established that they are still prominent today. The Brown Swiss breed is possibly the purest of all recognized breeds of dairy cattle. It is believed there was little or no infusion of foreign blood, and no apparent crossing with other cattle throughout the establishment of the breed. So well fixed did the characteristics of the breed become, and so apparent was the prepotency and vigour of the animals, that cattle raisers from Germany, Italy, and other surrounding domains made regular importations of Swiss stock to strengthen the productive quality of their herds. The first Brown Swiss in Canada were imported to the Eastern townships of Québec from the United States in Although considered a dual-purpose breed (dairy and beef) in Europe, pioneer North American breeders recognized their great potential for milk production and concentrated their efforts for improvement in the direction of developing a dairy cow. Brown Swiss are now found throughout Canada. The original characteristics including size, ruggedness, strong sound feet and legs that wear, quality udders that last, and have been maintained and improved. These quiet, docile tempered cows are ideally suited for either the family-sized farm or the large commercial operation in any climate. Brown Swiss, being hardy and rugged, perform well in all climates and at all altitudes. Brown Swiss, the complete package! Brown Swiss are found throughout Canada presently and many Canadian animals are sold to foreign buyers. The beef aspect of the big brown cow was developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s during the exotic beef rush. These beef focused animals are known as Braunvieh. Braunvieh is a German term which translates to brown cattle. Since they were of the same original genetic stock as the Brown Swiss, they were entered into the Brown Swiss herd book. Within the Canadian Association we have 5 provincial associations. The heaviest population of Brown Swiss reside in Ontario and Québec, with Manitoba starting to make a significant increase in the interest and sale of Brown Swiss to other breeders. At present, Brown Swiss interests continues to grow and expand with breeders of other dairy cattle. Are you looking for a dairy breed offering a cow that produces high quality milk? Do you want to benefit from her long productive life to make your herd profitable? Are you looking for a cow with a quiet and docile temperament, who totally adapts to all breeding conditions? 3

4 The Brown Swiss cow not only offers rich milk but she also produces it in large quantities. That is what makes the breed so interesting. A large majority of breeders wish to increase production but do not wish to increase the number of cows to utilize the same quota. Brown Swiss is the ideal breed for ensuring high quality milk: Udder health (low SCS) Disease resistance Milking ease (quiet/calm) The difference in the milk composition of the Brown Swiss cow (protein and fat) gives her a net advantage Milk Quality NATIONAL AVERAGE PRODUCTION # SURVEYS Milk (kg) Fat (%) Protein (%) Source: Canadian Dairy Herd Improvement, Section Calculations made by AAC-DIA, Dairy sector Brown Swiss offers significant lactation persistency, which allows for strong production with reduced lactation peaks. It is those peaks, when they are too high, that create problems related to metabolism, reproduction and ultimately longevity. AVERAGE PRODUCTION PER LACTATION The high quality of her milk returns a high price. The ideal fat/protein ratio and the milk protein composition of Brown Swiss is designed for excellent cheese processing. 4 Source: Canadian Dairy Herd Improvement, Section Calculations made by AAC-DIA, Dairy sector

5 ...Her assets will impress! Calving ease / health traits Brown Swiss excel in calving ease. With more than births, the percentage of easy calvings (without assistance and/or with little assistance) is 97.5 %.Veterinary costs: according to veterinarians, Brown Swiss is a healthy cow... and a pleasure to own! Udder conformation Silky texture, low udder volume,and quality teat placement are the assets of the Brown Swiss breed that have a direct impact on udder health and herd life. Hardiness It is well known that Brown Swiss is a very resistant and robust breed that keeps performing in difficult conditions. When in the pasture, she is constantly looking for roughage. She converts roughage very efficiently! Quality feet & legs Great adaptability to changing climates. Components that pay, cows that last... Brown Swiss cow will help you achieve all your goals! 5

6 Brown Swiss milk stands out by its composition:... Exceptional Make some cheese with Brown Swiss milk it will be a great success! Substantial cheese yield High protein content Excellent coagulation Favourable composition of milk casein Over the years, we have noticed a considerable increase in the use of milk produced in Canada for traditional cheese making. This is stating the obvious but it is essential to understand the exceptional assets of the Brown Swiss breed: a high quality cheese making milk, still unrecognized. International scientific study results enforce this information. The cheese making quality of the milk is not limited to its protein content. Even if the Brown Swiss breed offers significant benefits in this regard (33.6 g/kg) with an excellent F/P ratio, its real asset lies in the nature of the proteins and more precisely in casein, the main milk protein (78 %). The University of Parma in Italy has demonstrated the significant differences in milk composition among breeds. Brown Swiss milk is richer than standard milk in phosphorus and calcium, respectively 8 % and 7 %, and less rich in chloride ions. The distribution of various milk caseins ( s1, s2, ß, and ) is different from one breed to the other. K-casein is the most important one in the milk coagulation process. If it is in a larger proportion, curdling is quicker and firmer. There are also several genetic variants of K-casein: mainly A and B. Therefore, the animals can be either AA, AB or BB. The milk with the K-casein BB variant has better curdling ability therefore better cheese processing ability. The quantity and quality of K-casein influence the cheese yield. The milk of the Brown Swiss breed is richer in K-casein and, furthermore, with a very high BB variant frequency. MILK COMPOSITION Brown Swiss Standard CASEIN (g/kg) CASEIN K (%) CASEIN K BB VARIANT (%) 42 2 CASEIN K AB VARIANT (%) CASEIN K AA VARIANT (%) Source : University or Parma ANARB SBZV 6

7 l milk, exceptional cheese Cheese yield superior by 16 % Several studies show that Brown Swiss milk gives superior cheese yield. Those results are fully logical considering its composition. The University of Parma has measured a difference of 16.4 % in cheese yield for parmesan. With 100 kg of milk, the Brown Swiss produces 8.83 kg of cheese compared to 7.80 for standard milk. In the USA, the University of South Dakota shows a significant difference of kg of cheddar cheese for 100 kg in favour of the Brown Swiss. On the other hand, results in Switzerland and Italy also show that curdling is faster, that curdled milk becomes solid more quickly and that it is more consistent. Conclusion EXCELLENT CHEESE-MAKING ABILITY Brown Swiss Standard Milk Milk PARMESAN (KG PER 100 KG MILK) CHEDDAR (KG PER 100 KG MILK) COAGULATION TIME, R MIN (ITA COAGULATION TIME, R MIN (CH SOLIDIFICATION TIME, K20 MIN RESISTANCE TO COMPRESSION, G RESISTANCE TO DIVISION, G The cheese making quality of Brown Swiss if presently overlooked in Canada. In Québec, the Brown Swiss is establishing itself in many areas with cheese making potential, such as the Saguenay/Lac Saint-Jean for example. It can also meet the requirements of processors concerned with milk processing abilities. Its low cellular rates linked with the quantity and quality of its proteins make Brown Swiss a first-rate cheese maker. Source: U. of Parma, U. of South Dakota, SBZV 7

8 ... a healthy breed,enjoy the profitability Brown Swiss is known as the dairy breed that offers superior general health traits. Either in free-stall or tie-stall barns, this cow is more trouble free. With the high genetic level developed in North America you can quickly acquire cattle that meet your requirements: Low service rate per cow Good calving interval Low replacement rate Very good durability Low inbreeding (2.86%) Recognized for crossbreeding Excellent compatibility in mixed breed herds An excellent choice for organic herds...music soothes the soul... Get away from the stress linked to milk production... face the music Adopting the Brown Swiss lifestyle... is the instrument you need! The pleasure you will receive from raising Brown Swiss will assist you in achieving a stress free lifestyle! Her quiet and docile temperament is one of the breed s assets allowing for ease of handling especially in large herds. 8

9 2 years old Brown Swiss mature gracefully... 8 years old With maximum longevity! 10 years old Brown Swiss price-quality ratio: lower breeding and replacement costs and enhancement of maximum productivity due to longevity. 9

10 Tips For Raising Brown Swiss Calves There is not just one successful method for raising calves, but following are tips given by most Brown Swiss breeders: A. Separate the calf from his dam as quickly as possible after birth. B. Administer colostrum in a nursing bottle as soon as possible. Brown Swiss calves have a sucking instinct during the first hours of their lives but lose it soon after. C. Maintain milk feeding with a teat; there are several choices: Floating teat Suspended teat: ideal for the reticular groove reflex Nursing bottle Sucking is important for Brown Swiss calves. With perseverance, they can be taught to drink from a bucket but they won t have the same growth and may have digestive problems. D. Calves that refuse to drink should not be rushed since they may cause health issues. Breeders are very insistent about this: If the calf does not want to drink, no need to insist, he can skip a meal. When he gets hungry enough, he will soon find the solution... Caution, in order to do that, he must have received quality colostrum during the first hours of his life. If not, he will be too fragile. E. As a last resort, if he still does not want to drink, a feeding tube must be used. After a few meals with a tube, he will often manage to do it by himself. Following are a few breeder tips: Wake up the calf at least fifteen minutes before offering him the milk: make him stand, rub him and come back later. Give him warm milk, between 38 and 40 degrees. Avoid giving whole milk that is too rich in fat. We must adapt our ways of doing things to the Brown Swiss calf and not the opposite. Holstein calves are very easy to rear because they will drink milk from a bucket very quickly. For Brown Swiss calves, things are different. It is better to start by using a teat. Any breed has its qualities and its faults. A lot of people think that raising calves is the most troublesome parameter and the only real inconvenience of the Brown Swiss breed. However, the additional time spent at rearing Brown Swiss calves favour a better adaptation at a very young age and therefore a more docile temperament. Example of Milk Bar teated bucket, for calves in individual hutches. Marketed by Lactopièces. ALSO DO NOT FORGET: The time saved at monitoring calvings (there is rarely need to get up during the night, in general, all goes well). The lower number of interventions during their lifetime. 10 Problems to get the calves to drink? Strong recommendation from breeders: sucking is a must for Brown Swiss calves. I stopped having problems when I finally realized that I would not win. By giving the calves the nursing bottle and the floating teat, I no longer have trouble with them.

11 OUR SERVICES Registration: Canadian Livestock Records Corp. 2417, Holly Lane, Ottawa (Ontario) K1V 0M , ext. 314 (Laura Lee Mills) Fax: Classification : Contact the Classification Dept. at : Holstein Canada Pedigree information: Canadian Brown Swiss & Braunvieh Association R R 5, 5653, Hwy 6 North Guelph (Ontario) N1H 6J Fax: brownswiss@gencor.ca PROVINCIAL CONTACTS Alberta DOUG MCDERMAND 148, Silvergrove Hill N.W. Calgary (Alberta) T3B 4Z British Columbia SARAH DONALDSON 6070, Beatty Rd Abbotsford (B.C.) V4X 2E Fax: Manitoba CORINA COULTER R R 1 Box 5027, Beausejour (Manitoba) R0E 0C Ontario TRACY REID R R #1, Bognor (Ontario) N0H 1E Québec SONIA DUMONT 119, rue Brochu Scott (Québec) G0S 3G Fax: brownswiss@globetrotter.net 11

12 R R 5, 5653, Hwy 6 North, Guelph (Ontario) N1H 6J2 Tel.: Fax: brownswiss@gencor.ca Produced and financed by 1 st edition : 2 nd edition :