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The Jersey Cow - History and Heritage

Image of The Jersey Cow.

The History of the Jersey Cow

Small, docile in nature with an inquisitive disposition, these are terms used when describing the jersey cow.

The jersey cow, named after the Island from which it originated, is a milk cow that has been popular amongst milk famers for centuries because of its characteristics.

The Jersey Cow was originally bred on the Jersey Island in the English Channel. The first time it was ever recorded as a separate breed was in 1700.

The breed was originally descended from the stock of cattle that was brought to the Island from the Norman mainland.

According to historians, the first settlers in the Isle of Jersey are believed to be the Danish Vikings. The Vikings later left the Jersey area with about 500 cattle and settled in Normandy.

This is where the original stock that was later identified as the jersey cow descended from. This is supported by the close resemblance borne by the jersey cow and the Nantaise cow.

Since the recognition of the jersey cow as a breed of its own, milk farmers have come to appreciate its characteristics. The cow is small. Many of them weigh in the range of 360 to 540 kgs. This low body weight means that farmers can fit more cows in a smaller area. Thus farmers with jersey cows incur less maintenance costs.

Heritage of the Jersey Cow

For several years before 1789 Jersey cattle were used by Islanders to pay dowry during marriage ceremonies. The dowry was also used for inter-island marriages. The Islanders also accepted cows of other breeds as dowry. In 1789 however, the import of other breeds of cattle was banned by the government of the Isle of Jersey. Islanders were however allowed to export jersey cattle and semen for breeding.

The move to ban the import of other breeds of cattle by the Jersey government was motivated by the need to preserve the purity of the jersey cow breed on the Island. The import of weaker breeds was causing a reduction in the price of Jersey cows for sale to other countries.

The Island’s economy depended a great deal on the export of jersey cattle and their semen and the injury the poorer breeds were having on the reputation of the breed caused a slump in the prices for these cattle.
The Isle of Jersey takes great pride in jersey cows. There is an annual Jersey cattle show that is supported by the West Show Association. The festival is attended by numerous people both from Jersey and other countries.

Although the country takes great pride in the jersey cow, they have now lifted the ban on the import of semen from other breeds of cattle. There however, are restrictions to the progeny that can be entered into the Jersey Herd Book. This book only holds entries of progeny that come from semen that is genetically pure. This is a difficult task to accomplish especially since many of the cattle breeds available today are as a result of interbreeding.

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