Originating from the small Isle of Guernsey, just off the coast of France, the Guernsey cow was first recorded as a separate breed in the beginning of the 18th century.
It was very protected and in 1789 a law was made forbidding any imports of foreign cattle into Guernsey in order to maintain the purity of the breed.
The Guernsey began to build its reputation during the 19th and early 20th centuries, for being a breed of cow that produced quality milk from grass and began being exported to several countries around the world.
She is a medium size dairy cow, weighing on average 450-500 kgs and is adaptable to all climates and management systems. Her coat which can vary from yellow to reddish-brown with white patches, enhances her tolerance to heat, reducing stress in hot climates.
Being an efficient converter of feed to product, the Guernsey is able to produce high quality milk while consuming 20 to 30 percent less feed per pound of milk produced, compared to larger dairy breeds.
They are known for their docile temperament, ease of calving, producing big calves, which are easy to rear.
Research has shown that 60% of Guernseys carry the Kappa Casein ‘B’ gene, which is an excellent quality for cheese making and 96% carry the protein Beta Casein A2 in their milk, which has health benefits for people.
The Guernsey has a small representation of breeders in New Zealand who are passionate about growing the breed both in NZ and around the world and enjoy presenting their cows at the annual New Zealand Dairy Event at Manfield Park, Feilding.
This year, Imagin Java Amy, took out the award for the Combined Breeds Junior Champion. This was on the back of winning the Combined Breeds Senior Heifer Calf award in 2023.
