The best dairy breed in Australia is the one to fit your feed, climate and milk contract. Holstein-Friesian is the most common breed. Jersey is the main alternative. Crossbreds, Australian Reds and tropical types fill the gaps. Pick a breed to suit your farm, then pick the best animals inside it.

This guide compares the main breeds in plain terms. It shows what each one does well. It also shows how Australian breeding data helps you choose.

What a dairy breed has to do on your farm

A dairy cow has one job. She must turn your feed into milk and a calf each year, and stay healthy while she does it. Breeds differ in how they do this. Four traits matter most.

• Milk volume. How many litres she gives in a lactation.
• Milk components. The fat and protein in each litre. Many processors pay on components as well as volume.
• Fertility. A cow must calve every year to keep the milking herd on schedule.
• Adaptation. How she handles heat, humidity, walking distance and your feed system.

Dairy Australia publishes industry data on herd size, milk production and costs. See Dairy Australia for current figures before you set a herd target.

Holstein-Friesian

Holstein-Friesian is the most common dairy breed in Australia. You see it in most herds in Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales. It gives the highest volume of milk of any major breed.

Strengths

• High milk volume per cow.
• Large frame, which suits high-feed systems.
• Large supply of genetics and bulls.
• Good value for surplus calves in a beef cross system, as the animals are large.

Watch points

• Lower fat and protein percentage than Jersey.
• Larger body means higher feed needs to maintain it.
• Less tolerance of heat and humidity than smaller breeds.
• Fertility is harder to hold in a pasture-based system without careful selection.

Holsteins pay off where you supply plenty of high-quality feed and the milk price rewards volume. Read our guide on heat stress in cattle if you farm in a warm region.

Jersey

The Jersey is a smaller cow. Her milk is rich in fat and protein, which suits cheese and butter makers and processors who pay for components.

Strengths

• High fat and protein percentage.
• Lower body weight, so she eats less to maintain herself.
• Good fertility and a reputation for easy calving.
• More tolerance of heat than Holstein.

Watch points

• Lower total milk volume per cow.
• Bull calves have low beef value, so plan for them from the start.
• Pays best where your milk contract rewards components.

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Holstein-Jersey crossbreds

Many Australian farms run a crossbred herd. The idea is simple. You combine the volume of the Holstein with the components, fertility and lower body weight of the Jersey. Crossbred cows often show hybrid vigour, which is a lift in fitness and fertility over the average of the parent breeds.

Crossbreeding works best with a plan. Choose sires on purpose, keep good records and decide which cows to breed to which bull. A random mix gives uneven cows and uneven milk. A planned program gives a herd of similar size and output.

Ask your processor whether it pays for fat, protein or volume. Then run a budget for each breed. Pick the system with the best return for your costs.

Australian Red, Illawarra and other breeds

A few other breeds have a loyal following.

• Australian Red and Illawarra. These are hardy cows with good fertility. They suit pasture systems along the coast of New South Wales and Queensland.
• Guernsey. A medium-sized cow with rich milk. Some herds focus on A2 milk. See our article on A2 milk for the market.
• Ayrshire. A hardy breed with a reputation for strong udders and good feet.
• Brown Swiss. A large, strong cow with high protein milk, suited to cheese makers.

These breeds hold small shares of the national herd. Genetics are harder to source, and the choice of bulls is smaller. Check supply of semen and breeding stock before you commit.

Tropical dairy cattle

Heat, humidity and ticks limit European breeds in northern Australia. Tropical dairies use breeds with some Zebu blood. The Australian Friesian Sahiwal was bred in Queensland from Friesian and Sahiwal cattle for tropical conditions. It has better tick resistance and heat tolerance than pure Holsteins.

Tick fever and ticks shape herd health in the north. Read our guide to tick fever in cattle if you farm there.

Compare the breeds side by side

This table gives a general pattern. It is not a promise for any one herd. Genetics inside each breed vary widely, so a top Jersey herd sometimes beats a poor Holstein herd on profit.

Use Australian breeding data

You do not need to guess. Datagene runs the national breeding values for Australian dairy cattle. It publishes Australian Breeding Values (ABVs) and selection indexes for bulls and cows.

Know these three indexes:

• Balanced Performance Index (BPI). The main profit index. It ranks animals for overall profit in Australian conditions.
• Health Weighted Index (HWI). Puts more weight on health, fertility and survival.
• Type Weighted Index (TWI). Puts more weight on the physical type of the cow.

Datagene also publishes a heat tolerance breeding value. If summers are hot on your farm, use it when you pick bulls.

Look at the traits behind the index, as well as the index. A bull with a high index sometimes has a weakness, such as calving ease or udder depth, not suited to your herd. Pick bulls to fix the weak points of your own cows.

Plan for surplus calves

Every dairy cow must calve to give milk. Half of the calves are bulls, and many heifer calves are surplus to your needs. Know what you will do with them before you choose a breed.

Holstein bull calves have more value in a beef system than Jersey bull calves. Some dairy farms mate part of the herd to a beef bull such as Angus. The calves from this cross grow into a better beef animal. Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) publishes market information for the beef side of this trade. Talk to local calf buyers and your processor about timing and quality standards.

Use sexed semen on your best cows to breed replacements. Use beef semen on the rest. This approach cuts the number of low-value dairy calves.

Think about walking distance and milking speed

A cow walks to the dairy twice a day. On large pasture farms, this is a long walk over rough ground. A big heavy cow suffers more on a long walk than a small cow. A cow with weak feet falls behind and goes lame. Select for sound feet and legs, and check the type traits when you choose bulls.

Temperament matters too. A quiet cow enters the dairy without fuss and lets down her milk. A nervous cow slows the shed and stresses the milker. Cull cows with bad temperament and keep the calm ones.

Match the breed to your farm

Work through these questions before you pick a breed or a cross.

1. How does your processor pay? Volume, components or a mix?
2. What is your feed system? Pasture only, or pasture with grain and silage?
3. What is your climate? How many days of heat stress do you get each summer?
4. What is your milking system? Walking distance and dairy capacity matter.
5. What will you do with surplus calves? Check buyers in your region first.
6. Is genetics supply secure? Check bull supply and heifer supply.

Our complete guide to dairy cattle farming in Australia sets breed choice in the context of the whole farm business. If you are building a new operation, read how to start a dairy farm in Australia first.

Manage the herd you choose

Breed sets the potential. Management decides how much of it you reach. A good cow on poor feed will not perform. Watch four areas.

• Feed. Match the diet to the stage of lactation. See our cattle nutrition and feeding hub.
• Calving. A tight calving pattern keeps the herd on schedule. Read our cattle calving guide.
• Breeding. Record every heat, service and calving. Use our breeding management tips.
• Milk quality. Control mastitis and cell counts. See our guide on improving cow milk quality.

Review the herd every year. Cull cows with poor fertility, poor health or low production. Keep heifers from your best cows. Over several years, your own herd data tells you more than any breed average.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best dairy breed in Australia?

No single breed wins everywhere. Holstein-Friesian is the most common and gives the highest volume. Jersey gives milk with higher fat and protein. The best breed is the one to suit your feed system, your climate and the way your processor pays for milk.

Which dairy cows handle heat best?

Jersey cows are smaller and usually cope with heat better than Holsteins. Tropical types such as the Australian Friesian Sahiwal suit northern Queensland. Datagene also publishes a heat tolerance breeding value, so you also select for heat tolerance within any breed.

Is a Holstein or a Jersey more profitable?

It depends on your payment system and your costs. Holsteins give more litres. Jerseys give more fat and protein per litre and eat less. Compare your own pasture, feed costs and milk pricing before you decide. Datagene indexes help you compare animals by profit.

Why do some farms use crossbred dairy cows?

Crossbreeding Holstein and Jersey blends the volume of one with the components and fertility of the other. Crossbred cows often show hybrid vigour. Farms use planned crossing programs and keep records so the herd stays consistent.

How do you choose dairy bulls in Australia?

Use the Balanced Performance Index from Datagene. It ranks bulls by expected profit in Australian herds. Check the health, fertility and type traits as well. Choose bulls to fix the weak points of your own herd.