Jersey Milk Continues to Increase Cheese Yield

The American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) reports that the official lactation average for the Jersey breed is now 20,009 lbs. milk, 969 lbs. fat and 742 lbs. protein on a standardized mature equivalent (m.e.) basis. On a Cheddar cheese yield basis, average production is 2,520 lbs. The number of records included in the breed average for 2019 is 100,904.

The announcement is a mixed bag of news for the Jersey industry. The good news is that cheese yield per hundredweight of Jersey milk continues to rise. Yield now stands at 12.59 lbs., up from 12.58 in 2018.

In terms of volume, protein essentially held its own, while yield for milk, fat and cheese declined, along with the number of records in the breed average. The 2019 lactation average represents an increase of 1 lbs. protein and a decrease of 39 lbs. milk, 8 lbs. fat and 1 lbs. cheese as compared to 2018.

The breed average for actual production for 2019 is 17,528 lbs. milk, 854 lbs. fat, 649 lbs. protein and 2,207 lbs. cheese yield. These measures are down 102 lbs. milk, 9 lbs. fat, 1 lbs. protein and 8 lbs. cheese yield versus 2018. Jersey production peaked in 2017 at 20,150 lbs. milk, 985 lbs. fat and 743 lbs. protein on an m.e. basis. Actual production was 17,666 lbs. milk, 867 lbs. fat and 650 lbs. protein.

The number of records included in the 2019 average ranks fifth high in breed history, down 862 herds from 2018. The number of cows included in the breed lactation average peaked in 2015 at 113,897 and has declined slightly with the implementation of Generation Count qualifications.

Because profitability is determined by more than milk yield alone, and, because dairy producers have managed their herds in less-than-ideal conditions in recent years, Jersey breeders should be mindful of the numbers but not swayed by them. Ultimately, goals are being met and the Jersey breed is growing and moving forward.

What these numbers tell us is that Jersey milk is getting more nutrient-dense every year, especially in terms of protein, one of milk’s most valuable nutrients. This is promising news. In its recently released export report for 2019, the International Dairy Foods Association notes U.S. dairy exports surged to $5.93 billion, up 8% from 2018 and on par with the high-water mark for 2014. At the top of the list were milk concentrated powders, cheese and curds and whey—not fluids. Exports to our two closest neighbors, Mexico and Canada, were up 11% and 4%, respectively.

This component advantage makes Jersey milk an easy choice for export products and for processors. It also makes Jerseys an easy choice for dairy farmers who are paid fairly for the components in their milk. Though the component advantage may be what gets her foot in the door of other-breed herds, it is other advantages, like feed efficiency, reproductive efficiency and longer herd life, that enable her to prove herself to her caretaker. While mixed-breed herds accounted for just 2% of the herds in 1998, they now represent nearly 11% of domestic dairy herds. Jersey semen sales—our greatest key indicator of future growth—accounted for 5.4% of market share two decades ago and now represent 15% of dairy cattle semen sales.

To keep its competitive advantage, the Jersey breed needs to increase production, maintain (or improve) components and maintain optimum cow size for efficiency and health as identified by the Capper Cady environmental impact study (Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 95, Issue 1).

Based on statistics of the previous 10 years, the breed lactation average is projected to reach 21,157 lbs. milk, 1,058 lbs. fat and 796 lbs. protein by 2025, with a cheese yield equivalent of 2,707 lbs. Cheese makers are projected to be able to make 12.80 lbs. of product per hundredweight of Jersey milk by 2025.

In this annual production summary, the Jersey Journal includes lactation averages for individual herds calculated on a standardized 305-day, twice daily milking, m.e. basis and an actual basis. Production is included for lactations meeting the registry minimum of Generation Count 4 and higher. Records included in the average have data collection ratings of 85 or higher. Herds identified in the rankings have a minimum of 10 cows.

Editorial Note

Please refer to the rankings posted here for the correct version. The Jersey Journal staff sincerely apologizes for an error in the printed version of the magazine where the rankings from one year ago were published. Click here to view the corrected article in its entirety.

Top 10 Herds By Protein (M.E.)

Owner	Records	Protein	Milk	Fat
1. John and Edwin Maxwell, Donahue, Iowa	185	1,014	26,768	1,254
2. D & D Jerseys, Newton, Wis.	61	941	24,959	1,252
3. Joseph and Debra Brant, Cuba City, Wis.	18	936	25,854	1,214
4. Cold Run Jerseys LLC, Salem, Ohio	243	908	24,437	1,428
5. David L. Hogan, Tillamook, Ore.	2,052	888	23,293	1,132
6. Ahlem Foothill Farms, Turlock, Calif.	2,163	873	24,149	1,149
7. Den Kel Jerseys LLC. Byron, N.Y.	69	865	23,267	1,243
8. Brian J. Moore, Mount Ulla, N.C.	38	865	23,168	1,081
9. Merle Lawton, Newark Valley, N.Y.	62	860	23,058	1,095
10. North Carolina State University Raleigh, N.C.	50	857	23,450	1,058

 

Top 10 Herds By Milk (M.E.)

Owner	Records	Milk	Protein	Fat
1. John and Edwin Maxwell, Donahue, Iowa	185	26,768	1,014	1,254
2. Joseph and Debra Brant, Cuba City, Wis.	18	25,854	936	1,214
3. D & D Jerseys, Newton, Wis.	61	24,959	941	1,252
4. Cold Run Jerseys LLC, Salem, Ohio	243	24,437	908	1,428
5. Ahlem Foothill Farms, Turlock, Calif.	2,163	24,149	873	1,149
6. North Carolina State University Raleigh, N.C.	50	23,450	857	1,058
7. James Ahlem, Hilmar, Calif.	2,250	23,440	846	1,066
8. True Farms Perry, N.Y.	12	23,393	843	1,297
9. David L. Hogan, Tillamook, Ore.	2,052	23,293	888	1,132
10. Den Kel Jerseys LLC Byron, N.Y.	69	23,267	865	1,243

 

Top 10 Herds By Fat (M.E.)

Owner	Records	Fat	Milk	Protein
1. Cold Run Jerseys LLC, Salem, Ohio	243	1,428	24,437	908
2. True Farms Perry, N.Y.	12	1,297	23,393	843
3. John and Edwin Maxwell, Donahue, Iowa	185	1,254	26,768	1,014
4. D & D Jerseys, Newton, Wis.	61	1,252	24,959	941
5. Woodmohr Jerseys, Bloomer, Wis.	26	1,251	22,411	816
6. Den Kel Jerseys LLC, Byron, N.Y.	69	1,243	23,267	865
7. Pamela H. Moser, Middletown, Md.	19	1,217	20,225	734
8. Joseph and Debra Brant, Cuba City, Wis.	18	1,214	25,854	936
9. Crosswind Jerseys, Elkton, S.D.	831	1,180	20,759	792
10. Cantendo Acres-Grazeland Jerseys, Wooster, Ohio	53	1,172	21,834	812

 

Top 10 Herds By Protein (Actual)

Owner	Records	Protein	Milk	Fat
1. John and Edwin Maxwell, Donahue, Iowa	185	899	23,710	1,119
2. D & D Jerseys, Newton, Wis.	61	842	22,389	1,136
3. Merle Lawton, Newark Valley, N.Y.	62	804	21,576	1,026
4. Joseph and Debra Brant, Cuba City, Wis.	18	801	21,877	1,043
5. Cold Run Jerseys LLC, Salem, Ohio	243	798	21,495	1,260
6. True Farms Perry, N.Y.	12	791	22,621	1,218
7. Den Kel Jerseys LLC, Byron, N.Y.	69	789	21,278	1,142
8. Sand Creek Dairy LLC, Hastings, Mich.	270	784	20,762	1,080
9. Benjamin P. Colopy, Perry, N.Y.	22	772	21,135	1,045
10. Doug Fairbanks, Anamosa, Iowa	54	767	20,737	1,129

 

Top 10 Herds By Milk (Actual)

Owner	Records	Milk	Protein	Fat
1. John and Edwin Maxwell, Donahue, Iowa	185	23,710	899	1,119
2. True Farms, Perry, N.Y.	12	22,621	791	1,218
3. D & D Jerseys, Newton, Wis.	61	22,389	842	1,136
4. Joseph and Debra Brant, Cuba City, Wis.	18	21,877	801	1,043
5. Merle Lawton, Newark Valley, N.Y.	62	21,576	804	1,026
6. Cold Run Jerseys LLC, Salem, Ohio	243	21,495	798	1,260
7. Den Kel Jerseys LLC, Byron, N.Y.	69	21,278	789	1,142
8. Benjamin P. Colopy, Perry, N.Y.	22	21,135	772	1,045
9. Kylie Margaret Lehr, Canastota, N.Y.	14	20,802	738	1,056
10. Sand Creek Dairy LLC, Hastings, Mich.	270	20,762	784	1,080
Brian J. Moore, Mount Ulla, N.C.	38	20,762	757	954

 

Top 10 Herds By Fat (Actual)

Owner	Records	Fat	Milk	Protein
1. Cold Run Jerseys LLC, Salem, Ohio	243	1,260	21,495	798
2. True Farms, Perry, N.Y.	12	1,218	22,621	791
3. Den Kel Jerseys LLC, Byron, N.Y.	69	1,142	21,278	789
4. D & D Jerseys, Newton, Wis.	61	1,136	22,389	842
5. Woodmohr Jerseys, Bloomer, Wis.	26	1,135	20,274	740
6. Doug Fairbanks, Anamosa, Iowa	54	1,129	20,737	767
7. Pamela H. Moser, Middletown, Md.	19	1,120	18,407	667
8. John and Edwin Maxwell, Donahue, Iowa	185	1,119	23,710	899
9. Crosswind Jerseys, Elkton, S.D.	831	1,102	19,736	740
10. Logan and Autumn Courtney, Chouteau, Okla.	65	1,093	19,542	754

 

The updated rankings broken down by herd size, along with the full story, can be viewed here.  Please contact the Jersey Journal staff with any concerns.