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Guernsey cattle

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The Guernsey is a special kind of dairy cow. These animals come from the island of Guernsey. They live in the Channel Islands. People value them for their wonderful milk. This milk has a rich and tasty flavor. It also has a beautiful golden-yellow color. This bright color comes from something called beta-carotene. This is a part of vitamin A.

Guernsey cattle
Guernsey cattle

Guernsey cows have a very specific look. Their coats are often red or fawn. Fawn is a color like wheat. Some cows have white spots on them. They may be red-and-white or fawn-and-white. These cows are medium in size. A cow might weigh 500 kilograms. A bull can weigh 700 kilograms. They are known for being calm and hardy.

Guernsey Cow, EB1911, volume 5, page 563
Guernsey Cow, EB1911, volume 5, page 563

We do not know exactly how this breed began. It was first documented in the nineteenth century. Cattle arrived on the island in the Middle Ages. They were used for draught work. Some people think they came from France. They might have come from Normandy or Brittany. There may have been Dutch influence too. In the 1800s, laws changed how cattle moved. For example, importing French cattle was forbidden in 1819.

Guernsey cattle
Guernsey cattle

These cows are very good at making milk. One cow produces about 6,000 liters every year. Their milk is high in fat and protein. The fat content is about 5 percent. The protein content is about 3.7 percent. In the past, they were very easy to care for. They lived long lives and ate grass well. Today, some cows are larger due to new breeding ways.

Guernsey Cow, EB1911, volume 5, page 563
Guernsey Cow, EB1911, volume 5, page 563

It is important to look after these animals today. The Guernsey is on a special watch list. This list is kept by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. There are fewer than 10,000 of them in the whole world. In the United States, there are fewer than 2,500 new registrations each year. Many were sent to the U.S. in the early 20th century. We must help keep this breed safe for the future.

Guernsey cattle
Guernsey cattle
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File:Guernsey Cow, EB1911, volume 5, page 563.jpg
Guernsey Cow, EB1911, volume 5, page 563.jpg
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