Jersey Cow
Cattles are the prominent, cloven-hoofed herbivores of the Bovidae family. The adult male cattles are called Bulls whereas the females are called Cows. According to their uses, cattle are broadly classified into Milch/Dairy breeds of cattle, Draft breeds of cattle and Dual breeds of cattle.
The Cows, which are the large, domesticated adult female cattles reared for their milk producing capacity, fall under the Milch/Dairy breeds of cattle.
There are different exotic and indigeneous breeds of cows which are kept in farms like Holstein friesian, Jersey, Brown swiss, Ayrshire, Sahiwal, Red Sindhi etc. Among these various breeds, the most popular within the farmers circle is the breed named Jersey. In this article, we will learn about the Jersey Cow Price, Its Milk Production and Distinguishing characters.
Jersey is one of the world famous cow. It is known for its milk production. So, The price of Jersey is high. We will learn about its price later in this article. First, Let’s gather some info about this cow from the table below:-
| Origin | British Channel Islands of Jersey, UK. |
| Climate | Tropical, Sub-Tropical, Humid and Warm Temperate |
| Breed Type | Milch/Dairy |
| Other Name | Alderney cattle |
| Milk Production Per Day | 20 to 25 litres/day or 6 gallons of milk per day [For Average Jersey] 30 to 35 litres/day or 8 gallons of milk per day [High Milk Producing Jersey] |
| Gestation Period | 283 Days |
| Lifespan | 18 to 22 years on average. The oldest Jersey cow recorded was of 37 years old at an animal rescue centre in the UK. |
| Productive Years (Milking Years) | 2.5 to 4 Years |
| Age At First Calving | 26 to 30 Months |
| Milk Fat Of Jersey | 4.7% to 5% |
| Weight | 400-500 Kg |
| Colour | Reddish fawn, ash brown or light to medium brown with or without white markings |
| Horns | Short-horned slightly curved facing each other |
Jersey Cow Characteristics
- Jerseys are the universally accepted best milk producers in the world.
- They are one of the oldest breeds that they have records for in terms of dairy animals.
- Jerseys are known for being sweet, curious and friendly.
- They are one of the smartest breeds with high sensitivity and excellent memory power which needs to be handled gently and calmly with care.
- Their body coat colour is generally reddish fawn or ash brown.
- They can be light in colour or a little bit darker with or without white markings on their body.
- They have a double disc head with a straight top line.
- Muzzle is black and has a light encircling ring.
- They have dark noses and big doe-like eyes.
- Some Jerseys have dark faces all the way around.
- They have sharp withers and the switch of their tail may be black or white.
- They are quiet and docile compared to other breeds.
- They can withstand a wide range of temperatures pretty well.
- Unlike other breeds, they can easily adapt to their new natural environment.
- They can utilise the roughages and forage efficiently.
- Their heifer grows and matures earlier than others.
- They are the economical producer of milk which can produce quality milk with lower cost compared to others.
- They eat less than larger breeds which decreases the production cost.
- Their weight may range from 800 to 1200 pounds, medium sized are usually reared.
- They are kind of popular for the homestead because of their size.
- They tend to be smaller, much smaller than Holstein.
- Their milk is extremely high in butter fat. So, you can get a lot of really great cream with it.
Jersey Cow Price
In India, it is difficult to find a high producing jersey cow as they are exotic breeds because of which even the average quality Jerseys are expensive. The Price Of Jersey Cow are listed in table below. The Jersey Cow Price below is listed according to different criteria.
Jersey Cow Price According To Maturity Of Animal
| Type Of Jersey | Price In India |
| Mature Milking Jersey | INR. 65, 000 – 1, 00, 000 |
| Young Jersey Cow | INR. 50, 000 |
| Heifers | INR. 40, 000 – 65, 000 |
| Crossbreed | INR. 70, 000 |
Note: The calves are sold at a lower price followed by a heifer, pregnant cow and lactating cow.
Jersey Cow Price In Different Places Of India
| Place In India | Price Of Jersey Cow |
| Gujarat | INR. 40,000 – INR 75,000 |
| Maharashtra | INR. 35000 – INR. 85, 000 |
| Assam | INR. 60, 000 – INR. 65, 000 |
| Punjab | INR. 48, 000 – INR. 50, 000 |
| Uttar Pradesh (UP) | INR. 50, 000 – INR. 60, 000 |
| West Begal | INR. 40, 000 – INR. 60, 000 |
| Tamilnadu | INR. 50, 000 -INR. 65000 |
| Bihar | INR. 30, 000 – INR. 50, 000 |
| Odisha | INR. 50, 000 – INR. 70, 000 |
Jersey Cow Price In Different Countries
| Country | Price Of Jersey Cow |
| USA (For Milking Cow) | $1500 – $1000 |
| USA (For Heifers) | $500 – $ 1000 |
| Nepal | NRS. 1,00,000 – NRS. 1,20,000 |
| Kenya |
Ksh 50,000 – Ksh 75, 000 |
Miniature Jersey Cow Price
Miniature Jersey Cow is the pure and true Jersey breed. They produce about 2 to 4 gallons of milk per day, just the right amount to satisfy small families everyday. They are not reared for commercial purpose and are domesticated to fulfil family needs only. They are low-maintenance and highly immunised cows. They weigh about half as much as standard cows. Miniature Jersey Cow cost between $1,800 and $3,500.They are considered best for small family homesteads.
Where To Buy Jersey Cow?
India had the largest cattle inventory in the world as per the 2021 data followed by Brazil and China. Haryana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab are the major Jersey cow traders in India. The buyers can contact and search for the Jersey cow sellers in India on Tradeindia website.
In the United States, most Jerseys are found in California, followed by Wisconsin and Oregon.
How To Identify Pure Breed Jersey?
Researchers use a tool called Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to measure the genetic purity of the cow, comparing them with the local Jersey on the Islands of Jersey.
However, they can be identified by observing their physical features as well. Their light fawn to almost black body colour, fine-boned angular body, feminine head, milk colour, butterfat amount in milk, smaller in size, etc can be used as reference characters to identify pure breed Jersey.
Milk Production
Jerseys are popular universally for their milk rich in butterfat than any other dairy cow, which can be used for the production of different dairy products like ice-creams, cheese, butter,etc.Their milk is pale yellow in colour and rich in carotene. Machine milking is practised in the farm with a large number of Jersey cows. They make daily milking choes quick and efficient ensuring sanitation and protection from udder infection. Homesteads milks the cows manually.
They start to give milk after their first calving at the age of 26 to 30 months. Their gestation period is 283 days or 9 months. Their average milk production is 4000 to 4500 litres per lactation period of 305 days. After giving birth, they will continuously produce milk for 10 months and need to rest for about 2 months before the next calf is born. After parturition, it takes 60 to 90 days for them to prepare for another pregnancy, called postpartum anestrous. The first heifers take 90 to 120 days to resume their cycle. The cow should be dried off 60 days( 6-8 week) before the expected date of calving.
One should observe their milk carefully before milking because they have higher incidence of Milk fever.
Jersey Cow Milk Price
| Country | Jersey Cow Milk Price |
| India | INR. 40 – INR. 80 Per Litre |
| Nepal | NRS. 75 – NRS. 85 Per Litre |
| USA | $4.40 – $ 4.35 Per Litre |
Feeding Of Jersey Cow
The Jerseys are one of the smallest breeds and they consume less amount of feeds and fodders compared to other large sized cows. They need to consume 2 to 2.5 pounds ration per 100 pounds body weight inorder to meet daily caloric intake needs. They are fed with 4 litre of water for every 1 litre of milk production. The amount and frequency of water consumption should be increased when air temperature rises. Drinking water should be fresh and free from toxic substances.
Adequate feeding which can meet the nutritional requirement of both mother and foetus should be given to pregnant cows. Extra feeding should be given from 5th month of pregnancy@ 1.25 to 1.75 kg of concentrate mixture and 3.5 to 4.5 kg from 8th month onwards. The nutrient requirement should be 16-18% DCP and 70% TDN. The concentrate should be decreased slowly in the drying off phase.
Conclusion
Jerseys are the economical milk producer and robust commercial dairy breed popular worldwide for their quality milk, longevity, versatility and efficiency. They can acclimatise to their environment quickly. They are the low-maintenance cows. They produce the best quality raw milk with high % butter fat fostering the dairy industry. They consume less feed, occupy small areas and can be transported easily. The best part of the Jerseys is their capacity to withstand different climates and have superior grazing ability which helps to utilise the roughages efficiently. They can thrive in local feed and pastures without any special feeds. They are commercially reared for their high fertility rates and quality milk. Moreover, The Jersey Cow Price is also within the capacity of average farmers. As it gives good return, the price will be recovered in few months. This is whole info on Jersey Cow Price In India. If you have any confusion, do ask on comments.