Each month the editors receive our test sheets. In the past 12 months, the farm has averaged 474 cows, 387 in milk – 320 Guernseys and 155 Jerseys. But that is no longer the case.
With the current test sheet, we find 558 cows, with 454 in milk. Those are split into 269 Guernseys (210 in milk) and 289 Jerseys (244 in milk). Our July test was the first one with over 500 cows in the herd. Our August test is the first with more Jerseys than Guernseys.
With these new Jerseys comes more milk. Last August, our 369 cows in milk posted a rolling herd average of 18,478. The 281 Guernseys in milk contributed an average of 18,602 at the time. Just 88 Jerseys in milk tested for a 16,576 pound average.
This August, our full-herd rolling herd milk average is up to 19,276. Guernseys still lead on milk with an RHA of 19,471, versus the Jersey's 18,869. But, like most dairy producers, we're paid on cheese yield.
On a per-cow basis, the entire herd averages 2,324 pounds of cheese yield. The Jerseys took the lead in this category in September of last year and haven't looked back (with some very young Jerseys – on 112 of 238 are second lactation or higher. They currently boast a yield of 2,408 pounds, against the Guernsey average of 2,282. That's a difference of 126 pounds of cheese.
Appraiser comes Friday
Friday, we will score the entire Jersey herd. We hope to post those results as soon as possible.
In the meantime, here's a video I took over the noon hour, for those of you who haven't visited the farm since we remodeled, and added the little brown cows (and, as shown above, we mean that in only the most endearing way).
