Holstein Breed Average for Fat Reaches 1,000 Pounds

Back from vacation.

Now there will be more posts on Empire State Farming.

Here's one:

Holstein Association USA has recently calculated the Mature Equivalent (ME) Production Breed Averages for 2015 and for the first time, the average for fat has reached 1,000 pounds.

Along with this unprecedented level of fat, the Holstein ME for milk for 2015 is 26,690 pounds, and for protein is 810 pounds.  

“Reaching 1,000 pounds of fat production as a breed is an accomplishment all Holstein breeders should be proud of,” said Holstein Association USA CEO John M. Meyer. “Dairy farmers are paid based on the total pounds of fat, protein and milk produced. As such, Holsteins provide more lifetime profit per cow than any other breed.”

Measuring dairy cattle production levels by butterfat is one of the oldest and most valuable measurements of productivity. The Holstein Association has been calculating ME breed averages for many years. 

The oldest available ME Breed Average is from 1967, when the ME Fat level was 559 pounds. Fat production has increased by 441 pounds over the past 48 years, illustrating the tremendous progress of the Holstein breed.  

Similar breed average calculations done by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) also show the Holstein average for fat to be in excess of 1,000 pounds. The Holstein breed leads all other major dairy breeds for pounds of production for milk, fat and protein.