Jersey Cattle Numbers in France Rise 145% Over Ten Years
The number of Jersey cattle in France has increased by 145% over ten years, while the country’s overall dairy herd has declined by 20%. Olivier Bulot, director of the breed selection organization BGS, presented these figures during the national Jersey competition at Sommet de l’Élevage.
Eighty animals took part in the competition. They were presented by breeders from seven regions and 18 French departments. The competition categories included an assessment of udders.
According to Bulot, interest in the breed is linked to its use of forage, the cheesemaking properties of its milk and the animals’ tolerance of heat. He estimated that a litre of Jersey milk yields around 35% more cheese than the milk used in his comparison; the organizers did not provide a detailed comparison method.
The exhibition program also included a planned sale of two Jersey heifers and a batch of embryos. The figures and Bulot’s comments were reported by Le Comptoir des éleveurs.
