The Norwegian Red dairy cattle breed boasts excellent production and world-leading performance in health and fertility traits. Developed in Norway since 1935, breeders have placed a strong emphasis on functional and production traits, resulting in these exceptional qualities. Norwegian Red cattle can have a red and white or black coat and a high proportion of genetically polled animals.
Norwegian Red cattle were developed in 1935 through crosses of dairy breeds with several Scandinavian breeds, including the Norwegian Red-and-White, Red Trondheim, and Red Polled Østland. By the mid-1970s, it became the dominant breed in Norway, making up 98% of the cattle population. Its semen is exported to over 30 countries for crossbreeding, and is popular for crossbreeding with Holstein cattle in the U.S. dairy industry. The Geno Breeding and A.I. Association, a cooperative owned by Norwegian dairy farmers, is the breeding organization for Norwegian Red cattle.
Norwegian Red cattle owners participate in the comprehensive Norwegian Dairy Herd Recording System, which has collected data on each cow since the 1960s. This system provides comprehensive information on each cow.
Interestingly, the in-game cow model in the popular 2009 sandbox video game Minecraft was based on this breed.
Content and Photos Source: Wikipedia.Org.
About Norwegian Red Cattle
