# Brown Swiss vs Jersey



## Zorro_Bones (Nov 1, 2005)

Other than color and personal preference, which one is the better one to raise? I'm looking into getting some soon and would like some advice.


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

If you're getting a calf, a Brown Swiss would probably be easier/healthier statistically. If you want one for the family milk cow, the jersey would probably be a more realistic quantity of milk and butterfat to be utilized as the family cow. Brown Swiss cows eat more and weigh more. Jersey calves don't usually fatten out as fast if you're going to butcher them. They also have yellow colored fat but it doesn't bother us homesteaders. On the flip side, unless you intend on raising purebreds, Brown Swiss cows that are bred to the neighbor down the road's black bull ususally rear a calf that will sale or eat very well. I personally choose jerseys, but I've had a few brown swiss and loved them. Hope these pros and cons help a bit.


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## BeltieBandit (Jan 22, 2008)

We had a brown swiss cow that we purchased from a dairy down the road. It was very large, especially when compared to our herd of belties. The milk was very good. This was our first milk cow, so when I say the milk was good, I mean to say, that it tasted nearly exactly like the milk we got from the store. She did eat a lot, and because of her size, was hard for the beltie bull to settle her, but she was a good cow. She died calving a couple years ago, and we still haven't replaced her. Maybe this year.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Though I loved our Brown Swiss cattle, I believe Jerseys make a better family milk cow. The Brown Swiss are huge cows. Requiring much more food than a Jersey as a general rule. Sometimes their calves are "dumb" requiring a *lot* of effort to teach to take the bottle. Jerseys are just a much more manageable size. Jerseys also have easier calvings in my experience......not that I'm saying Brown Swiss have hard ones!
The Brown Swiss milk was great.....but Jerseys was better on the same diet and had more cream which enabled us to make more butter.
I did love the Brown Swiss/Jersey cross we had. She was a better size with richer milk.
I *love* the Brown Swiss look and they are very hardy.
Some people say that Jersey calves are hard to raise......I find the opposite. Jerseys have always been easy for me to raise.......its the Holstiens that don't have the will to live for me. The Jerseys never have gone down without a fight. :shrug: The Brown Swiss calves were hardy.....just sometimes *very* dumb.


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## Teacupliz (Nov 20, 2003)

We have both Jersey and Brown swiss- both have wonerful I do like The BS milk better. But as far as handling- when I do not have help I will not kep the BS- they are voer powering. I love my jerseys easy to handle.
Liz in NY


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## cur huntin' kid (Apr 15, 2007)

Seems like we have a bunch of Brown Swiss haters here. I love Swiss but they are Big when compared to jerseys.


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## cur huntin' kid (Apr 15, 2007)

Seems like we have a bunch of Brown Swiss haters here. I love Swiss but they are Big when compared to jerseys.


> Sometimes their calves are "dumb" requiring a *lot* of effort to teach to take the bottle.


 Ya that is definitely true they can be. I know a lot of the homesteaders prefer jerseys because of size, butter fat %, and their temperment but on the farm I work on the jerseys are not really freindly sometimes they can be nasty and that is all of them. As far as the Swiss only one is ill tempered and she has gotten better since being dehorned. The ones that I raised are all very friendly and I have gotten on the back of the monster(biggest cow ever)cow Mudd. Then there is Bailey, she is the sweetest cow in the barn.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

I love brown swiss......but I think Jerseys are better suited to the needs of a homesteader.


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## Cat (Jun 19, 2004)

I was *this* close to buying a Brown Swiss cow from a dairy earlier this year before they sold her out from under me. I've not ever owned one but I really like the looks of them and the meat counterpart braunvieh. They're certainly pricey critters, though! Oh, what I wouldn't give to have more money than I knew what to do with. I'd love to have a herd of lawn ornament brown swiss/braunvieh.


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## JSIA (Nov 5, 2005)

From my experience...Swiss are DUM....I mean stubborn and Jerseys are evil. 

Swiss are actually ALSO a beef breed across the pond known as Brahnvia (sp) cattle. They are quit dumb and there calves would rather starve than suck a nipple. There rather challenging little buggers to get off to a start. The cows have a pretty low feed:milk conversion ratio. They seem a bit hardier once they get past calves, and would make good nurse cows. 

Jerseys are stubborn to and can be rather ornery (any breed can) those little legs move lightning fast and pack a punch. They make great grazers and eat less. There also very fertile, as long as the jersey assoc. keeps the inbreeding under control. If you want beef your ADG will be very low and you will need extra time to finish him.

Of course my idea of stubborn/dumb might be known as personalities to others. I just don't have time to sit and crank on cow tails to get these critters to move. We don't have jerseys (purebreds) anymore, but do have a handful of swiss much to my dispise. But hey they get us componant premiums so...?

Good luck...


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## Cat (Jun 19, 2004)

I just found that there's actually a member of the Braunvieh Association living nearby! I'm going to call him and see if I can't go look at his critters.


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## 65284 (Sep 17, 2003)

My experience with the Brown Swiss seems to be different that most here. We had several BS among the cows I milked when I was a youngster (50+ years ago). They were, almost without exception, pushy, spooky, kicky, aggressive, just plain stupid, and hard to handle. I hated them. I much preferred the Jerseys and Guernseys, and still do I guess, I have bought 5 Jerseys in the last few months.


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## JeffNY (Dec 13, 2004)

Comparing the two, personally I rather have swiss. Swiss are hardy, and actually will last longer. Their F&L are built to last, they are a dual purpose breed as well. The calves can be tricky, however the one we did feed for a while wasn't hard. He was on the mother for a night or less, he took to the bottle. The key was to force him some, then once he realised it was food, feeding him was easy.


I just know comparing the two breeds, I have had bad luck with the Jerseys, the swiss not so. They have their quirks, but they do last.. It isn't uncommon to see swiss 13-14 years old and still milking. The other breeds dont last as long.


Jeff


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## JulieLou42 (Mar 28, 2005)

The BS I had 30-odd years ago was a sweetheart, just like a huge pet dog...loved people! Very gentle. Had been raised as a 4-H calf by a teenage boy. She was a beautiful reddish brown with excellent configuration. She is between 2.5 and 3.5 yrs. here...


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