Frederica

This calf is from a herd of pure British Friesian cows. Holsteins and Friesians are very similar and are very high yielders of milk. Friesians are slightly more muscular, so are dual purpose – bred for both milk and beef.

A very good milking cow can produce 60 litres (100 pints) of milk in a day. The pressures of price from supermarkets are forcing farmers to get more and more milk from their cows. Milk increase comes from breeding and food. Farmers are currently getting 10p a pint for milk (1/4 of the doorstep price).

A cow will only produce well if she is very well fed, kept very clean and very comfortable all day long. She does not like bad weather, dirt, disease or bad treatment. She needs her water near her, so that she can drink enough. In winter top yielding cows are kept warm and dry indoors.

60kg of food a day can easily be eaten by a good cow. She also produces 60kg of dung per day! She can also drink a bath full of water (100 litres) per day.

Cows must have a calf about once per year. The new-born calf weighs 50kg and before it is born it floats in a bag of 75-100 litres (15-20 gallons) of water (amniotic fluid).

They are in the Bovidae family, like sheep, goats, buffalos, bison, wildebeests and antelope, who have spread from the same common ancestors on the Ark.