Friesian cattle came originally from the north-west of the Netherlands – in particularly, Friesland. The earliest settlers from the Netherlands brought the first Friesian cattle to the United States. The most significant importation was in 1861.
In the United Kingdom in 1908 there were fewer than forty herds of Friesians. Within five years there were three hundred breeders and by the late 1940s the black and whites had become Britain’s dominant dairy breed.
The cattle commonly called Holstein in North America and Friesian in many other countries.
The Friesians are the largest of the dairy breeds. A mature cow in milk should weight about 1500 pounds. A mature bull in breeding condition should weigh about 2000 pounds.
The outstanding characteristic of the Friesian is it milking ability. The breed has dominated production in North America and Europe for many years and advances in artificial insemination have increased it popularity worldwide.
In the 20th century, the cattle from this region were developed into the highest-yielding dairy cow breed in the world. Nearly all cattle are black and white, although a few are red and white.
Friesian cow
