Low input and high output

For several centuries, farmers from Normandy have developed this exceptional breed on the pastures of Northwestern France. Raised on rough forage, the Normande is very well known for quality in both the dairy and beef productions. Normande milk components are the best for making cheese. Carcass yield and marbling are superior. The Normande is the quintessential cow: unlike specialized breeds, it has preserved hardiness and breeding qualities, such as fertility, calving ease, feed and legs conformation, feed conversion and genetic diversity. From the high plateaus of the Andes, to the tropics, and North America, the Normande has proven its adaptability to a vast range of climates. The Normande demonstrates that milk production can be accomplished without losing essential breeding qualities. We are pleased to introduce you to this unique genetics, a perfect fit for the new needs of dairy genetics.

The trouble-free cow: fertility, fitness and disposition

Long damp cold muddy winters and simple forage diets have prepared Normandes for the worst. Today Normandes spread from the Andes to the Tropical coastlines of South America to Ireland and Canada. Because the Normande has not been selected solely on one character, it has retained exceptional qualities usually lost by specialized breeds, such as fertility, calving ease, excellent feet and legs and overall hardiness. Its thick curly winter hair insures a good protection against the cold while eye rings are effective against the sun in the summer. The breed also shows remarkable docility which makes the handling of bulls very easy. In addition, Normande presents exceptional feed conversion rates continually improved with ongoing selection. Finally, raised on grass for centuries, the Normande shows outstanding grazing ability.

A major dairy breed: 300,000 cows on test, 160 bulls tested per year

The Normande Herd-Book was founded in 1883. Today there are approximately 1 million cows in France of which 300 000 are milk recorded. Of these, the 1000 best ones for milk production, conformation and origins qualify as bull dams and are mated with the 8 or 10 bull sires selected each year. 400 bull calves enter testing station where they are individually tested for feed conversion, growth rates and conformation. The top 160 are then progeny tested after random dispatching amongst the 6 regional selection units that participate in the program. In turn, 8 or 10 bulls from this generation will be identified as bull sires for a season. This selection model is unique in the world for its balance between breeding qualities and milk production, and yet permits regular genetic progress for both milk quantity and solids percentage. Normande breeders from around the world can therefore be assured that exceptional bulls will keep coming year after year.

The best suited milk for cheese: the cheese breed

Normande cows on high forage feeding systems average between 14,000 and 15,000 lbs of milk per lactation at 3.6 % protein and 4.4 % fat. Many cows produce more than 22,000 lbs and some reach 30,000 lbs. These results do not reflect the genetic originality of the breed: more than 90 % of the individuals carry the B Kappa Caseine gene and 82 % of AI Bulls have the BB Genotype. The levels of casein beta and kappa in the milk are known to improve the curdling quality of the milk for cheese manufacturing (speed and firmness of gel). In addition, Normande milk presents favorable calcium/phosphate ratio and casein miscella of small diameter, all of which result in yields of  cheese 15 to 20 % higher depending on the type of fabrication/manufacture. In France, the Normande is associated with the production of such famous cheeses as Camembert, Pont-Lévêque and Livarot. As today’s dairy industry and market trends strongly favor and focus on cheese manufacturing, one can see the immediate benefit of having Normande milk in the tank.

Ideal for dairy crossbreeding

From Vermont to California and Wisconsin to Texas, dairy farmers are increasingly deciding to cross the top French Normande bulls with their dairy cows. Beyond hybrid vigor, they hope to make up for the lost breeding qualities, and especially fertility and strength, that such specialized breeds as Holstein and Jersey may lack sometimes. Conventional dairymen and graziers alike, all seek maximum heterosis effect. Many intend to breed up to purebred, thus opting for a more functional, low maintenance cow. Studies conducted in California have shown that Normande x Holstein crosses have a lifetime profit that is 16 to 26 % higher than purebred Holsteins. In addition, inbreeding is becoming a bigger issue for U.S. dairy breeds and constitutes another reason for crossbreeding in the dairy industry. Because of its combination of strength, fertility and components, the Normande is well positioned to play a major role.

Today’s realities are different from yesterday’s. Our new global economy asks for creative and innovative answers. The market is more and more concerned with quality, while the production side is more than ever concerned with overall efficiency. The Normande brings you the genes you need for a high ouput/low input mode of operation.

For more information: 866-823-7212 | www.normandegenetics.com