The American Jersey Cattle Association has announced that for the first time in history, it has recorded 100,000 animals in a single year. The previous record for Jersey registrations – 96,174 set in 2011 – was broken early in the day on Dec. 26, attesting to rapid expansion of the Jersey population across the U.S. “This is a milestone for not only the association and its members, but also for the Jersey breed worldwide,” said Neal Smith, the association's executive secretary and CEO.
“The smaller, more efficient Jersey cow is the solution to the challenges of profitability and sustainability confronting dairy herd owners, no matter how small or large their operations are,” he said. “Jerseys produce the most valuable components of milk – proteins and fat – with less feed, using less energy, water and land, and with a smaller total carbon footprint."“Through November of this year, Jersey milk was valued from $1.58 to $3.47 more per hundredweight than the statistical blend price of Federal Order and California markets tracked by National All-Jersey Inc.”
Smith added that the association expects to report all-time records in other activity areas for calendar year 2012. PD
—From American Jersey Cattle Association news release
