Profit higher with Norwegian Red cows

Five years of trials in Northern Ireland indicated that net profit was £78 per cow per year higher with Norwegian Red cows, compared to Holstein-Friesian cows.

Trials were conducted on 20 dairy farms, and involved 221 locally-bred Holstein-Friesians, and 221 Norwegian Reds, all imported from Norway as heifers.

However, since trials started, much greater emphasis on fertility and longevity traits has resulted in an improvement in fertility within the UK Holstein-Friesian herd.