• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • ABOUT
    • Farm News
  • Animals
    • Farm Collies
    • Family Milk Cows/Goats
      • Brown Swiss Cows
      • Alpine Goats
    • GRASS FED BEEF/LAMB
      • British White Cattle
      • American Blackbelly Sheep
    • CHICKEN AND DUCK EGGS
    • Alpacas
    • Ponies
    • Rabbits
  • Farm Kitchen
    • No time to bake? Shop!
Storybook Farm
  • Fun & Music
    • Jam with us!
  • Learn
    • Our Resources
    • Family Milk Cow Resources
  • Contact
  • ABOUT
    • Farm News
  • Animals
    • Farm Collies
    • Family Milk Cows/Goats
      • Brown Swiss Cows
      • Alpine Goats
    • GRASS FED BEEF/LAMB
      • British White Cattle
      • American Blackbelly Sheep
    • CHICKEN AND DUCK EGGS
    • Alpacas
    • Ponies
    • Rabbits
  • Farm Kitchen
    • No time to bake? Shop!
Storybook Farm

Storybook Farm

Minnesota

  • Fun & Music
    • Jam with us!
  • Learn
    • Our Resources
    • Family Milk Cow Resources
  • Contact

Brown Swiss

We love our sweet-tempered, floppy-eared Brown Swiss! They are known as a “heritage breed” and may be the oldest of all dairy breeds according to some historians.

These gentle cows are know for their hardiness (Brown Swiss do well in both hot and cold climates). Their longevity, high-set udder attachment and strong feet and legs make Brown Swiss cows and Brown Swiss crosses a great fit for family milk cow. 

These cows share a nice volumes of milk with quality components and an ideal fat to protein ratio for cheese making, and being an old world breed, many are A2A2 β-casein protein. A typical Brown Swiss will have a minimum 4% butterfat and 3.5%protein – in our experience their milk is richer than any milk bought from a store, and has been called “Cream on Top” milk, as the cream will separate and rise overnight in the fridge, forming a nice cream line in your container. 

We work with our cows daily, and sincerely love these beautiful creatures that the God has entrusted to us. Our cows are each unique, they know us and come when called by name. They are truly a special breed!


Meet Our Herd Matrons

Raspberry

2019 Purebred Grade Brown Swiss – A2A2
bred with Red Angus bull via AI on 11/16/2022

Raspberry was the first Brown Swiss to grace our farm and is a true sweetheart. She came from a dairy farm converting to beef in central Minnesota. She is the first one in the barn each morning for milking, stands quietly whether we are milking by hand or machine. She has nice long, tall legs with a high udder attachment, which makes it easier to put a milker on her (think less bending down) and should give her a long udder life. At peak lactation she gives around 4 gallons per day with once a day milking. 

Calving history –  5/7/21 – healthy charolais x

Lindsay

2018 Brown Swiss (75%) Linebacker (25%) – A2A2 – 2018
bred with Red Angus bull – via AI on 11/16/2022

Lindsay came to our farm from a passionate owner/breeder of Brown Swiss cows in northern Wisconsin. She is a little more timid than Raspberry but comes when we call her name and stands quietly for hand or machine milking. She has a lower udder attachment but with a nice shape and good production. At peak lactation, she is giving around 5 gallons per day with once-a-day milking. 

Central Star Panel – 10/4/2021 –  Fat: 5.55% | Proteins: 4.09% | Lactose: 4.18% | Solids: 5.38%
Calving history –  8/8/2022 – Big heifer calf out of Dynamite

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Storybook Farm Minnesota 2020