Dairy Shorthorn
Dairy Shorthorn cattle are the milking branch of the Shorthorn family, developed in Britain from cattle that were selected for useful milk production as well as the dual-purpose frame of early Shorthorns. In many countries they are closely related to, or registered alongside, Milking Shorthorn cattle. Traditional colors are red, white, and roan, with red-and-white patterns also common. Compared with the most specialized Holstein type, Dairy Shorthorns are often valued for moderate size, soundness, fertility, longevity, and milk with useful protein and butterfat levels.
On farms, Dairy Shorthorns are used in conventional dairies, grazing herds, small family dairies, and crossbreeding programs where a balanced cow is wanted. They still need the same close attention to udder health, nutrition, calf rearing, and foot care as any dairy breed, but many lines are managed for durability rather than extreme volume. Registry rules and allowable outside genetics vary by country, so buyers should look at herdbook status, production records, and cow families rather than relying only on the breed name.
Colors: Belted, Black, Black and White, Blaze Faced, Blue Roan, Brindle, Brockle Faced, Brown, Brown and White, Dun, Gray, Grey, Highbelt, Highpark, Lineback, Mottled, Pied, Red, Red and White, Red Roan, Riggit, Roan, Silver, Solid Black, Solid Red, Solid White, Speckled, Spotted, White, White Faced, Yellow
