Norwegian Red
Encyclopedia
Norwegian Red is a breed of dairy cattle
developed in Norway
. Often shortened to simply NRF, it has a red and white or black coat. Norwegian Reds are noted for their hardiness and the richness of their milk.
Health traits have been included in the net merit index since 1978. Currently mastitis and other diseases (in particular ketosis) are included in the breeding programme. Although these are low heritability traits, progeny testing based on a high number of daughters provides a selection index with high accuracy. Progeny testing for mastitis is currently based on approximately 300 daughters.
Norwegian Reds may be either polled
or horned. Currently 50% of the calves in Norway are born polled (genetically without horns). Systematic selection of polled sons after polled elite sires during recent years have increased the frequency of polled animals. It is expected that Norwegian Red (NRF) breed will become a polled breed within the next 20-25 years.
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
developed in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Often shortened to simply NRF, it has a red and white or black coat. Norwegian Reds are noted for their hardiness and the richness of their milk.
Purpose and history
Norwegian Red (NRF) is a dairy breed that has been selected for a broad breeding objective, with increasing emphasis on functional traits like health and fertility. NRF–Norwegian Red was developed in the 1960s through crosses of dairy breeds with several Scandinavian breeds, including the Norwegian Red-and-White, Red Trondheim and the Red Polled Østland. By the mid 1970s it became the dominant breed in its native country, comprising 98% of the cattle population. Semen is frequently also exported to North America for crossbreeding with Holstein cattle in the U.S. dairy industry. Geno Breeding and A.I. Association, a cooperative organization owned by Norwegian dairy farmers, is the breeding organization for the Norwegian Red.Characteristics
Production in the best herds exceeds 10000 kilograms (22,046.2 lb), with the top cows milking more than 16000 kilograms (35,274 lb). Growth traits are also included in the index, and young sires for progeny testing have a growth rate of approximately 1.4 kg/day. Fully-grown cows have a live weight of up to 600 kilograms (1,322.8 lb).Health traits have been included in the net merit index since 1978. Currently mastitis and other diseases (in particular ketosis) are included in the breeding programme. Although these are low heritability traits, progeny testing based on a high number of daughters provides a selection index with high accuracy. Progeny testing for mastitis is currently based on approximately 300 daughters.
Norwegian Reds may be either polled
Polled livestock
Polled livestock are livestock without horns, of species that normally have them. The term refers both to breeds or strains which are naturally polled through selective breeding and also to naturally horned animals which have been dehorned...
or horned. Currently 50% of the calves in Norway are born polled (genetically without horns). Systematic selection of polled sons after polled elite sires during recent years have increased the frequency of polled animals. It is expected that Norwegian Red (NRF) breed will become a polled breed within the next 20-25 years.
External links
- Performance and Profitability of F1 Norwegian Red X Holstein Cattle As Compared with Pure Holsteins on Commercial Dairy Farms, USDA Agricultural Research ServiceAgricultural Research ServiceThe Agricultural Research Service is the principal in-house research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture . ARS is one of four agencies in USDA's Research, Education and Economics mission area...