French ‘Cheese’
(Continued from Page 16)
Producers in that state, said Chateau, are crossing
the breed with Holsteins to increase the fertility and
longevity of the calves. Additionally yearling heifers
are going to the feedlot and showing a two-pound-per
day growth rate and posting impressive feed conver
sion statistics.
Studies on milk production are in progress, he said,
since this year is the first year that Normande cross
breds have reached milking age in the U.S.
“Because it is a dual-purpose breed, the animals
have increased fertility and longevity and are stronger,
which is why people in grazing circles are interested,”
Chateau said.
Crossbreeding is set to become important in the U.S.
for all types of setups, however, he said. Normande
crossbred offspring, believes Chateau, will be the
“crosses of the future for both grazing and confine
ment operations.”
Adding Normandes
To The Herd
Arvid and Kathleen Kobosky, New Alexandria,
Westmoreland County, have been in the dairy farming
business for 25 years. The couple began with Jerseys,
then introduced Ayrshires, then Holsteins to their
herd.
Now the Kobosky’s barn holds 14 different breeds of
dairy cattle, many of them French or German breeds.
Kobosky started with the Normande breed to put vi
tality, health, and components into the herd.
“Plus I just like to be different,” said Kobosky, who
has been to France three times: twice for Normande
conventions and once for a Tarentaise convention.
Breed
The Koboskys milk 45-50 cows with 90-100 head
total. They rent their ground and buy all their feed,
which consists of corn silage and baled hay. They oper
ate with a freestall barn and milking parlor.
Eight years ago, “I saw an advertisement for semen
for the breed, which was formerly imported into the
U.S. strictly as beef animals,” he said. “I thought,
‘why couldn’t I milk them?’, so I got semen from a beef
association.”
Since the semen the association offered was geared
toward the beef breeds, Kobosky is working on breed
ing a more ideal udder on his calves.
“They’re big strong animals,” said Kobosky. “They
have strong chests and good feet and legs.”
Temperament is another characteristic that attracts
Kobosky to the breed. “They are so friendly,” he said.
“You can’t get rid of them. When you walk through
the barn they constantly have their noses in your back
pocket.”
All French breeds, in fact, according to Kobosky,
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(Turn to Page 19)
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