A dairy herd is typically made up of four groups of cattle:
- Cows - The females, who give birth to calves and produce milk. Most of the cattle in a dairy herd are cows.
- Bulls - The fathers of the dairy herd. Only a few are needed on a dairy farm, though these days most dairy farms use artificial insemination instead.
- Heifers - Young female cattle. They are the ‘teenagers’ of the herd and haven't had a calf or have had one calf only. They are the second biggest group in the herd.
- Calves - Baby cattle. Female calves grow into heifers and then milking cows. Male calves may be sold for veal production or raised to become breeding bulls.
Find out more about the eight different breeds of dairy cows in Australia.