Montbeliarde by Coopex
A modern and robust breed
Strength
Fertility
Adaptability
#2 dairy breed in France
#1 dairy breed for progress in France
The Montbéliarde breed has its origins in the mountains of eastern France where the harsh climate has shaped it into a hardy cow which is able to cope with the coldest and hottest weather conditions. This has given the breed an adaptability to all types of farming system. Although originally registered as a pure breed in 1888, for many centuries, milk from the breed was used by cheese makers. Particular attention has therefore been paid to milk solids and udder health and today, Montbéliarde milk is used to produce the most famous French cheeses.
Coopex Montbéliarde is the world’s largest and most innovative Montbéliarde breeding programme. It has worked with farmers around the world for more than 40 years and is present today in over 60 countries. With headquarters in eastern France, it has an 82% share of France’s Montbéliarde genetics market.
Bull dam selections are based on genomic selection as well on cow family and inbreeding protection. From the hundreds of young sires which enter the testing station each year, almost half will be eliminated before their semen reaches the market. Only the best will make it into service, based on their growth rates, feed conversion, conformation, male fertility, quality of frozen semen, and the updated breeding values of their parents for milk, fat and protein production. Montbéliarde breeding values are published three times a year, with a change of index base once a year.
According to the latest milk production figures, the Montbéliarde breed stands out as the reference breed with higher milk production when compared to the Fleckvieh.
| Number of cows recorded in France | Fat% | Prot% | Milk (305 days) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
366 629 |
3.94 |
3.35 |
8 916 kg |
Montbeliarde compared to Fleckvieh
| Breed | Milk production (kg) | Number of lactations | Fat% | Prot% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Montbéliarde |
8 916 |
76,628 |
3.94 |
3.35 |
|
French Fleckvieh |
7 797 |
15,796 |
4,6 |
3.41 |
Source: Contrôle Laitier France, 2019
