DISEASE RESISTANCE
Milking Shorthorns are relatively trouble-free, leaving youmore time to manage your paddocks. In an extensive study done over a 13 year period on an Idaho dairy owned by a veterinarian, it was found that under the same management conditions, Milking Shorthorns were significantly less prone to disease, particularly in the areas of lameness, mastitis, dystocia and milk fever, than their Holstein herdmates. (Paper presented at the 1995 World Shorthorn Conference by Dr. Martin R. Lee, Jerome, Idaho.)

CALVING EASE AND CALVING INTERVAL
Milking Shorthorn cows are moderately framed and have comparatively small calves that are vigorous at birth adn easy to raise. These hardy cows recover quickly and are in condition to rebreed earlier. The 1995 Minnesota DHIA data showed Milking Shorthorn cows with the shortest calving interval of any breed - 12.8 months! The right breed for seasonal grazing operations.

MILK QUALITY
Milking Shorthorn milk can be worth more. On a recent USDA Sire Summary, Milking Shorthorns were listed with the lowest base Somatic Cell score of all dairy breeds, indicating the possibility of an increased resistance to mastitis which is consistent with the Idaho study. In addition, Milking Shorthorn milk has the most favorable protein-fat ratio of the dairy breeds which is an added plus when marketing your milk for cheese.