Holt Creek Jerseys
Holt Creek Jerseys
Holt Creek Jerseys, founded by Ben Gotschall, has spent more than 35 years developing Jersey cattle specifically for low-input, pasture-based dairy systems. The program emphasizes fertility, longevity, grazing ability, adaptability, and efficient milk production from forage rather than grain. Through decades of selection under grass-based management, Holt Creek has become a leading source of A2A2 and polled Jersey genetics. The result is a herd of resilient, functional dairy cattle designed to thrive in grazing environments and remain profitable with minimal inputs.
Holt Creek Jerseys was founded by Ben Gotschall and has spent more than 35 years developing Jersey cattle specifically for low-input, pasture-based dairy systems. Rather than following the conventional dairy industry's focus on maximum milk production under confinement, the program was built around the idea that dairy cattle should thrive on grass, reproduce efficiently, and remain productive with minimal intervention. Over multiple decades, the herd has been selected under real-world ranch conditions, resulting in genetics that have been proven across a variety of climates and grazing systems. Today, Holt Creek Jerseys is recognized as a leading source of grass-fed, A2A2, polled Jersey genetics for grazing dairies throughout North America.
The Holt Creek breeding program focuses on producing functionally efficient Jersey cattle that excel in forage-based systems. Selection pressure is placed on fertility, longevity, grazing ability, adaptability, immune function, and the ability to maintain production without grain. The herd has been developed through decades of low-input management, strategic linebreeding, and selection for A2A2 milk genetics and polled cattle. Cows calve seasonally, live outdoors year-round, and are expected to perform in a grass-based environment with minimal inputs. The goal is to produce resilient, self-sufficient cattle that can thrive in diverse environments while remaining profitable for commercial grazing dairies.
