Holsteins. Jerseys. Brown Swiss. These are pretty familiar dairy breeds. But one breed in Wisconsin that’s not as well known is the Kerry breed. The Kerry are believed to be one of the oldest dairy breeds and originate from Ireland.

One of only two rare dairy herds of Celtic Kerry cows call Grace Acres Farms home. JT Price, owner of Grace Acres explains more about this unique breed. But first he shares how he got into raising them.

“I grew up on a farm in South Carolina and I've always loved cattle,” says Price. “I went to vet school and learned a lot about genetics and rare breeds. I also have Irish roots myself and have heard of the Kerrys and was lucky enough to find one to start my herd.”

The Kerry breed are naturally a black colored cow there. Their genetics go back for thousands of years to the Roman empire. Dairy cattle that are more well known in Wisconsin are fed silage and generally kept in a freestall barn. However the Kerry breed is known for making grass into protein.