Many of us grew up with the jingle, “Let’s all go to the Dairy Queen!”  The promise then – and now – is that dairy products, especially fresh frozen ones, are a delicious answer to the question, “What should we do now?”

Derrick Frigot, WJCB President, was raised on a well-known dairy farm on Jersey.  Today as an co-author and with an international team of researchers and contributors, he has helped carry to completion the book “The Dairy Queen.”  This isn’t a cold calorie laden dairy dessert but it does dish up dairy information about Jersey cattle that is magnetic in its appeal, broad in scope and richly satisfying.

The Isle of Jersey Marks the Beginning

Derrick thoroughly enjoyed those early days on his uncle’s farm. “He was a leading breeder and exporter of Jersey cattle. As a youngster it was exciting to meet well-known North American Jersey importers like Paul Spann and Lea Marsh.” This experience prepared Derrick for his career path. “When leaving school, I worked in the office of the Royal Jersey Agricultural & Horticultural Society for six years, followed by a couple of years in a livestock feed company, and finally as manager of the Jersey Artificial Insemination Centre Ltd, the Island’s first AI company.”

Co-Author Derrick Frigot

Artificial Insemination Provides the Background for Authorship

AI on the island of Jersey became the next influence on the unfolding of Derrick’s career. “In 1975 the island’s government took over the local operations of artificial breeding and our company concentrated on cattle and semen exports from Jersey.  In the mid 1980s we began importing international Jersey semen into the UK and became the leading suppliers to UK Jersey breeders. “

Now not everyone who works in the AI field automatically becomes an author but for Derrick writing “The Dairy Queen” was a welcome extension of his interest in Jersey dairy cattle. “I was delighted to be asked to assist with the completion of this book so ably started by Hans Norgaard who is a dedicated Jersey breed historian from Denmark. “

Author Hans Norgaard
(Photo by Niels Damsgaard Hansen)

“The Dairy Queen” is the Unique Written Record of an Exceptional Breed

A book for anyone interested in dairy cattle, The Dairy Queen, is the first truly global account of the development of the world’s most efficient dairy producing cow. Derrick points out the unique features of this special book. “It tells the story from the early origins of the breed to modern times, throughout the world.  It will appeal to all dairymen interested in cattle breeding and its 300-plus pages with over 700 pictures is a glorious presentation of the Jersey breed.  The great cattle breeders and individuals who influenced the historical progress of the Jersey cow are well documented along with anecdotes of incidents that literally changed the progress of the breed.  For example, the concerns of cattle breeders in the Island of Jersey in 1947 when dockworkers refused to load cattle onto ships for export – they were concerned about shortage of milk for island families following the five-year occupation by German forces in World War II.

Another example is the introduction of multiple component pricing that triggered the strong move to Jerseys in the USA coupled with the success story of Hilmar Cheese in California, owned by a group of Jersey cattlemen that has expanded the breed greatly in that state and also Texas.”

Showing in the first half of the 20th Century (A page from the book)

The Written Word is Inspired and Supported by Jersey Enthusiasts

Such a significant undertaking obviously would require a huge commitment of time.  Derrick appreciates those who influenced his work on the book. “Anne Perchard, MBE who was the Patron of the World Jersey Cattle Bureau and a long-time close friend of mine.  Anne was the World Dairy Expo’s “International Person of the Year” in 2011 and the first woman to be awarded honorary membership of the American Jersey Cattle Association. She wrote the foreword for the book and sadly, passed away just a month before publication.”  Derrick also appreciates “All the Jersey breeders of this world for sharing their stories.  It has been my privilege in working with the dairy industry all my life, which your readers will agree, is the greatest industry in the world.”

The Bullvine Bottom Line

The Bullvine does agree with Derrick Frigot that dairying is the world’s greatest industry and so we congratulate him on the publication of “the Dairy Queen” and for answering so thoroughly the question “And why is that?” So next time you need to discover more about the people and passion that have made such a positive impact on the Jersey Breed, you would be wise to go to “The Dairy Queen!”

To learn more about how to get your copy of “The Dairy Queen – A History of the Jersey Breed Worldwide” check out their Facebook page.

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