If you're not familiar with the dairy industry, you may not know that in California cows come in all colors. In fact, there are six different breeds of dairy cows that produce Real California Milk. The most common breed is the traditional black and white Holstein, which is the world's highest production dairy animal. This is the cow most commonly associated with dairy. These dairy cows originated in Europe and are the most common breed of cow in the United States today.  Perhaps the most famous Holstein wasPauline Wayne, the official presidential pet of the Taft administration. Pauline Wayne lived and grazed on theWhite House lawn and provided milk for President William Howard Taft and the first family.

Other breeds of dairy cows found in California include Jersey, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Ayrshire and Milking Shorthorn.  Milk from Guernsey, Jersey and Brown Swiss cows is all popular for their high butterfat content, while Ayrshire and Milking Shorthorn are known for their ability to efficiently convert grass into milk.  Guernsey milk also has an exceptionally high content of beta carotene, which is a great source of vitamin A.  Vitamin A has recently been praised for being able to reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Combined, all of these California dairy cow breeds produce 22 percent of the nation's milk supply and all of California's quality dairy products, which are excellent sources of calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous, riboflavin, and protein.