The first Jerseys were introduced into Brazil in 1895 by Dr. Joaquin Francisco de Assis Brasil, who, at the time, was the Brazilian Ambassador in Great Britain. He decided to import  his first Jerseys from the island of Jersey after having seen the Jerseys in the Royal Herd of Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle.

Mr. Assis Brasil was a famous Brazilian diplomat who was married to a Portuguese and travelled extensively all over the world. He was also the first to import Arab horses, Karocul sheep and Devon beef cattle to Brazil. He took his  Jersey cattle, two cows and a bull calf,  from Jersey Island to Portugal where they stayed on a friend`s farm before being transferred to Brazil  in 1895. These three Jerseys first remained in Ibirapuita, Alegrete in Rio Grande do Sul, the Province that still is the heartland of Jerseys in Brazil,  before moving in 1904 to Pedrea Altas in the same state. Here the Assis Brasil family developed their Jersey herd and started up the "Pedras Altas Herd Book". 1985  the Jerseys were still at  the Castello de Paz, ninety years after their ancestors had first arrived!

The Jersey breed was officially recognised by the Braziliand government in 1930, due to the efforts of Mr. Joaquin`s daughter, Ms. Joaquina.
 

I