Three-breed crossbred cows (Montbéliarde × Jersey × Holstein (HO) and Jersey × Montbéliarde × HO, n = 64); and HO-sired crossbred cows HO × Montbéliarde × Jersey × HO and HO × Jersey × Montbéliarde × HO, n = 87) were compared with pure HO cows (n = 138) for 305-d milk, fat, and protein production; SCS; and days open (DO) during their first 3 lactations. Cows were housed at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center, Morris, Minnesota, a grazing herd, and calved from March 2007 to May 2014. Best Prediction was used to calculate actual production (milk, fat, protein, and SCS) for 305-d lactations with adjustment for age at calving, and records less than 305 d were projected to 305 d. The DO was measured as actual DO for cows and cows were required to be at least 250 d in milk and those with greater than 250 DO were truncated to 250 d. Independent variables for statistical analysis were the fixed effects of season of calving, genetic group (HO, versus 3-breed crossbred versus Holstein-sired crossbred), parity nested within genetic group, and cow nested within genetic group, which was a random effect. Across the first 3 lactations, the 3-breed crossbred (485 kg) cows and Holstein-sired crossbred (499 kg) cows were not different (P > 0.05) from pure HO (495 kg) cows for fat plus protein production. Across lactations, 3-breed crossbred cows (2.78) and HO-sired crossbreds (2.92) were similar to pure HO cows (2.90) for SCS. The 3-breed crossbred cows (111 d) and HO-sired crossbreds (125 d) had significantly (P < 0.05) fewer DO than pure HO (150 d) cows during first lactation. During second lactation, the DO for the pure HO cows increased to 162 d, and the 3-breed crossbred (P < 0.05) and Holstein-sired crossbreds (P < 0.10) had a fewer DO (130 d and 136 d, respectively) compared with the pure HO cows. Mating 3-breed crossbreds to HO bulls may have advantages in a rotational crossbreeding system. Three distinct breeds is likely optimum for a rotational crossbreeding system.