Changings in lying behavior can help identify management needs for cows; for example, a spike in lying bouts on the day of calving emphasizes the need for adequate bedding. To date, research describing behavioral changes around calving has focused on Holsteins; however, Jerseys are becoming a more popular breed in the dairy industry and research on their behavior is lacking. The objective of this study was to compare lying behavior between Jersey and Holstein dairy cattle during the period around calving (the transition period). A total of 86 dairy cows (n = 48 Jersey cows and n = 42 Holstein cows) were monitored from 2 wk before until 2 wk after calving. Daily lying time and number of lying bouts were measured using a data logger (Hobo Pendant G Acceleration Data Logger, Onset, Bourne, MA) that recorded leg orientation at 1-min intervals. This data was used to summarize lying behavior for each cow, by day. Four periods were defined for the statistical analyses: wk −2 (d −14 to −8, relative to calving), wk −1 (d −7 to d-2), wk +1 (d +2 to d +7) and wk +2 (d +8 to d +14). Data for the day of calving (d 0) was analyzed independently of the other experimental periods. Lying time and lying bouts were analyzed using a mixed model, which included the fixed effects of parity, postpartum body condition score, breed, week, and the interactions of breed by week and parity by breed. Holstein cows spent more time lying than Jerseys across all experimental periods (702 ± 16.3 vs 658 ± 12.5 min/day respectively; P = 0.03). There was also a significant effect of week, whereby lying times were lower after calving than before (P < 0.001). Lying bouts only differed between the 2 breeds on the day of calving; Jersey cows averaged 14 ± 0.8 bouts/d while Holstein cows averaged 11 ± 1.0 bouts/day (P = 0.008). Differences in the lying behavior of Jersey and Holstein dairy cattle around calving may necessitate unique management practices for these respective breeds in an effort to accommodate cow comfort during the transition period.