The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-04-02
From the Practical Farmer
AYRSHIRE CATTLE.

I you my views of the Ayrshire cattle, and
n short history of my practical acquaint-
ance with the breed. My acquaintance
with the different breeds leads me to be-
ieve tins the most profitable for the
common farmer who does not wish to
produce extra large animals regardless of
expense, or a small amount of fancy
| favored butter at an extra cost
Having either owned, or had charge of
for others, Durhams, IIcrefords, Dcvons,
Jerseys, (or Aldcrneys,) and Ayrshires, I
am well convinced no one of these breeds
combines so many profitable qualities as the
latter, for the farmer who is locking for
the greatest returns, in beef, milk and
butter, for the care and feed he gives his
cattle.
The breeder Of Ayrshircs may not be
able to make more than 800 pounds of
beef per head at the SAME aye the breeder
of Durhams or lIerefords makes his 1000
pounds | am convinced, however, the
former can raise and fatten three steers on
the same amount of feed the latter can
two. This | claim for the Ayrshires
where feed is abundant On thin soils or
hilly pastures | am not ready to admit
they will not reach as good average weight
as the other breeds,
But as dairy stock, the Ayrshire COW
/ pre- omlnently excels all others Although
only medium in size, their capacity to
conv rt feed into milk and butter is hardly
/ rivalIcd by any. Their great hardness
and the readiness with which they adapt
themselves to various climates and loca-
tions, with the readiness with which they
adapt themselves to, and thrive on. poor
caie and coarse feed, and the generous
returns they make for kind attention and
liberal feed, are fast making them the
prime flvortes, not only among the dairy
men Of New England, but among practical
farmers, wherever they have had fair
trial. This is high praise and strong talk,
but | will now give you the experience
that has forced m1 to come to these con-
cusiOns.
In the year 1910, my fa.h + received,
as present from J. F. Gushing, Esq, of
Watertown, Mass, an Ayrshire bull,
which was, at the time, two years old.
We kept this bull on our farm in this town
about ten years, raising few calves from
him every year. lie was used but little
by oilers, but | never knew OF a heifer of
his get that did not prove more than an
average mixer and nearly always supe-
rior TO her dam. TO this day, heifcrs
remotely descended from this bull are in
demand at extra prices; there is so much
confidence they will prove good milkers.
In the fall Of lSG4, purchased for J.
w. Freeman, Esq, of Troy. n. Y, five
pure Ayrshire COWS and hcifcrs from
herds in Massachusetts, and Connec.
ticut. All these calved in the following
spring, every one proving more than an
average mixer, and exceling the other
cows on the place, though neither expense
nor palns had been spared 10 procure the
best grade mixers. The latter were nue.,
larger III size, consequently larger consul
mcrs. and having extra feed besides
pasture, while the Ayr,hires had the latter
only, as we wished to pcrpetuate their
breeding powers as long as possible. One
ot the latter, four year Oh, after drop
ping her second calf. gave from twenty
two TO twenty four quarts of strained milk
pr day, (wclghed. not guessed at,) until
the iced talei in consequence of drouth.
During the summer Of 1865, we purchased
an Ayrshire COW we never saw until she
came to US by rairoud She arrived during
a severe droulh, but proved superior
mlkcr
In no case, in the selection OF these
cows, dil purchase any as extra mixers,
but merely as good specimens of the breed,
and likely to prove valuable for their
stock and as did not pay extra prices
for any, the result Wig gratifying, and
justified the high t.mate "a f rmed of
their excellence as dairy stock.
Their milk is also of an excellent quail
iiy. Though not qrte equal, or an av-
erage, to Alderney milk, the quantity is
so much greater, that | have no doubt
but any ten Ayrshire cows, taken pro-
miscuou>y, would much excel in the
amount OF butter produced by any ten
Jersey cows taken in the same way (;
while the former iatten into an excellent
quality of beef with a much less outlay
for feed than would ue required to make
an inferior quality of beef of the Jerseys.
I had charge of one of the best herds
of Jerseys in the United States for four
years, and am not without experience
with which to compare the two breeds }
thinl. there is also much more uniform
ity in tie excellence of the Ayrshire cows.
and they are also much the harder race
giving greater returns for the food con-
sumcd
| give few instances of the products
of several cows Of this breed The read
er will bear in mind these cows rarely
equal 1000 pounds live weight, while the
average'is is much below that. Six cows
gave in two days tria 80 pounds of milk
on an average, each, daily-one of them
III pounds in the two days. One Of
these cows gave - quarts, average, per
day, for a whole year; another cow
gave is pounds of butter per weeks for
number of weeks. in succession; aaother
COW gave 40 pounds Of milk per day for
III days, and during one month, an av-
crage Of 81 pounds l3 ounces, per day,
her milk yielding in three days trial