Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-16
NO. a..
AYRSHIRE CATTLE.

The Ayrshires are named from the cour-
ty in Scotland where they originated and
are chiefly bred The county of Ayr has
long been celebrated for its breed of dairy
cows. This county situated on the south
east coast of Scotland, is, from its moist
climate, naturally well adapted to pasture;
much of it being also of clayey soil, is
expensive and difficult to cultivate for
crops. This natural character of district
has produced breed of cattle, hardy and
active, capable of withstanding the seyeri-
ties of winter in bleak and naked coun-
try, and yet easily brought into condition
with the return of warm weather and good
pasture. The origin of the present breed
| it is difficult to trace. Some writers nave
supposed that it was produced by crossing
| the native breed with the larger cattle Of
England. Very likely this may be partly
the case, but the chief eXcellences of the
breed are unquestionably indigenous, and
have naturally arisen from the peculiar
circumstances of climate, soil and situation.
There is more than a probability that the
Ayrshire breed has been made from using
the Holderness, and then careful selec-
tions. Judging from a general appear
ance of the animal, and.theIpeculiar set
ting on of the horn, with shortness and in
clination to turn up in front, or droop.
some going back to the Teeswater, as
does the famous Durham. In other words,
we think the parentage somewhat alike
the Ayrshire breed being made up on
rather poorer soil and with less care and
feed In the Scotchman's beau ideal of an
Ayrshire, the head must be small, light and
bony, the eye bright. and the horn white,
with dark tip, and upturned. The neck
| ha nd irbt hn
whole fore end must be- The shoulder
must lay fiat and form plane with the fiat
| foTe-lip and the neck: the point must not
project The loin must be broad and
form well on the wide hips and the capac-
ious pelvis, the whole frame thus forms a
true wedge with the point at the shoulder.
The rumps are wide and tolerably high,
the tail long and slender, the legs straight,
the thigh rather thin, and the udder or
vessel" as they term it, must be large
and broad. extending well forward, with
thin flexible skin, and teats wide apart
and short. The offal is small, and the
weight of the whole animal does not aver
age throughout the country over 600
pounds net. The colors must be red and
white, splashed and blotched, not running
into each other, and becoming roam, as in
the short-horns, but with clearly defined
edges the white portion is often flected
with the darker color. Black and white is
not uncommon, but is not liked the darker
the red, even becoming deep brown, the
more fashionable just now. The skin
must be thin and loose, the breed having
no great pretensions to handling, and their
hair soft and woolly Everything of the
carcass has been sacrificed to the udder and
belly, the breederevidently believing in mo
udder, no cow" Ayrshire is beyond doubt
the best breed in the world for dairy purpos-
es. Not only do they give larger guam
tity of milk, equal to the best native stock,
but it is of much better quality. They are
hardy and easily kept, gentle and beauit-
full" We find after using Durhams and
Ayrshires ten or twenty years on the same
food and management, that the Ayrshires
were much better mixers as stock, and
kept in better condition, standing the
changes from luxuriant pasture to short
feed, the hot sun and cold rains coming
out of winter quarters, as well as entering
into them, in better condition-in SO many
words, keeping in better condition all
wear.