The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-04-28
agricultural department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN
The Ayrshire Cow--Breedipg IN Some
of its Aspects.

The Ayrshire Cow--Breedipg IN Some
of its Aspects.
The following article is from the pen Of
Dr. + Lewis Sturtevant, Of Waushakum
Farm, South birmingham, Mass, and is
taken from the Country Gentleman
1t is a recognized fact of breeding that
certain points" are more difficult to at
tain than others. This depends in part
upon the less attention paid by the breed
er to these points, on account of their i'm
portance being less clearly manifest all Of
the time, and during the process toward
changes, and in part to the general laws
which govern reproduction.
As rule those points which are char.
acteristic Of genus are more permanent
than those which are alone possessed by
breed those parts in which variability
has been encouraged are less fixed by in
heritance than other parts in which uni.
formity has existed for long period and
those changes of form which are more re-
cent are more subject to variation than
those whose origins are more remote.
We can consider for our purpose those
characters held 10 common by the various
grazing or dairy breeds as generic, and
those features which distinguish each
breed as specific.
AS fact of observation and analogy,
in mating animals possessing generic like
ness, we are very apt to procure in
progeny such generic distinctions but
specific differences, in proportion as they
are more infinitely defined, and varying
in degree of perfection among themselves,
are more difficult of attainment. Thus in
breeding the dark Brahma fowl the feath-
ering Of the leg or the form of the body,
generic differences so to speak, are readi.
ly obtainable, but the specific distinction
of small and straight comb and correct
pencilling are the points of difficulty.
The generic marks of the dairy breed
are numerous and minute, depending up.
on the apparent correlations between form
and product. The large digestive ca.
pacity and roomy udder, the fat bones,
the expanded hips and loosely jointed
vertebre, the tendency toward depth and
breadth behind and lightness forward, are
considered essential to milk giving, and
are possessed in greater or less perfection
by those breeds or individuals considered
profitable for the dairy.
OF particular generic parts the udder
is highly variable, as having been modi.
fed by the care Of man to suit conditions
and demands far removed from the un-
cultivated state, and through continued
efforts after further improvement has not
as yet arrived at fixed state, but in the
individual attains the equilibrium of
changing causes. When considered in
the specific light of a breed characters
tic, to the instability Of encouraged vari-
ability is added the cause accompanying
the recent origin of our breeds.
In the Ayrshire breed we have as the
specific differences a greater perfection
and moro uniform occurrence of these
generic points, which are indicative OF so
much value, and most particularly a
quality Of udder hardly possessed by
other breeds. Quality, therefore, is the
characteristic of this breed.
Correct reasoning as well as knowledge
thus indicates the direction in which the
breeder Of this animal should seek sue.
cess. When the most difficult point to
attain the specific udder is once mastered
the generic points Of form of body are SO
obvious as to be readily added on.
The udder-the Ayrshire udder-the
knowledge Of its perfect type and its sig.
ni6cations, are Of primary account to the
Ayrshire breeder, who after the good
Scotch fashion, must ever breed with az
eye single to dairy characteristics, and
uninAuenced by the cry after meat.form
however popular it may be.
The normal milk vessel is compos ID oil
four glands, terminating each in single
duct and teat and enclosed 10 o
sling, which we term the udder. These
glands are enclosed and separated by q
6brous tissue, which reflected from the
walls of the abdomen, forms septum
and support. In general way, the
form of the gland varies with the breed
as would be expected. In the Ayrshire
breed it seems hatter and less pointed as
rule than in the Jersey. In the Dutch
COW more elongated than in either.
The udder, as occurring on the typicaI
Ayrshire COW, should be close to the
body, level, and extending well forward
1t is held in this position by the tone anc
elasticity Of the 6brous tissue, which join
its septum and support, and which, yield
ing to extension, again contracts upon it
withdrawal. The glands being rathe
fat than elongated, free from fat and o
milking habit, make little show whel
not in use, but leave the encompassin,
skin, by their shrinkage, in numerou
foods and creases. When filled aftc
oalving the udder should retain its fiat
ness of form, accompanied with a certai
squareness of outline. When viewed be
hind it should appear broad and deep, ex
tending far back its attachment loos
even to the vulva, and presenting to sigh
no holowness above the glands nor clefts
nor vacancy between the udder and tn
twist of the thighs. AS viewed from tn
side, it should extend we'll forward, an
its skin should merge into the swollen an
tortuous milk veins No indentatio
should be seen between the teats, and th
hand passed beneath should clearly recog
nize great breadth and fatness, while tn
eye takes in leveness of sole correspo1
ding to a line drawn from a point nea
the brisket to the hindermost point of tn
vessel. The teats should be far apar
e0lIi.distant firm in texture as must h
the whole organ, and so placed as to il
dictate equal capacity and usefulness {
the glands.
Such an udder has been approache
through generations of selection, as TIL
form was early recognized by the Ayl
shire farmer as being allied to usefulness
In 1911 we have recorded as essenti'
an "udder capacious, square, stre.chin
forward, and not low hung" In 182