The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-10-12
DAIRY Z n b JIT III !.
INTERESTING CHAPTERS FOR
OUR RURAa:';READER6. VI
How Successful Farmers 0peeato This
Department Of the Farm a Few
Hints rs to the Care Of Live Stock
and Poultry. Val.
Ayrshire Cattle.

!, Ayrahire Cattle.
Henry z. Alvord says: In this coun-
~ Ayrshire cattle were brought into
their present fixed form. The breed is
among the youngest Of well-established
type. Careful writer's of a little more
than hundred years ago failed even
to mention this breed. and the cattle
OF Ayrshire described in 1925 bear lit
tie resemblance to the present stock
81 the country and must have been
only foundation race, small, unshape-
~ and generally black, with white
markings.
The Ayrshire breed has been built
up within the nineteenth century by
the liberal use of blood from the cattle
OF England. Holland and the Channel
Islands. The exact facts and methods
are unknown, but the result testifies
to the good judgment in selection and
breeding Of those who carried on the
work. The Ayrshire of the present
day-which is found best developed in
Cunningham, the upper and most fer
tile of the three divisions of this coun-
ty-bears strong resemblance to the
Jersey in certain features; and in
form, color and horn it resembles the
wild white cattle of Chillingham Park.
Many people believe the cattle to be
direct and but slightly varied descend
ants of the original wild cattle of Great
Britain. There is a well-dehned ten
dency in the improved Ayrshire to be-
come lighter in color. many almost
white. This is additional evidence of a
strong infusion of the blood last men
toned at some period in the history
of the breed.
The first Aryshires in America were
brought to New York in 1922. They
were imported into New England in
1880 and into Canada in 1887. In 1897
there was quite large herd in Massa-
chusetts, and several importations were
made. prior to 1916. From that time
until 1875 there were more or less i'm
portations yearly, but there have since
been less: This breed has been a
SPECIAL favorite for dairy purposes In
Canada and highly esteemed in the
lew England states and parts of New
York. Elsewhere in this country these
cattle do not seem to be so we'll known
as their established merits deserve
Unless it be the little Irish Kerry.
there is no COW which excels the Ayr
shire in obtaining subsistence and do
ing well on wide range of scanty pas
ture or in thriving and giving dairy
profit upon the coarsest of forage. 1.-THE
natural hardihood of constitution rem
ders these cattle admirably adapted to
grazing on broken and rugged pas
lures and in sterner weather than
would be conducive to the well-being
OF cows of some other breeds" The
end sought in perfecting the breed has
been large yield of milk without ex-
travagance of food. It is characteristic
of the Ayrshire that she carries her
weight only, and lives only, to serve
dairy interests with the utmost econ
omy and utilization of food. Yet, like
all other good dairy cattle, the Ayr
shire responds promptly and profitably
to liberal feeding. The Scotch have a
saying, taught by. experience, that
''the cow gives her milk by the mou'."
Poultry Briefa.
We recently saw the statement that
one big buyer of poultry in the west
follows the practice of sorting out the
thoroughbred males among his pur-
chased lots and selling them back to
the farmers at cost price to improve
| the focks. The course is a wise one.
| The trader knows there is more money
in, or i,o
and takes the opportunity to insure
himself good quality of stock in the
future. He evidently expects to re-
main in the business for a number of
years and to reap the fruit of his work.
In fact, there is no kind of live stock
that responds quicker to good breeding
than poultry. A good full-blooded
male will give a flock of laying half
breeds in eight. months improvement,
and it is so easy that there is no rea-
son why it should not be general.
There was probably never time in
the history of the country when the
demand for fresh eggs and for fancy
poultry was SO great as it is at pres
ent time. 1t is said that in Europe
the consumption of eggs is greater
even than in this country, and that the
supply comes mostly from multitude
of small farms, large establishments
being unusual. This is doubtless true
and indicates the future lines of de-
veopment in this country. The con-
ditions for raising poultry are found
everywhere, from the Arctic to the
Antarctic circle, and small Investment
is required to start the business. The
result is that big establishments are
not natural. and few poultry farms
reach the size their owners once hoped
The condition is healthy one. The
poultry industry at least does not tend
to the concentration Of wealth.
i Skimmilk is not only valuable
food for chicks. but 1t also increase.
hepower Of the chicks to consume ant
use other food. That Is, the younf
chickens will eat more Of other fooc
4 by reason of having had the elsin