148 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



contained even in the midsummer period more butter fat than is 

 required b}- the Massachussetts standard which is the highest in the 

 world . 



In the Ottawa district, Ayrshire grades are found on the majority 

 of farms supplying the city with milk, and the average tor the entire 

 supply in the month ot June 1887 was 12.93 total solids, of which 

 4-26 per cent, was fat. In some of the exhibition tests the Ayrshires 

 have stood well, particularly those herds used for the milk business. 

 In some of the older French Canadian counties the Ayrshire grade 

 creameries average twenty- two to twenty-three pounds of milk per 

 pound of butter, for the season of six months, from May to Novem- 

 ber. I know of several herds in the counties of Huntingdon and 

 Chateaugnag sending whole milk to the creamerj^ averaging over 

 5000 pounds per cow and 220 pounds of butter for the half year, or 

 working season. A year ago when on the way to Buffalo our friend 

 Governor Hoard desired me to tell you that in other days he had 

 gratifying experiences with the Ayrshire cow and her grades send- 

 ing milk to creameries and cheese factories. Why cannot more of 

 this experience be grouped together? Taken from the farmer's herds 

 supplying milk or cream to factories, for butter or cheese, they are 

 of special value and possess more influence than the carefull3' kept 

 records of the breeder The average farmer is influenced much 

 more by the experience of his fellows whose experience most nearly 

 resembles his own. 



One of the best long time records I have ever seen for a single 

 animal is that of Roxanna 1816. Her largest yield for one year 

 was 8183 pounds; average yield for nine vears, 6521 pounds; 

 average yield for twelve years, 601 1 pounds ; average yield for four- 

 teen years, 5808 pounds. Roxanna 5th 4606, a daughter of Rox- 

 anna, 1816; averaged for three years, 8361 pounds; average for 

 five years, 7339 pounds. 



From 1874 to 1887 the herd to which these cows belong, gave an 

 average of 5612 pounds of milk, representing 197 cows. Mr. French 

 began his breeding of Ayrshires twenty years ago but his record was 

 not commenced till 1874. Take another Massachussetts herd of 

 Ayrshires from Milton. The uime Douglass has already become 

 well known to most of you. Fourteen cows in this herd produced 

 in one year 4,130 pounds or more than 6000 pounds each. 

 Among these is a heifer giving 7163 pounds. In this herd is Queen 

 of Ayr 2nd, with an average of 5859 pounds for thirteen years. 



