Daiky Bkeeds of Cattle 1775 



the ayrshire 



The original home of the Ayrshire is in the County of Ayr in 

 Southwestern 'Scothmd, which, by the way, was the land of Kobert 

 Burns. Ayr, with the neighboring counties, is described as a good 

 agricultural country with much fine grazing land and with a very 

 moist climate but not severe as compared to the northern United 

 States. 



The Ayrshire has been a well recognized breed for more than a 

 century but there seems to be no general agreement as to the his- 

 tory of its formation. The foundation was surely the native cattle 

 of that part of Scotland, and nearly one hundred and fifty years 

 ago some specimens of the old Teeswater or early Shorthorns were 

 brought in and mated with the native stock. There is also a tradi- 

 tion that some cattle from the Channel Islands — probalily Jerseys 

 — were incorporated in the breed. In fact so far as early accounts 

 go, it would seem that there had been infusions of several English 

 breeds as well as the cattle of Holland. But at any rate, before 

 1780, the Comity of Ayr had a distinctive breed of cattle which at 

 that time were usually black and white and were locally famous for 

 abundant milk yield. Later the colors became red or white and 

 brown and white. 



The first importations to America were probably made into Can- 

 ada about 1800 by loyal Scotch emigrants- — for the Scotchman 

 has always loved the Ayrshire cow just as he has the Clydesdale 

 horse. The first American Registry Association was established 

 in Massachusetts in 1863, thus antedating the American records of 

 other breeds. Their distribution has become almost world-wide and 

 the Ayrshire has never lacked for ardent admirers, yet the breed 

 has never attained a popularity or number comparable with either 

 the Holstein or the two Channel Island breeds. They are most 

 numerous in Canada, New England and the cheese districts of 

 northern Xew York. 



The Ayrshire possesses some rather marked characteristics. In 

 size, the approved demand is for an animal approximating the 

 weight of the Guernsey — say 1,500 pounds for the mature bull 

 and 1,050 for the aged cow. 



In conformation, the Ayrshire is normally less typical of the 

 dairy ideal than the other three breeds. The barrel is round, the 



