56 Cross-Brccdiiuf Cattle. 



least valuable in the invaluable Warlaby herd, trace their descent 

 to a cross between a red Galloway heifer and a short-horn bull. 

 Where only one cross is attempted the produce is hlo^hly prized 

 by the feeders of the south and western counties of Scotland, as 

 well as by salesmen at the Liverpool and other markets of the 

 North of England. Here, as elsewhere, the only cause of failure 

 has arisen from the use of inferior sires. We should have much 

 cause for regret if the Galloway breed, which has already been 

 much encroached upon by the Ayrshires, were endangered by 

 indiscriminate cross-breeding. It is of great importance that a 

 selection of the best animals, both male and female, the most 

 perfect in form and pure in descent, be reserved for coupling 

 together, and at the same time that the practice of spaying the 

 heifers, which is more general here than elsewhere, be discon- 

 tinued. A much greater number of the inferior heifers would 

 then be available for putting to short-horn bulls of the best kind 

 which, after breeding one calf, would grow much larger, and 

 attain a greater weight with but little loss of time, and conse- 

 quently be of greater value for feeding purposes than the spayed 

 heifer. 



The head-quarters of the Ayrshire breed is a tract of country 

 stretching for many miles along the Frith of Clyde, which enjoys 

 a moist but temperate climate, well adapted to the growth both 

 of roots and natural grasses. Under these peculiarities of soil 

 and climate this breed stands unsurpassed for the purpose of the 

 dairy, and has within the last twenty years been much improved 

 with special reference to its milking capabilities ; they are of a 

 kindly disposition, and feed readily when tied up in the stall or 

 put on good pasture. 



The breed has become extensively distributed throughout 

 Scotland, wherever dairy farming is practised to any extent. 

 They have also been tried in England, but with less success ; 

 as after the first year the soil and climate of the south produce 

 such a change on the organs of secretion and assimilation that 

 the nourishment instead of being converted into milk is deposited 

 on the body in the form of fat. In their native county they are now 

 extensively crossed with the short-horn, and the first cross gene- 

 rally produces good animals. Mr. Wright, of Girvan Mains, a 

 large dairy-farmer, crosses all his cows Avith the short-horn ; 

 the produce is fed off at from two and a half to three years ; the 

 breeding herd being maintained by the purchase of pure bred 

 heifers from other farmers. Mr. Wright has for several years 

 been a successful exhibitor of fat steers and heifers both at 

 Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as at district shows. At two 

 and a half years old the half-bred steer weighs from 10 to 

 15 stones (of 8 lbs.) more than a pure Ayrshire of the same 



