DAIRY COWS. 195 



cow for the milkman, because they are economical pro- 

 ducers and because they give milk of good quality that 

 satisfies the trade. 



High-grade Ayrshire cows always command the highest 

 fancy price in Brighton, to go into the stables of milk pro- 

 ducers. It 13 said by the mJlk inspectors of Boston that 

 they have no trouble w'th the milk from Ayrshire herds, 

 it being up to the 13 per cent total solids required by Massa- 

 chusetts law. 



The average yield of Ayrshire cows is a little over 6000 

 lbs. of milk in a year, on ordinary dairy food and care, but 

 there are a large number of individual cows with authenti- 

 cated records all the way from 7000 lbs. to over 12,000 lbs. 

 of milk in a year. There has never been any attempt 

 made to develop the butter quality of the Ayrshire cow, 

 and but little is known of her ability in this direction; but 

 occasional evidence shows her to be naturally adapted to 

 taking a high stand as a butter maker, if she was desired 

 for that branch of dairying. The following instances of 

 her butter quality will illustrate: 



Duchess of Smithfield, owned by Mr. Watson, gave an 

 official record of 19 lbs. 6 oz. of butter in seven days. 



Rena Myrtle, a cow sold by the writer to the experiment 

 station at Burlington, Vt., gave them this last year 546 lbs. 

 of butter in 365 days, being the largest butter record they 

 ever made by any cow of any breed. Her milk record for 

 the time was 12,172 lbs. 



I might mention other instances, but they are private 

 records. 



The Ayrshire, being a dairy cow, has never been claimed 

 for beef or even for a general purpose cow, but her easy 

 keeping qualities and hardy disposition cause her to lay 

 on flesh rapidly when dry, and she will probably return to 

 her owner in beef the full cost of raising her. Farmers 

 who fatten calves for veal tell me the calves are small 

 when born, but grow so rapidly that when of age to sell, 

 are large and heavy for their age and are good handlers. 



[Mr. Winslow's herd of Ayrshire^ averaged during iS()5 

 6765 lbs. of milk; average per cent of fat, 3.85; average 



