172 THE CATTLE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



The most approved points of the Ayrshire cow are : Head 

 small, but rather long, and narrow at the muzzle ; eye small, 

 but quick and lively ; horns small, clear, and crooked, and 

 placed wide apart at their base ; neck long and slender, tapering 

 towards the head, with no loose skin below ; shoulders thin ; 

 fore-quarters light ; hind-quarters deep and large ; back 

 straight, and broad behind; the joints rather loose and open; 

 carcase deep ; pelvis capacious, and wide over the hips, with 

 round fleshy buttocks ; tail long and thin ; legs small and 

 short, with well-bent joints ; udder capacious, broad, and 

 square, stretching well forward, but neither fleshy, low hung, 

 nor loose ; the milk veins large and prominent ; teats short, 

 and all pointing outwards, and at considerable distance from 

 each other ; skin thin and loose, and the hair soft and 

 woolly ; the head, horns, and all those parts of least value 

 should be small, and the general figure compact and well 

 proportioned. 



The Ayrshire farmers prefer their dairy bulls to possess the 

 feminine aspect in their heads, necks, and fore- quarters, with 

 broad hook bones and hips, and full in the flanks. They like- 

 wise pay particular attention to the formation of the small teats 

 of the bull, and also to the colour of the scrotum. If this were 

 any other colour than white, though the animal might other- 

 wise be possessed of great merit, he would immediately be 

 rejected by the best breeders. 



The farmers of Ayrshire have long devoted great attention to 

 the improvement of their dairy cows. When cows are kept 

 solely for the dairy, and are profitable in proportion to the 

 quantity of milk they yield, self interest would stimulate the 

 farmer to acquire the most correct knowledge of cultivating the 

 desirable qualities in his stock. If one cow excelled in milking, 

 they would look out for others in which the leading charac- 

 teristics were fully developed ; they would rear the calves 

 of the best milkers, knowing that they would to some extent 

 inherit the good qualities of their dams. It has been chiefly by 

 these means, and not by changing the stock or crossing with 

 bulls of other breeds, that the Ayrshire dairy stock of the 

 present day has attained its unrivalled perfection. 



The improved breed was first planted in Carrick by a Mr. 



