CATTLE. 101 



or four and a half gallons of milk is the average product daily of a good 

 cow, kept in fair condition. Every thirty-two gallons of unskimmed 

 milk will yield about twenty-four pounds of cheese, and ninety gallons 

 twenty-four pounds of butter. We are supposing a good farm and a 

 first-rate stock of Ayrshire cows; and considering the size of the cattle, 

 this return from each cow is very considerable. The mode in which 

 the cows are treated by an enterprising and successful farmer of Kirkum 

 is thus detailed : "lie keeps his cows constantly in the byre (or shed) 

 till the grass has risen so as to afford them a full bite. Many put them 

 out every good day through the winter and spring, but they poach the 

 ground with their feet, and nip up the young grass as it begins to 

 spring, which, as they have not a full meal, injures the cattle. When- 

 ever the weather becomes dry and hot, he feeds his cows on cut grass 

 in the byre, from six o'clock in the morning to six at night, and turns 

 them out to pasture the other twelve hours. When rain comes, the 

 house feeding is discontinued. Whenever the pasture grass begins to 

 fciil in harvest, the cows receive a supply of the second growth of clover, 

 and afterward of turnips strewed over the pasture-ground. When the 

 weather becomes stormy, in the months of October and November, the 

 cows are kept in the byre during the night, and in a short time after- 

 ward during both night and day; they are then fed on oat-straw and 

 turnips, and continue to yield a considerable quantity of milk for some 

 time. Part of the turnip crop is eaten at the end of harvest and begin- 

 ning of winter, to protract the milk, and part is stored up for green food 

 during the winter. After this store is exhausted, the Swedish turnip and 

 potatoes are used along Avith dry fodder, till the grass can support the cows. 

 Chaff, oats, and potatoes are boiled for the cows after calving, and they 

 are generally fed on rye-grass during the latter part of the sprino-." 



The improved Ayrshire cow of the present day has the head small, 

 but rather long, and narrow at the muzzle, though the space between 

 the roots of the horns is considerable ; the horns are small and crooked, 

 the eye is clear and lively, the neck long and slender, and almost desti- 

 tute of a dewlap ; the shoulders are thin, a^id the fore-quarters generally 

 light; the back is straight and broad behind, especially across the hips, 

 which are roomy; the tail is long and thin. The carcass is deep, the 

 udder capacious and square, the milk-vein large and prominent; the 

 limbs are small and short, but well knit; the thighs are thin ; the skin 

 is rather thin, but loose and soft, and covered with soft hair. The 

 general figure, though small, is well proportioned. The color is varied 

 with raino-led white and sandy red. 



Whether the Ayrshires are judged by their actual produce, or by the 

 external points which by experience and observation are acknowledged 

 to denote dairy qualities, it must be admitted that they take a high 

 rank. From a fair consideration of their merits, it is believed that their 

 adoption for the dairy would secure the following advantages over the 

 stock commonly kept for that purpose in this country : 



1. A greater quantity of milk, butter and cheese for the food con- 

 sumed. 2. Greater uniformity in the general character of the stock 

 from its inherent or hereditary qualities. 3. Better symmetry and con- 

 stitution, and greater tendency to gain flesh when not giving milk. 



Sd 



