1858.] SENATE— No. 4. 27 



naturally taxed the skill and judgment of the farmers and dairy 

 men to the utmost, through a long course of years, and thus 

 • the remarkable milking qualities of the Ayrshires were developed 

 to such a degree that they may be said to produce a larger 

 quantity of rich milk in proportion to the food consumed, or the 

 cost of production, than any other of the pure bred races. The 

 owners of dairies in the county of Ayr and the neighborhood, 

 were generally small tenants, who took charge of their stock 

 themselves, saving and breeding from the offspring of good 

 milkers, drying off and feeding such as were found to be 

 unprofitable for milk, for the butcher ; and thus the production 

 of milk and butter has for many years been the leading object 

 with the owners of this breed, and symmetry of form and per- 

 fection of points for aiiy other object, have been wholly disre- 

 garded, or if regarded at all, only from this one point of view — 

 the production of the greatest quantity of rich milk. The Ayr- 

 shire cow has been known to produce over ten imperial gallons 

 of good milk a day. 



A cowfeeder in Glasgow, selling fresh milk, has been known 

 to realize two hundred and fifty dollars in seven months from 

 one good cow, and it is stated on high authority, that a dollar a 

 day for six months of the year is no uncommon income from 

 good cows, under similar circumstances, and that seventy-five 

 cents a day is below the average. But this implies high and 

 judicious feeding, of course, and the average yield, on ordinary 

 feed, would be somewhat less. 



As already remarked, the Ayrshires in their native country 

 are generally bred for the dairy, and no other object, and the 

 cows have obtained a world-wide reputation for this quality. 

 They are, however, very fair as working oxen, though they can- 

 not be said to excel other breeds in this respect. The Ayrshire 

 steer may be fed and turned at three years old, but for feeding 

 purposes, the Ayrshires are greatly improved by a cross with 

 the short-horns. . It is the opinion of good breeders that a high 

 bred short-horn bull and an Ayrshire cow, will produce a calf 

 which will come to maturity earlier, and attain greater weight 

 and sell for more money than a pure bred Ayrshire. This cross, 

 with feeding from the start, may be sold fat at two years old, 

 the improvement being especially seen in the earlier maturity 

 and the size. 



