288 CAITLE 



them to have been black and white. About 1780 red and white 

 became fashionable, while from 1785 to 1805 brown and white 

 mottled cattle were much preferred, and later, in 18 10, red and 

 white was a common color. These latter colors of brown, red, 

 and white have been carried down to the present time. Thus it 

 is apparent that the Ayrshire as a breed is evolved from a variety of 

 blood, mainly from types associated with larger milking capacity. 

 The early improvers of the Ayrshire were not notably distin- 

 guished over the general run of breeders who seek to improve 



Fig. 129. Dunraven of Ste. Annes 7662, an Ayrshire bull owned by 

 Howard Cook, Beloit, Ohio. This animal has been a prominent 

 first-prize winner and champion at leading shows in 1905 and 1906. 

 Photograph by the author 



local cattle. It was early evident that the people laid importance 

 on milk production. Forsythe, a Scotchman, writes in 1805 of 

 cows yielding from 24 to 30 quarts of milk daily; and in 1829 

 William Harley states that he had cows that occasionally gave 

 25 to 30 quarts daily, and one day even produced 40 quarts. In 

 1836 the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland offered 

 a large premium to be competed for by the breed. By 1850 

 Ayrshires were the prevailing stock in Ayr and also in Renfrew 

 and Lanark counties. In 1853 the first systematic effort at im- 

 provement came in a scale of points adopted by the Ayrshire 



