THE DAIRY BREEDS OF CATTLE 299 
As far as a dairy cow can be a beef animal, the Ayrshire 
probably excels, for the reason that she is a little smoother 
in conformation than the other dairy breeds, and the fat 
of the carcass, instead of being yellow, which is objection- 
able to the consumer, is white. 
An Ayrshire bull at the head of a grade herd will greatly 
increase milk-production in its progeny. When used on 
grade cows the standard of the herd will be materially 
elevated. 
329. Distribution. — The Ayrshires are practically the 
only dairy cattle in Scotland, and nearly every country in 
which dairying is an important industry has drawn heavily 
on Scotland for foundation stock. The principal coun- 
tries that are using Ayrshires are Canada, the United 
States, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. They are 
also found in considerable numbers in South Africa, New 
Zealand, Australia, China and Japan. In America, the 
breed is found in largest numbers in Quebec and Ontario, 
in Canada, but it is fast becoming popular in eastern 
United States, notably in the New England States, New 
York and Pennsylvania. There are a few herds in Ohio, 
Illinois, Missouri, Oregon and California. 
330. Organizations and records. — The welfare and 
interests of this race of cattle are in charge of the American 
Ayrshire Breeders’ Association, which was organized on 
its present basis in 1875. The breeders of Ayrshires, how- 
ever, have done systematic work for the breed through 
the Association of Breeders of Thoroughbred Neat Stock, 
as far back as 1859. The latter organization published 
three volumes of a herd register. On the organization of 
the former association, the publication of the Ayrshire 
Records came into its hands. Since 1876 it has published 
twenty-seven volumes (new series recording over 17,000 
