118 AMEKICAN CATTLE. 



" We agree with Mr. Alton, that the excellency of a dairy- 

 cow is estimated by the quantity and the quality of her milk. 

 The quantity yielded by the Ayrshire cow is, considering her size, 

 very great. Five gallons daily, for two or three months after 

 calving, may be considered as not more than an average quantity. 

 Three gallons daily will be given for the next three months, and 

 one gallon and a half during the succeeding four months. This 

 would amount to more than 850 gallons; but, allowing for some 

 unproductive cows, 600 gallons per' year may be considered as 

 the average quantity obtained annually from each cow. 



" The quality of the milk is estimated by the quantity of butter 

 or cheese that it will yield. Three gallons and a half of this milk 

 will yield about a pound and a half avoirdupois, of butter. An 

 Ayrshire cow may be reckoned to yield 257 English pounds of 

 butter per annum, or about five pounds per week all the year 

 round, beside the value of the butter-milk and her calf 



" When the calculation is formed, according to the quantity of 

 clieese that is usually produced, the following will be the result : 

 — twenty-eight gallons of milk, with the cream, will yield 24 

 pounds of sweet-mUk cheese, or 514 pounds avoirdupois per 

 aiinum, beside the whey and the calf* 



"This is certainly an extraordinary quantity of butter and 

 cheese, and fuUy establishes the reputation of the Ayrshire cow, 

 so far as the dairy is concerned.f 



" * A. Scotch pint is nearly two English quarts. An Ayrshire pound consists of 84 

 ounces, and sixteen of these pounds, or 24 pounds avoirdupois, make a stone. Mr. 

 FuUarton, in his ' Statistical Account of Dulry,' in this county, states that in 1T94, 

 before the establishment of this improved Ayrshire cow, each cow would yield, on 

 the average, in the course of the season, 18 stones, or 288 lbs. of sweet-milk cheese." 



" t In some experiments conducted at the Earl of Chesterfield's dairy, at Bradley- 

 H.ill farm, it appeared that, in the height of the season, the Holderness would 

 yield 7 gallons and a quart ; the long-horn and the Alderney, 4 gallons 3 quarts ; and 

 the Devon, 4 gallons 1 pint per day ; and when this was made into butter, the result 

 was, from the Holderness, 38>f ounces ; from the Devon, 28 ouncea ; and from the 

 Alderney, 35 ounces. The Ayrshire yields 6 gallons per day, and from th.at is pro- 

 duced 34 ounces of butter." 



