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 arc 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 : “ He 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 
fail 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 uight, and in a short time after- 
ward during both uight 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 with 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 spring.” 
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, and 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 mingled white and sandy red. 
Whether the Ayrshires are judged by their actual produce, or by the 
external points which by experience and observation arc 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. 
