1877 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
13 
Ayrshire Cattle. 
The prominence given of late to Short-horn and 
Jersey cattle, and the popularity amongst fashion¬ 
able breeders which these breeds of cattle at pres¬ 
ent possess, have tended to throw into the back¬ 
ground other races, which 
deserve at least equal 
consideration from farm¬ 
ers and dairymen. We 
do not now, nor is it prob¬ 
able that we ever shall, 
possess any one breed of 
cattle that will combine 
In itself all the good qual¬ 
ities or peculiar advan¬ 
tages, which would make 
them universally desira¬ 
ble. The great difference 
in tastes and necessities, 
not to speak of preju¬ 
dices, on the part of those 
who keep cows,, will al¬ 
ways tend to restore to 
popularity any breed 
which possesses value for 
a particular use, no mat¬ 
ter how much it may have 
been overshadowed by 
the temporary ascenden¬ 
cy of other breeds which 
may have sprung into 
fashion or repute. Just 
now we hear of nothing 
but Short-horns, Jerseys, 
and their pedigrees, 
points, premiums, and 
enormous money values, 
or reputed values. While there is no objection to 
this, so long as it does not operate injuriously to 
other deserving breeds, and tend to cast reproach 
upon them, as inferior in intrinsic value, yet, when 
there is danger that public opinion may be misled 
by it, and prejudices created, it becomes objectiona¬ 
ble, and is to be guarded against. As to dairy 
cows, while the Jersey is unsurpassed by any other 
breed for the place it bolds, yet that position 
is, to some extent, nar¬ 
row, limited, and strictly 
defined. As a butter cow 
the Jersey is probably the 
best that can he obtained. 
Having been bred for 
many years strictly with 
regard to a yield of very 
rich milk, she fills her 
place better than any 
other race of cows can. 
But as a dairy cow for the 
production of butter and 
cheese, the Ayrshire cow 
has been carefully bred 
for many years, and be¬ 
fore the Jerseys became 
popular, bad gained a 
high reputation, which 
has never been lost, and 
probably never will he, 
so long as care is exer¬ 
cised in her breeding. It 
is not possible that the 
Ayrshire cow can be dis¬ 
placed by the Jersey, nor 
that any injurious com¬ 
petition can arise be¬ 
tween the two for a 
lengthened period, be¬ 
cause the best and fittest 
for any particular ser¬ 
vice will in use always 
keep its place. Therefore we expect to see 
the Ayrshire cattle become before long as 
popular as they ever were, and occupy the high 
position in public estimation, to which they are en¬ 
titled. The Ayrshire breed is one of the oldest in 
existence. As with every other breed of valuable 
cattle we possess, it owes its origin to a mixture of 
races. It is possible to improve a race by good 
feeding, and care and skill in selecting breeding 
animals; but to change entirely the character of a 
breed for the better, without the crossing of other 
breeds upon it, would be unparalleled in the history 
of our domestic cattle. The Ayrshire originated 
from a cross of the Dutch cattle upon the native 
Ayrshire bull “ CASPEB.” —Owned by Messrs . Benson & Burpee, Philadelphia. 
race of the locality, and are related to the Short¬ 
horns through their ancestry. A hundred and 
twenty-five years ago, cattle were brought into 
Ayrshire from the English county of Durham, 
where the Short-horns (formerly called Durham 
cattle) were originally bred ; and the progeny of 
these were soon scattered throughout Ayrshire. 
Care in breeding and management helped to pro¬ 
duce what soon became a very valuable breed for 
aybshibe cow “ maggie stewart.” —Owned by Mr. Wrn. Crosier, Nbrthport, L. L, N. Y. 
the dairy. They did not surpass the Short-horns, 
for in those days this breed was noted for its dairy 
qualities ; but they became more valuable for the 
locality, in which they had grown up, and for the 
purposes of their owners. The locality was a moist 
pastoral country on the south-west coast of Scot¬ 
land. and the climate was such, that during the 
winters some hardships must be endured, such as 
severe wintry weather, and poor feeding, when the 
pastures were bare. The purpose for which the 
cattle were used, was the butter and cheese dairy 
solely ; the production of beef was not an object, 
only the old and inferior cows being fed for the 
butcher. The growing demand for these dairy 
products stimulated the 
growth and improvement 
of this breed, and they 
in time became noted as 
producing more milk and 
butter, /or the same quan¬ 
tity of feed, than any other 
breed in existence. This 
quality they still possess, 
and the Ayrshire dairy 
district still retains its re¬ 
putation for its dairy pro- 
_ ducts. The method of 
a Ai breeding usual amongst 
M Ayrshire dairymen has re- 
: suited iu the production 
Ms of model dairy cows. In 
BHB respect of form, Ayrshire 
: cows are in no way inferi- 
5jSM ortothebestJerseys.The 
style of bull chosen by 
the Ayrshire breeders, has 
been selected with regard 
to this desired form. A 
bull of somewhat femi- 
nine characteristics has 
__ always been preferred. A 
fine head and neck, broad 
hips, and full flanks, are 
desirable, and a very deep 
dew-lap,and roundness of 
the hindquarters, are not 
desired. The bull, of which we give a portrait on 
this page, will serve as a very fair representative of 
this breed. The engraving is from a photograph 
by Schreiber, of Philadelphia, and due allowance 
must be made for the inevitable defects of photo¬ 
graphy, which, however, do not misrepresent the 
animal. This bull (“ Casper,” No. 18 in new Yol. 
of Ayrshire Herd-Book) is the property of Messrs. 
Benson & Burpee, of Philadelphia. He took 1st 
prize at the Burlington 
Co. Agricultural Society’s 
exhibition, at Mt. Holly, 
Oct., 1875, and also in 
1876. He is out of 
“ Eileen A’Roon ” 1116 
by “ Snap ” 1477, winner 
of 1st prizes wherever 
shown. The Ayrshire 
cow having been bred for 
one specific object, which 
has been most complete¬ 
ly attained, may be taken 
as a model of what an ex¬ 
cellent milk cow ought to 
be. In choosing a milk 
cow, the points to be ob¬ 
served should be as fol¬ 
lows : a head small, long 
narrow at the muz- 
; horns small, fine, and 
translucent at the sur¬ 
face, bent gracefully for¬ 
wards, and placed widely 
from each other; the eyes 
not large, nor prominent, 
but full, brisk, and live¬ 
ly; the necklong, slender, 
and tapering towards the 
head, with a little loose 
skin below; the shoul¬ 
ders and forequarters 
light and thin; the 
hindquarters large and broad; the back straight 
and wide across the loins and hips ; body deep in 
the rib, and on the whole wedge-shaped ; tail thin, 
and long; legs fine in the bone, and short, with 
firm, neat joints ; udder square and capacious, but 
not hanging low, reaching well forward, and not 
fleshy, but loose when empty; teats moderately 
