American Live Stock. 
457 
About the year 1824, one or more Hereford bulls, and perhaps a 
cow or two, were imported into Massachusetts. We hear of no 
thoroughbred produce from them, but the bulls were bred to a lim¬ 
ited extent on common cows, and no marked result followed, ex¬ 
cept some grand working oxen, afterwards fed into excellent car¬ 
casses of beef. In later years, a few importations of choice ani¬ 
mals were made into New York, Ohio and Upper Canada. Their 
descendants have been scattered in small herds into several states, 
but, we regret to say, not with the popularity which such excellent 
grazing and beef-producing animals merit. As flesh-producers, 
they strongly rival the Short-horns, and in size, nearly equal them. 
They are mainly red in color, with white or mottled faces, and oc¬ 
casionally white legs and bellies, and stripes along the back. In 
England they are claimed as an ancient breed, and their distinctive 
uniform appearance well bears out the assertion. 
The three English breeds already named may be classed as the 
best flesh-producers. 
Next in order may be named the breeds more distinctly used for 
dairy purposes; the 
Ayrshire. — This is claimed as a dairy or milking breed, and 
wherever known, either at their native homes in Scotland, or in their 
later ones in the United States, are esteemed and cultivated for that 
exclusive purpose. They are said, by authentic history, to have been 
originated about a century ago in the district of Ayrshire, whence 
the name was taken, by a cross of Short-horn bulls from the north of 
England, on the c6mmon or native Kyloe cow of Scotland, and cul¬ 
tivated into their present excellent dairy qualities by careful and 
persistent breeding, until their characteristics have becom^fixed 
and enduring. They were first imported in small numbers to 
America, between the vears 1820 and 1830, as nearly as can be as- 
certained, and within the last thirty years, in such numbers as now 
to be found in many considerable herds. They are highly esteemed 
by those who are partial to them for their large yields ot milk, 
'which render them much more profitable for dairy uses than the 
common cows of the country. In size, they are about equal to our 
common cattle; in color, usually red or brown, more or less mixed 
with white; in shape, more like the Short-horn than any others, 
although lacking their fine contour and comeliness of appearance 
a valuable breed of cattle. 
