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Ayrshire
The Ayrshire breed originated in the County of Ayr in Scotland,
prior to 1800. The county is divided into the three districts of
Cunningham, in the more northern part, Kyle, which lies in the
center, and Carrick, which forms the southern part of the county.
During its development,Nit was referred
to first as the Dunlop, then the Cunningham, and finally, the
Ayrshire. How the different strains of cattle were crossed to form
the breed known as3Ayrshire is not
exactly known. There is good evidence that several breeds were
crossed with native cattle to create the foundation animals of the
breed. In Agriculture, Ancient and Modern, published in
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1866, Samual Copland describes the native cattle of
the region as "diminutive in size, ill-fed, and bad milkers." Prior
to 1800 many of the cattle of5Ayrshire
were black, although by 1775 browns and mottled colors started to
appear.
Probably the improvement of the native stock began around 1750
when it was crossed with other breeds. The principal blood used in
improvement was that of the Teeswater stock, which later was
largely used in the formation of the Shorthorn breed in England. A
majority of the breeding in the Teeswater was from Dutch or Flemish
cattle that also were used in the formation of the Holstein breed.
Animals from the West Highland and improved Shorthorn were to
improved the original4Ayrshire stock.
There is also considerable evidence that cattle from the Channel
Islands were used in the improvement of the cattle of Ayr. It is to
the credit of the Scottish farmers that they used any available
improved stock that they felt would improve their cattle for
practical use in their area.
Regardless of the details of origin, the early breeders
carefully crossed and selected the various strains of cattle to
develop the cow we now know as the5Ayrshire. She was well suited for the land and
climate in Ayr. She was an efficient grazer; noted for her vigor
and efficiency of milk production. She was especially noted for the
superior shape and quality of her udder. The composition of her
milk made it ideally suited for the production of butter and cheese
by the early Scottish dairymen.
Breed Characteristics
Ayrshires are red and white, and purebred Ayrshires only produce
red and white offspring. Actually, the red color is a reddish-brown
mahogany that varies in shade from very light to very dark. On some
bulls, the mahogany color is so dark that it appears almost black
in contrast to the white. There is no discrimination or registry
restriction on color patterns for Ayrshires. The color markings
vary from nearly all red to nearly all white. The spots are usually
very jagged at the edges and3often small
and scattered over the entire body of the cow. Usually, the spots
are distinct, with a break between the red and the white hair. Some
Ayrshires exhibit a speckled pattern of red pigmentation on the
skin covered by white hair. Brindle and roan color patterns were
once more common in Ayrshires, but these patterns are rare
today.
For many years, the Ayrshire horns were a hallmark of the breed.
These horns often reached a foot or more in length. When properly
trained, they gracefully curved out, and then up and slightly back.
When polished for the show ring, the7Ayrshire horns were a spectacular sight.
Unfortunately, the horns were not very practical, and today almost
all Ayrshires are dehorned as calves.
Ayrshires are medium-sized cattle and should weigh over 1200
pounds at maturity. They are strong, rugged cattle that adapt to
all management systems including group handling on dairy farms with
free stalls and milking parlors.1Ayrshires excel in udder conformation and are not
subject to excessive foot and leg problems. Few other breeds can
match the ability of the Ayrshire to rustle and forage for
themselves under adverse feeding or climatic conditions. Ayrshire
cattle will do better under pasture conditions than will the other
major dairy breeds and , when pastures are poor, they need less
grain to keep them in air condition (C.H. Eckles, Dairy Cattle
and Milk Production, 1923). The ruggedness of the terrain and
the unfavorable climatic conditions of their native land led to the
selection for those points of hardiness that adapt them to less
than ideal conditions. These traits make Ayrshires outstanding
commercial dairy cattle.
Other traits that make Ayrshires attractive to the commercial
dairyman include the vigor of Ayrshire calves. They are strong and
easy to raise.WAyrshires do no possess
the yellow tallow characteristic that would reduce carcass value,
so Ayrshire bull calves can be profitably raised as steers.
The Ayrshire is a moderate butterfat breed. The actual average
of all Ayrshires on Official DHIR test is over 12,000 pounds of
milk with a 3.9% test. Ayrshires respond to good management and
feeding practices and individual8Ayrshire herds average as high as 17,000 pounds of
milk and 700 pounds of butterfat.
Top producing Ayrshires regularly exceed 20,000 pounds of milk
in their lactations. The current world record for Ayrshire is held
by Lette Farms Betty's Ida. In 305 days, on twice-a-day milking,
she produced 37,170 pounds of milk and 1592 pounds of fat.
The6 Ayrshire Breeders' Association does
not officially recognize records in excess of 305 days, but one
Ayrshire has produced over 41,000 pounds of milk and 1800 pounds of
butterfat in 365 days.
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Development in the United States
The first importations of5Ayrshires
to the United States was believed to have been made by Henry W.
Hills, of Windsor, Connecticut, around 1822.Farmers in New England
needed a dairy cow that would graze the pastures of their rough,
rocky farms and tolerate the cold, often in hospitable winters. In
many ways, the environment in New England was very similar to the
Ayrshire's native Scotland, and she thrived in her new home. Even
today, the Ayrshire is very popular in New England, but her
popularity has spread and the Ayrshire herds are now located in
every part of the United States including the Deep South. The
largest numbers of Ayrshires are registered each year in New York,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Vermont.
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During the early part of the Twentieth Century, Ayrshires were
noted for their extremely good type. Old photographs of Ayrshire
cattle confirm this fact. To demonstrate their hardiness, the
Ayrshire Breeders' Association staged one of the most spectacular
promotional events ever conducted by a dairy breed registry
association. In 1929, two5Ayrshire cows
named Tomboy and Alice, were literally walked from the association
headquarters at Brandon, Vermont, to the National Dairy Show at St.
Louis, Missouri. Both cows not only survived the trip, but calved
normally and went on to produce outstanding milk records of the
time.
During the Twenties and Thirties, many Ayrshire herds were
established near cities. Some of these farms bottled and
distributed their own milk. In the late Thirties, the Ayrshire
Breeders' Association established the Approved Ayrshire Milk
program. The program served the purpose of promoting Ayrshires by
promoting their milk. To qualify, a herd had to be comprised
entirely of4Ayrshires, and the herd
owner had to maintain the highest health standards. Promotional
materials from the time stated that Ayrshire milk had a better
flavor. It also emphasized the unique composition of Ayrshire milk
and made it more healthful, especially for children and babies. The
promotional literature recommended that mothers give their children
Ayrshire milk to be sure they grew up to be strong and healthy.
Milk marketing, like herd management, has changed and the
Approved Ayrshire Milk program is no longer in operation. However
it is interesting to note that the promotional themes of the
Approved9Ayrshire Milk program were very
similar to those of modern milk marketing campaigns.
The development of the0Ayrshire breed
is a story of dedicated people as much as it is of great dairy
cattle. Farmer breeders, whose livelihood depend on their cattle,
along with wealthy hobby farmers and talented and dedicated herd
managers all share equal credit for their contributions to the
development of the Ayrshire breed. The Ayrshire cow is universally
recognized as one of the most beautiful of the dairy cattle breeds,
but much more important is the fact that she has been bred and
developed to be a useful and profitable dairy cow. With proper
feeding and management, the Ayrshire will produce at a profitable
level for her owner. By using the modern breed improvement tools of
DHI or DHIR testing, type traits appraisal, and artificial
insemination, an Ayrshire breeder can be sure of breeding better
Ayrshires to meet the demands of the modern dairy industry.
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