AYRSHIRE CATTLE

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4392, 30 March 1909, Page 4

AYRSHIRE CATTLE

In the library of the Winconsin ollege of Agriculture are two large dumes descriptive of the domestic limal of Great Britain,' prepared by rof. Daniel Low, of the University of dinburgh, in 1840,- at the direction ad expense of the British Governient. The same is finely illustrated y large cutis of the various breeds, hese illustrations are valuable for the sason that they enable us to see hat was the shape and prevailing rpe of that day, sixty six years ago. ro. Low devotes considerable space > the Ayrshire cow. He says that in 790 the breed was not recognised or 3garded as worthy of special mention, a 1825 they were described by Mr yton as a “ puny, unshapely race.” hey were then mostly of' a black dour with, white on face, back, flanks, ad few of the cows yielded in the ush of the season more than one and half to two gallons of milk. Prof, ow thinks the Alderney breed was tixed with these black Ayrshires at a early period. These facts show us i what a wonderfal extent modern reeders and skilful mating have done : changing the Ayrshire breed to its 'esent great excellence as a milk ■olucer, and in the almost total i ange of colour and external charac•i istics.