TWO TYPES OF AYRSHIRES

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 11, 23 December 1911, Page 6

TWO TYPES OF AYRSHIRES

/V. very, appreciative description of Scdccu dairy methods is couuimetl in a report recently issued by tne University ot Illinois Experiment Station, this being part of a report on European dairy methods by tw o members of the station stair. Over the soutlirwest or Scotland, the report points out, dairying is almost the sole, occupation or the farmers. Tne cow;s kept are practically all higngrado or pare-nred Ayrsiiires, and uS\ a class are described as efficient uud ecoirouiic producers. Heifer calves from the best cows are raised on all the farms, the heifers dropping their first calves when from two ana a half to three years old, and cows that are good mint producers are kept and brea from as long as they are healthy, while poor milkers are disposed of while young, on the dairy market, to other dairymen, or else fed for beef. In many herds in Scotland these American visitors found cows 20 years old, and still good milkproducers. This, however, was not the case in herds fed heavily on grain; here tiie cows do not last nearly so long, and the oldest cows found in such herds were but 12 years old. A good registered Ayrsnire cow brought, from £25 to £4O, and a goodgrade Ayrshire cow from £l6 to £2O. As a rule, the sires used are from heavy milking dams, rather than “show'” stock. On farms where milk is sold for direct consumption the cows are usually dry for six weeks, while on farms where cheese is made the cows are frequently dry for three months during the winter. The best dairymen expect to receive £2O per cow per year, when the milk is sold at an average of 5s lOd per 1001 b. A very high opinion was formed of the, Ayrshire breed as seen in Scotland. To show the efficiency of the cows, the report states that: “It is 'only necessary to state that the production on IS farms near Kilmarnock in 1907 reached the high average of 6920 U). of 3.9 per cent, milk per cow’, including heifers with their first calf.” But it is pointed out that there are two types of Ayrshires in Scotland; the show type and the milk-producing type. “T'Jio show’ type,” we are told, “has been developed for the show-ring, and bred for beauty alone. The genuine show udder must be compact and closely attached, both before and behind. The sole must be flat, with no indentations between the teats, and the udder must not protrude behind, but be carried up even with the thighs, and have small cylindrical teats, evenly plhced on a flat bottom. This is the only kind of udder, that can he shown many years in succession, and not become too pendent for the showring. Any intelligent dairyman knows that this type of udder is fleshy, and' does not belong to the best producers. This craze for tight, dose, shallow udders started in the show-ring about 25 years ago. It has been of untold damage to the Ayrshire breed; and has split the breeders into two factions—one of wdiich is breeding for show’, and the -other for' production. The breeders' who are breeding for production belong to test associations, and keep accurate r-pcqrds of their cows. The latter hyihrs have good udders that l milk''well away, and large soft teats that are easily milked.” 'report is quoted bh'this " subject; the writer being described as one of -jtho.bqst authorities on the. subject in jS6otlaud..a ! This; '' That .‘Rhe’show-ring has been a curse to the Ayrshire breed. Ayrsiiires would be a different breed to-day had there never been a show. The leading exhibitors of show Ayrsiiires of the flat, fleshy udder type have not made money, even if they have sold their stock at large prices, because they did not get enough milk to bring up the profits. One of the Reading exhibition herds produced only half as much per cow as did another herd bred, for production alone. , shflwm this., foijly, of to Tads.’ • "ThA conclusion arrived at, is, that record Ayrsiiires ’ "lire gaining rapidly in popularity. At the Highland Show, Ayrshire cows must produce, the niglit and morning before the exhibition, 361 b of milk,, or they are not eligible t<? enter the showring. This has the advantage of preventing the cows being bagged before showing. To prevent fraud in all competitions, enwr are miMced out in the open. Foolish ?:>ch.“nro gradually passing away, and at the present time colour does not count for much in the Ayrshire show ring A Great Britain.”