AYRSHIRE CATTLE.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 3, 15 March 1913, Page 310

AYRSHIRE CATTLE.

As several readers of the- Journal have expressed a desire for the breed-points of Ayrshire cattle, the standard adopted by the Ayrshire Cattle-breeders’ Association of New Zealand is herewith published, together with a diagram illustrating the points of an Ayrshire cow, .which, indeed, may be utilized in determining the desirable points of a dairy cow of any breed. ' Scale of Points for Ayrshire Cow. Head .. ■ ■ ■■ . •• ■ ■ • • • • • • & Foreheadbroad and clearly defined .. .. • • .. 1 Hornswide set on and inclining upward .. .. ' .. .. 1 • • Face — medium length, slightly dished, clean-cut, showing, veins .. 1 Muzzlebroad and strong without coarseness, nostrils large ... .. 1 Jaws— at the base, and strong .. .. ...... 1 Eyesfull and bright, with placid expression .. • • / • • .. 2 Ears medium size and fine, carried alert .. .. .. .. 1 Neck— fine throughout, throat clean, neatly joined to head and shoulders, of good length, moderately thin, nearly free from loose skin, elegant in bearing J Forequarters ... - .. ... .. • .. ..... • • 11 Shoulders —light, good distance through from point to point but sharp at withers, smoothly blending into body .. .. .. • • . .. 2 Chestlow, deep and full between the back of forelegs.. .. .. 6 Brisket—light .. .. .. ' ■• • • • .... 1 Legs and feetlegs straight and short, well apart, shanks fine and smooth, ■ joints firm ; feet medium size, round, solid and deep .. ’ .. ■ 2 Body .. .. ■■ •• •• •• •• •• Back—strong and straight, chine lean, sharp and open-jointed .. ..4 Loinbroad, strong, and level .. .. • • -• • •• 2 Bibslong, broad, wide apart, and well sprung .. .. .. 3 —capacious, deep, firmly held up with strong muscular development 3 . Flank—thin and arching .. .. ■ ..... ■ • .. 1 Hindquarters .. .. .. ■■ ~ : .... .. •• • • H Rump—wide, level and long from hooks to pin-bones, a reasonable pelvic arch allowed .. .. .. • • • • ■ • • . • • 3 Hooks— apart and not projecting above back nor unduly overlaid with fat .. .. • • • • • • .... 2 Pin-boneshigh and wide apart .. .. '' .. '•• " ' .. 1 Thighsthin, long and wide apart .. .. .. .... 2 Tail— fine, set on a level with the back .. .. ■• .. .. 1 Legs and feet—legs strong, short, straight when viewed from behind, and set well apart; shanks fine and smooth, joints firm; feet medium size, round, solid, and deep .. .. .. • • .. 2 — long, wide, deep, but not pendulous nor fleshy; firmly attached to the body; extending well up behind and far forward ; quarters even ; sole nearly level and not excessively indented between teats, udder-veins well developed and plainly visible .. .. . • • • • • 20 Teats evenly placed, distance apart from side to side equal to half the breadth of udder, from back to front equal to one-third the length ; length 2J in. to 3| in., and not less than 2 in., thickness in keeping with length, hanging perpendicular and slightly tapering, and free flow of milk when pressed .. 12 Mammary Veins large, - long, tortuous, branching, and entering large orifices .. .. ~ .. • • • • • • • • 5-

Escutcheon distinctly defined, spreading over thighs and extending well upward .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. I Colour red of any shade, brown, or these with white, mahogany and white, black and white, or white ; each colour distinctly defined .. .. 2 Covering .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .. 6 Skin—of .medium thickness, mellow and elastic .. .. .. 3 Hairsoft and fine.. .. .. .. .. .. 2 Secretions-oily, of rich brown or yellow colour .. .. ' 1 Style— alert, vigorous, showing strong character; temperament mild.. .. 4 Weight -at maturity, from 800 lb. to 1,000 lb. .. .. .. .. 4 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 100 Scale of Points for Ayrshire Bull. Head .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 Porehead—-broad and clearly defined .. .. .. .. .. 2 . Horn —strong at base, set wide apart, inclined upward .. .. ... 1 Faceof medium length, clean-cut, showing facial veins.. ... .. 2 —broad and strong without coarseness .. . . .. ..1 Nostrils— and open .. .. . . .. '.. .. 2 Jaws-wide at the base, strong .. .. .. .. .. 1 Eyesmoderately large, full and bright ... .. .. .. 2 Ears— of medium size and fine, carried alert .. . . .. .. 1 Expression of vigour, resolution, and masculinity .. .. .. 3 Neckof. medium length, somewhat arched, large and strong in the muscles on top, inclined to flatness on sides, enlarging symmetrically towards the shoulders, throat clean and free from loose skin .. .. .. 8 Forequarters .. .. .. .. .. ... .... 15 Shoulders—strong, smoothly blending into body, with good distance through from point to point and fine on top ' .. . . . . .. 3 . Chest— deep, and full between and back of forelegs .... .. 8 Brisket— not too prominent, and with very little dewlap . . 2 Legs and feetlegs well apart, straight and short, shanks fine and smooth, joints firm ; feet of medium size, round, solid, and deep .. .. 2 Body ■ . t .. .. .. .. .. .. - ..... 18 Back—short and straight, chine strongly developed and open-join ted . . 5 Loin—broad, strong, and level .. .. .. .. .. 4 . Ribslong, broad, strong, well sprung, and wide apart .. .. .. 4 Abdomen— and deep, trimly held up with muscular development . . 4 Flank—thin and arching .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Hindquarters .. .. .. .. - .. .. .. . .. .14 Rump— and long from hooks to pin-bones .. .. .; 4 Hooks—-medium distance apart, proportionally narrower than in female, not rising above the level of the back .. .. .. .. 2 Pin-boneshigh, wide apart .. .. .. .. • ... - • .. 2 Thighs— long, and wide apart .. .. .. .. .. 3 Tailfine, long, and set on a level with back .. .. .... 1 Legs and feetlegs straight, set well apart, shanks fine and smooth; feet medium size, round, solid, and deep, not to cross in walking.. .. 2 Scrotum—well developed and strongly carried i. jt- .. .. .. ... 2 Rudimentaries,Jveins, &c.teats ofTuniformjsize, squarely placed, wide apart, - and free from scrotum ; veins long, large, tortuous, with extensions entering orifices ; escutcheon pronounced and covering a large surface .. 4 Colourred of any shade, brown, or these with white, mahogany and white, black and white, or white ; each colour distinctly defined ... .. .. 3 Covering .. .. .. .. ~ .. .. .. ' 7 Skin—medium thickness, mellow and elastic .. .. .. .. 4 Hair—-soft and fine .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 Secretions—oily, of rich brown or yellow colour .. .. .. 1 Styleactive, vigorous, showing strong masculine character ; temperament mild 10 Weightat maturity, from 200 lb. to 1,500 lb. .. .. .. .. 4 Total .. .. .. .. . .. .. 100