All About
The Ayrshire Cow
Origin
The Ayrshire breed originated in the County of Ayr in Scotland, prior to 1800. During its development, it was referred to first as the Cunningham, then the Dunlop, and finally, the Ayrshire. Its characteristics gradually became well enough established to consider it a distinct breed, and in 1786, the first Ayrshire show was sponsored by the Highland Agricultural Society.
It is believed that some strains of cattle from Europe and the Channel Islands were crossed with the native cattle in the early days of the development of the breed, but their influence on the physical appearance and milk producing characteristics of the Ayrshire is not known. Regardless of the details of their origin, the early breeders carefully crossed and selected the various strains of cattle to develop the cow we now know as the Ayrshire. 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 and often small and scattered over the entire body of the cow. Usually, the spots are distinct, with a break between the red and the white. 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. They were light colored, except for the dark color on the last few inches of the tips of the horns. When properly trained, they gracefully curved out, and then up and slightly back. When polished for the show ring, the Ayrshire 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. Ayrshires excel in udder conformation and are not subject to excessive foot and leg problems. 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. Ayrshires do not possess the yellow tallow characteristics that would reduce carcass value, so Ayrshire bull calves can be profitably raised as steers.
The Ayrshire is a moderate butterfat breed and relatively high protein breed. The actual average of all Ayrshires on official ABA programs in 2002 is 17,230 pounds of milk with 665 pounds of fat and 542 pounds of protein.
