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The Ayrshire Cow
The Ayrshire Cow The Ayrshire Cow 
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The Ayrshire cow with her combination of dairy quality and very attractive appearance is no doubt the ideal dairy cow for the commercial farmer of today. One of the principal qualities of the Ayrshire cow is its adaptability, which enables it to produce milk of the necessary high standard required by the whole milk trade under a wide range of farm conditions. The Ayrshire cow has the conformation and constitution for a long working life, and the ideal udder for today's milking systems.
AYRSHIRE HISTORYThe most reliable origin of the Ayrshire Breed is that it came into existence in the area of Dunlop, situated in North Ayrshire, Scotland in the 17th Century. In a report on the agriculture of the country in 1794 a Colonel Fullarton wrote: - "A breed of cattle has for more than a century been established, remarkable for the quantity and quality of their milk in proportion to their size. They have long been denominated the Dunlop breed, from family and place of that name, where great attention is paid to milk yields and quality." The Ayrshire is proud of being the first dairy cow to grace the shores of Australia in 1848. The proof of the worth and durability of the breed is that the family of the owners of that first Ayrshire cow in Australia are still breeding Ayrshires. As a result of the flourishing herds and further importations the Ayrshire Herd Book Society of Australia was formed in 1891 in Victoria. AYRSHIRES OF THE WORLDOne has to circle the globe to fully realise how widely acclaimed the Ayrshire breed is in other countries. In fact, it can truly be said the sun never sets on the Ayrshire World. The adaptability of the Ayrshire cow is demonstrated by her ability to produce at high levels in varying climatic conditions. The Ayrshire is hailed from Finland, which is the farthest north agricultural country in the world, through several African countries to the very cold south of New Zealand, where winter housing is not practised. Fourteen countries were represented at the 2000 Ayrshire World Conference in the U.K. indicating the interest in the breed and the optimism for its continuing progress. In the U.K., Ayrshires are always prominent in Inter-Breed competitions and have won the coveted "Bledisloe Trophy" on several occasions. BREED CHARACTERISTICS
The typical Ayrshire cow is an alert, vigorous animal showing strong character and mild temperament with good feet and legs. Weight at maturity is from 500 kg upwards. The classic Ayrshire is any shade of red or brown including mahogany and white, although either colour may predominate. Each colour should be distinctly defined. Skin is of medium thickness, pliable and soft with fine silky hair. Bone structure is finE and flat , being proportionate to body weight. The Ayrshire is noted for its strong udder formation - a characteristic which has helped the breed win many Interbreed Dairy Championships. Ideally, the udder is long and wide being deep but not pendulous or fleshy. It is firmly attached with a well defined central ligament and strong fore attachments blending smoothly into the body. Teats are uniform and evenly placed, being ideally about 6.5 cm long, yielding milk freely. The Ayrshire should be clean and sharp, and indication of her production potential. She should be balanced while exhibiting the style and breed character for which she is famed. Other points to note - Ayrshires Are famed for their health and freedom from disease and ailments. Around the world there is now a growing awareness of the ECOMOMIC importance of good health in dairy cows. Traits and qualities to look for:
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