The Ayrshire (
IPA
IPA commonly refers to:
* India pale ale, a style of beer
* International Phonetic Alphabet, a system of phonetic notation
* Isopropyl alcohol, a chemical compound
IPA may also refer to:
Organizations International
* Insolvency Practitioners ...
) is a Scottish
breed of
dairy cattle
Dairy cattle (also called dairy cows) are cattle bred for the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made. Dairy cattle generally are of the species '' Bos taurus''.
Historically, little distinction was ...
. It originates in, and is named for, the county of
Ayrshire in south-western Scotland. Ayrshires typically have red and white markings; the red can range from a shade of orange to a dark brown.
History
The origins of the Ayrshire are not known. It originated in the county of
Ayrshire in Scotland before 1800. It was variously known as the Dunlop, later the Cunningham, and finally, the Ayrshire. These are all parts of the County Ayr.
Although they are now native to
Ayrshire, Scotland, some historians believe the Ayrshire breed originated in Holland. In 1750, they were crossbred with other breeds of cattle, which led to their distinctive brown spots.
The cattle were recognised as a distinct breed by the
Highland and Agricultural Society
The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) was founded in Edinburgh in 1784 as the Highland Society of Edinburgh.
The Society had its root in 1723 when the Society of Improvers of the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland was ...
in 1814.
Many modern dairy farmers favour Ayrshires because of their longevity, hardiness, and easy calving.
These traits are thought to have developed due to the rugged conditions of its native habitat.
The Ayrshire was exported to the United States from 1822, primarily to
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
and other parts of
New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
.
The environment was similar to their native land of Scotland. The American Ayrshire Breed Association was founded in 1875. The Approved Ayrshire Milk programme, which licensed farms that owned Ayrshire cattle, began in the 1930s. Ayrshire milk was identified as being of higher quality compared to that of other breeds.
Today, the cattle are owned by farmers in many areas of America, including New York and Pennsylvania.
Characteristics
The Ayrshire is a medium-sized breed.
The average adult individual "should weigh over at maturity."
[ Their milk production can reach or greater per annum.
The cattle are usually red and white in colour, the red varying from very deep to a lighter shade. Calves may be de-horned for ease of handling; if they are not, the horns can grow to in length. The cattle are typically strong and adaptable to many farming methods, and better suited to ]extensive management
Extensive farming or extensive agriculture (as opposed to intensive farming) is an Agriculture production system that uses small inputs of labour, fertilizers, and capital, relative to the land area being farmed.
Systems
Extensive farming is ...
than breeds such as the Friesian.
Temperament
A study of the social behaviour of Polish Black-and-White dairy cattle and their F1-crossbreds with Ayrshire, Jersey, Holstein-Friesian and Swedish Black-and-White breeds, found the Ayrshire crossbreeds were most dominant, least attacked by their group-mates and least susceptible to a group change. A further study found that among Ayrshire, Holstein, Jersey, Brown Swiss and Guernsey (the other common dairy breeds), the Ayrshire had the highest number of agonistic interactions, however, this was not related to bodyweight.
Population
In 2008, 63,356 Ayrshire cattle were registered in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
. In the United States, Ayrshire cattle are classed as a "recovering" breed by the Livestock Conservancy, despite a significant decline in registrations over the last 30 years. This means more than 2,500 registrations occur annually, but the breed is "still in need of monitoring."
References
External links
U.S. Ayrshire Breeders Association
Ayrshire Cattle Society of Great Britain and Ireland
{{Scottish animal breeds
Dairy cattle breeds
Cattle breeds originating in Scotland
Conservation Priority Breeds of the Livestock Conservancy