The Ayrshire Cow - Life Changing not Climate Changing

The dairy cow - the amiable and beautiful provider of life, long the provider of meat to the hungry, milk for young and old; long held in such high esteem that the cow was sheltered oftentimes in the winter with the very family that it in turn sheltered from hunger.

What follows is from the Otago Witness , Issue 1280, 10 June 1876, Page 18, in 'The Farm' section. The Witness was a New Zealand newspaper, began in Dunedin in January 1851 and continued in publication until 1932. It is an interesting voice of history to those that breed Ayrshire cattle today.

It would be hoped that it would as well be instructive to those among us today that have lost their respect for the contribution of the Cow to the succor of the poor and hungry of this world -- such as the extremist left wing liberal 'Vegans' who applaud and propagandize all information in regard to eating meat that can be found negative in their view, and in which they can find justification for their anti-meat stance -- such as the current climate change propaganda that targets the Cow.

THE AYRSHIRE COW.

"Formerly, farming was so poor in Scotland that in spring the people bled their cattle to get blood to mix with a little oatmeal. So much of the land was wet and swampy, that but little could be cultivated. Wheat was seldom grown except on a nobleman's estate, and a large portion of the country was as much in common as are the Western plains. And yet the grass was rich and abundant, and so it came to pass, between 1750 and 1800, the celebrated Ayrshire cow grew out of this distress.

That is to say, some family, sorely pressed for the means to sustain life, had a cow which they cared for both winter and summer with the greatest attention; she was driven to the richest and thickest grass, she was housed in Winter with the children, and fed from the carefully stored hay, and above all, she was milked till the last possible drop was obtained.

From kindness, good feed, and close milking, a calf sprang equal at least to its mother. Then began neighbourhood fame; perhaps the laird of the noble obtained some of the stock, and the same care being bestowed, followed by "a selection of the fittest," a noble race growing out of the direst necessity has been given to the world.

I may note here that no valuable race of cattle has ever been known to originate except in a country of excellent grass." — Dr. Cross

"The cattle of this district were described in 1750 as being small, ill-fed, ill-shaped, and producing but little milk. In color they were black and white. This foundation stock was probably descended from or kin to the original wild white cattle described in early historic records."

As the other dominant breeds that influenced the establishment of the Ayrshire breed were largely horned -- such as the red Durham, it's reasonable to assume that the wild white cattle native to Scotland used in establishing the polled Ayrshire -- were in fact polled as well.  Another dominant breed used in creating the Ayrshire was the Shorthorn, and it is known and documented that the white Park cattle of England were part of the composite that created the Shorthorn breed as well.

Source:

Ayrshire – Origin and Distribution in Europe and Influence of Other Breeds

• U.S. Ayrshire Breeders' Association

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.