Description: These cows are known for their reddish-brown or mahogany spots found on their otherwise white body.
Characteristics: The Ayrshire cows are well known for their patches of red and mahogany on their otherwise white body. It is rare for the colors to be in a certain pattern. More than often the patches have rough edges and are sprinkled all around the fur. Ayrshire cows are usually born with majestic horns which can grow up to a foot long and curve gracefully. Sadly, today, horns aren't very practical, so the cows are dehorned when they are born.
Mature (Fully Grown) Ayrshires: A mature (fully grown) Ayrshire cow weighs about 1200 pounds. Mature Ayrshires are strong and rugged animals. These cows can adapt to pretty much all management systems. These cows can forage for themselves if needed. The ruggedness of the terrain in which the Ayrshire breed originated in allows the cows to be very hardy and flourish in less than ideal conditions.
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History: The breed of Ayrshire cows originated in the Country of Ayr in Scotland. They originated prior to 1800 but were regarded as an actual breed in 1812. The breed was first referred to as the Dunlop, then the Cunningham, and finally, the Ayrshire. Evidence shows that this breed grew from the breeding of several different breeds and the native cows. Prior to 1775 most of the cattle had black coloring, but as time progressed and the year 1775 arose, some cattle showed some brown and mottled colors. Some changes took place in the 1900's and 1930's which resulted in a decrease of the population of the breed; however, it became stable once again very quickly.
Ayrshire Calves: An Ayrshire calf is very strong and easy to raise. An astounding trait of an Ayrshire calf is their vigor. These calves can adapt to many living conditions and that makes them useful for commercial dairy cattle living conditions. This outfits these calves to be great commercial dairy cattle.
Milk Production Statistics: Top producing Ayrshires usually exceed 20,000 pounds of milk in their lactations. The Ayrshire with the highest milk production in 305 days produced 37,170 pounds of milk and 1,592 pounds of fat (with twice-a-day milking).
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