Ayrshire breed of cows: description, care and feeding

The Ayrshire breed of cows belongs to the category of highly productive, therefore, it is used everywhere for dairy production. In animal husbandry, its resistance to cold climatic conditions and the excellent taste of the dairy products obtained are also appreciated.

Ayrshire breed

Ayrshirok origin, popularity and prevalence

Ayre, a county in Scotland, is the home of this suit. The characteristics of the animal were also imprinted on the climatic conditions of this region. Endurance and adaptation to any weather conditions are the characteristics of the breed. At the same time, the taste of milk does not suffer.

To breed a purebred Ayrshire, scientists took a long time and several other stripes: Dutch, Alderney, Tysvater, and after them Scottish. At the very beginning of the 19th century, the first breeding farm was organized. Finally, the purebred Ayrshir gained a new status in the 19th century, approximately in the sixties.

The popular Ayrshire cattle easily tolerates temperature extremes and feels great in cold climates with high humidity and abundant greenery. Because of this feature, this breed quickly settled in Australia, Sweden, Scotland, Canada, England, Finland, on the northern American continent. In southern countries, cows are rare, because cool weather is more acceptable for them.

The Ayrshire breed and its breeding representatives came to the territory of Russia from Finland. Initially, the spread over Russian territory began from Karelia and Leningrad. Now in the world market, Finland is the first in breeding, and the second is Russia. A popular color for both private use and large farmland.

Interesting

At the moment, a large amount of milk from Ayrshire cows is used for the production of baby food.

How did the breed come about?

The place of breeding of cows is considered to be Scotland, County Ayre, here there are quite severe specific climate conditions. It was by the name of the county that the breed was named. The ancestors of the Ayrshirs are called local breeds of cows, they were improved by the infusion of Dutch blood, as well as with the help of Tisvater and Alderney representatives of cattle. The beginning of breeding is considered to be the 17th century.

Ayrshire cows perfectly adapt to any climatic conditions, thanks to this quality they have gained fame throughout the world. Cows were brought to Finland in 1848, they perfectly adapted to the new place, gained popularity and are considered the most popular species to this day. In Russia, the first representatives appeared only in the 20th century.

Full characteristics of Ayrshire cattle

Ayrshirskaya is the best dairy, specially bred type of cattle. He will be able to live in mountainous areas without difficulties because of his physique.

Ayrshire has a number of advantages, below is a description:

• unpretentious to weather conditions, can get along in heat and cold;
• acclimatization takes place without prejudice to milk yield;
• Ayrshire eats all feed, there is no need to buy special preparations;
• pasture and stall food is equally acceptable for all;
• an economically profitable type, the cost of milk is low due to savings on food in the summer, when there is a lot of grass on the pastures;
• even with a meager diet, the amount of milk does not change, only its fat content decreases;
• do not suffer from mastitis, hoof diseases;
• the possibility of early fertilization without harming the health of the heifer;
• easy calving that does not require the active participation of a person;
• docile, active character;
• the viability of calves is very high, mortality is a small percentage;
• hardy to long hauls;
• beautiful external data;
• lack of pathologies in young animals;
• longevity;
• in the summer, the opportunity to be content with pasture grass;
• no defects in genetics;
• using Ayrshire to breed and improve other breeds, Ayrshire genes dominate crossbreeding. Served as genetic material in the breeding of Norwegian and Swedish red;
• milk productivity is high regardless of different conditions, milk yield is always stable.

  

Ayrshire breed of cows - breeding representatives of cattle, which are the first in dairy products. They have excellent immunity, high milk production

Of the minuses of the Ayrshir people, it is possible to note fearfulness and stubbornness, as well as a deterioration in general condition at an elevated temperature above +30 ° C. They do not always get along with other representatives of cattle, often show their cool character, do not obey the farmer.

The average life expectancy is 20 years.

External data

The Ayrshire breed of cows is not large compared to others. Growth reaches an average of 125 cm. Body weight varies significantly between sexes: heifers weigh 450-500 kg, and bulls - about 800 kg.

The physique is proportional:

• the body is short;
• the back is wide;
• the chest is narrow, there is a dewlap;
• bones are not massive, joints stand out;
• limbs straight, low, well formed, large hooves;
• the horns are light, turned in different directions, similar in shape to a lyre;
• short coat;
• the muscles are developed at a sufficient level;
• the udder is of the correct shape, thin skin, the nipples are in the form of a cylinder or cone;
• variegated color - white with brown and red tints, in most cases a red tint predominates;
• the head is narrowish, small.

Heifers are always white and red, and bulls are also with black spots. An untrained farmer may confuse Ayrshire for Guernsey. They have a similar color.

There is a generally accepted Ayrshire standard:

Bull	Heifer
Color	White, red, sometimes black	White Red
Weight	600-800 kg	450-500 kg
Height	125-140 cm	125 cm
Horns	Light, lyre-shaped
Wool	Short
Pastern girth	15-17 cm
Rib cage	165-170 cm

Description of appearance

The color of Ayrshire cows is defined as “red and piebald”. Light red or dark brown spots are dazzling on the white coat. Sometimes a sandy or brown shade predominates, standing out as the main color, diluted with white specks. The color of the bulls is darker than that of the heifers.

By build, Ayrshirs belong to the middle group of cattle. In their appearance, signs of a milky orientation are pronounced.

The growth of adult animals is 125 cm. Weight is 500-800 kg. The length of their body is no more than 54 cm. The udder of heifers is elastic, has a regular bowl shape with widely spaced cylindrical or conical nipples. The constitution of cows is proportional, and the rest of the exterior signs are easily noticeable:

• non-massive thin skeleton;
• movable joints;
• wide, straight back;
• the chest is small, with a prominent dewlap, 67 cm deep;
• neck of a standard thin shape, covered with folds;
• straight short limbs with strong hooves.
• The head of the Ayrshire cattle is graceful, with a prominent front part, crowned with massive horns, smoothly curving at the ends.

The disposition of the representatives of the Scottish tribe is aggressive. The owner will need a lot of patience to find an approach to them.

Milk yield, production features

Being a dairy breed, the Ayrshire has a regular udder shape, pronounced nipples. The udder mass index is about 50%. Milk from Ayrshire cows is pumped with a high yield, approximately 2 liters per minute, mechanically. There are practically no somatic cells in milk. This is of great value to farmers. It is considered the best for a commercial project and personal use.

The annual milk volume is 8000 liters. Such an indicator is provided by a female over three years old. The fat content of milk is quite high - 4%. Up to 15 lactation periods, high milk yield and milk fat content can be maintained. Record amount of milk - 12,000 liters. The protein content in milk is 3.50%. At the age of 16, dairy figures drop slightly, although the older ones provide enough dairy products.

The taste of milk is excellent, the taste is delicate, pleasant, soft. There are no foreign smells and impurities. Infant formula is made from the manufacturer's dairy products.

The meat products of the Ayrshire people do not differ in taste from the meat of other cows. Since this is a dairy type, its meat is mediocre. The slaughter is about 50%.

Milking requires compliance with the mandatory rules:

• clean the milking room, close the doors to prevent drafts, tie the animal;
• wipe the belly and legs with a clean rag;
• wash the udder, wipe dry;
• wash hands and face, wear special work clothes;
• start the process itself.

Farmers reviews

Ayrshirok is appreciated and loved by farmers all over the world. For high milk yield and high-quality milk, they are ready to forgive their whims and tough disposition. Farmers claim the following:

• This breed is ideal for grazing.
• The breed is also suitable for the household.
• Ayrshirok milk is very tasty, with excellent characteristics.
• The meat tastes good.

What regular Ayrshire cow owners say:

★★★★★
Polina Romanova, Novgorod region I love my airshir very much. This is a super cow. She is small in stature, and gives 23 liters of milk after the first calving. You don't need a lot of food, not aggressive - you can always agree. Milk tastes creamy. In the jar, left overnight, on top - 3 cm of cream.
★★★★★
Vasily Perminov, Kaliningrad region The Ayrshirok milk is not as fat as, for example, the Jersey breed. But milk yield is high. Yes, and it is easier to get the airsheer. They eat a little, milked steadily, the milk is quite fatty and tasty.
★★★★★
Nikolay Berbets, Komi. Buying a cow, I was worried whether my investment would be justified, the Ayrshire cow is not cheap. As it turned out, the cow is undemanding and has taken root very well in our harsh climate. My shed is specially equipped - heated. Therefore, the cow is comfortable, and she is milked perfectly in winter. I feed with hay, give vegetables, compound feed. When it's warm, I let them graze, where she finds food herself. Separately, I will say about milk - no unpleasant aftertaste. We drink, make cheese, cottage cheese and other milk.
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Ayrshire cows are ideal for a milk-producing farm. This breed, without requiring tsarist conditions, will provide the family with delicious milk, and the farmer will bring considerable profit - due to large and stable milk yields.

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The content of the Ayrshire breed, its features

The barn should be dry, well-ventilated, warm, free of drafts and blowouts. In case of a lack of air flow, animals suffer from ammonia asphyxiation. The widespread method of walking, rather than tying in pastures. In the stall itself, organizing the place of the leash, make it using a pipe with a diameter of 0.1 m.

The room is kept at temperatures ranging from 7 to 17 ° C.It should be light enough, at night there will be enough 40 W bulbs. The flooring should be concrete, then the flooring is made of wooden planks, on top - straw. When walking in an open space, it is necessary to equip a special canopy for finding in hot weather or rain.

The barn and livestock are divided into several sections - feeders and drinkers, a conveyor for them, a stall for sleeping and rest, a free-standing manure conveyor. The stall is shaped according to the size of the cow. The optimal dimensions are 1100 mm x 2200 mm.

Feeders can be made in two ways: mounted and local. The latter are placed in front of the stall itself in the form of a long trough, covered with boards on all sides.

A prerequisite for maintenance is cleaning the barn and the adjacent premises. To do this, all the cows are taken out of the stall, the manure and dirt are swept out, the drinking cups and feeders are washed, the room is ventilated, the flooring is changed to clean and dry.

Important

It must be remembered that Ayrshire cows are very active. Therefore, it is difficult to force them to stay in the stall for a long time and it is sometimes required to release them into an open pen. This will help keep the cows feeling well.

Diet of cows

Ayrshire cattle are unpretentious in food. It feeds on root crops (potatoes, carrots, beets, parsnips, celery), cabbage, pumpkin, grass, hay, and compound feed. Complex vitamins and minerals must be present. Drinking cups always contain clean water at room temperature. Salt should be publicly available.

Chalk is considered an additional feeding; a cow should eat it up to 50 g per day. Bran and wheat in crushed form, brewer's grains have a good effect on the taste of milk. Limit silage, haylage when compiling a balanced diet.

The general nutrition of Ayrshire cows consists of three stages:

• the main thing is coarse food (hay, husk and husk of cereals, straw, chaff). Feed several times a day. Remove what has not been eaten from the feeders, avoiding decay and souring;
• balanced - feed that affects the quality and quantity of milk. It can be oats, soybean meal, wheat cake, pellet;
• compound feed - add no more than 4 kg. With a large starchy composition - 2 kg. It is impossible to exceed the norm, the excess provokes a violation of the entire digestive system.

Haylage is another type of food. This is a dried and canned herb. It is not recommended to introduce large amounts of silage, as well as silage. The latter is fermented green herbs.

An example of a balanced diet for a half-ton cow:

1. Hay - 7 kg;
2. Silo - 30 kg;
3. Beets - 6 kg;
4. Sunflower cake - 1 kg;
5. Wheat or oat bran - 0.5 kg;
6. Milled barley - 1.5 kg;
7. Water - 35 liters.

With such a diet, one should expect a daily milk yield of about 17 liters. By saving on food, the amount will usually not decrease. Only the quality of dairy products suffers. Milk is less fatty and less valuable and rich in nutrients. If cows are suddenly switched to grass feeding in the spring, bloating and stomach upset are possible. To prevent this, you should reduce the herbal diet until the condition is completely stabilized.

What to feed

Nutrition is one of the main points affecting the fertility of livestock, it should not only be of high quality, necessarily including fresh products, but also balanced. Hay, root crops, vegetable tops, greens (clover, alfalfa) and vegetables (beets, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, legumes), as well as special compound feed - the basic and necessary products for cows. The average intake of food at a time should be about 2-3 kg.

Important! The quality of milk directly depends on the diet of the cattle, therefore, if the cow eats poorly, the quantity and regularity of milk yield may not decrease, but the product obtained during milking will no longer have the same taste and nutritional characteristics.

Walking cattle in the pasture and feeding in summer

In the summer season, the cows stay on the pasture for almost the entire season: the pasture provides them with a significant amount of plant food. Walking and feeding times should be fine-tuned, and salt and chalk should be added to the feeder, in addition to grass and basic feed with a high fiber content.

However, it is worth remembering that an excessive amount of grass in the diet of Ayrshirs can provoke diseases of some parts of the animal's stomach, for example, bloating of the rumen.

The peculiarity of nutrition consists in dividing it into three groups: basic, balanced and combined. The first group includes:

• husk of vegetables and seeds;
• hay;
• straw.

The representatives of the second are:

• cereals (wheat, oats, barley, rye);
• shot (waste from cooking barley wort in beer production);
• soybean cake.

On the packaging of the combined feed, which can be bought on the market for pet supplies for cattle, there must be an inscription “for cattle”.

Learn also more about such dairy breeds of cows as: red-motley, black-motley, Yaroslavl, Kholmogorskaya, Jersey, red steppe, Dutch.

Differences in winter feeding

The winter menu includes products such as:

• outer shells of millet and buckwheat grains, sunflower seeds;
• products obtained as a result of pressing vegetable oil from oilseeds;
• coarse compound feed with vitamin and mineral supplements.


Animals easily adapt to the transition from dry food to vegetable food when pasture, but this should be done gradually, slowly adding vegetable products to the dry ration.

Water

A sufficient amount of water at room temperature or slightly chilled (60–80 liters per day), especially in the hot season, is one of the prerequisites for the correct keeping of representatives of this breed: they should never be thirsty.

Important! In the countries of the south, Ayrshire cows and bulls cannot feel comfortable, since their body is more adapted to low temperatures, and they cannot stand the heat at all.

Thus, we can conclude that Ayrshirs are not only productive, but also unpretentious representatives of dairy breeds in the farm, feeding which does not require too large financial costs. You can get high-quality milk in large volumes if you follow all the rules for caring for animals of this breed.

Calving Ayrshire cows, features and difficulties

Ayrshir breeding on Russian territory has been taking place for more than 130 years. Only artificial insemination is practiced without natural processes. This contributes to the preservation of the purebred breed. Russia issues an average annual number of about 90,000 heads.

When breeding Ayrshire cows, you need to seriously approach the choice of bull and heifer. Only healthy individuals can produce healthy, high-quality offspring. Ayrshire heifers must undergo veterinary control before mating.

Initially, the best bull in all respects is chosen. One or more ancestor bulls are chosen for regular mating. It is the strong individuals who will support the line of purebred individuals. After the birth of calves from the selected bull, select the strongest ones for procreation. The line from one bull can be continued up to the fifth generation. After this moment, the quality indicators of the animal are already beginning to fall. The Ayrshire bull also needs to go through a veterinary check before mating and matures quickly, just like the heifer.

The female has the peculiarity of rapid puberty. By the age of one and a half, she is ready for fertilization. The safest and most efficient way to do this is in the spring, when pasture grazing begins. During this period, the heifer is calm, not aggressive, docile.At two years old, a cow gives birth to its first calf. The udder is well developed, has thin skin, cupped shape, and delineated nipples. This is a huge plus for the calf.

To maintain a purebred Ayrshire breed does not interfere with other species. Experienced farmers do not tolerate inbreeding. This spoils the genus, introducing substandard adjustments.

Childbirth is easy, without complications. The heifer has the ability to quickly recover.

Post-calving care should be done well for both the heifer and the calf. Stages:

• cleaning the calf afterbirth after birth;
• it is necessary to feed the cow with hay and drink warm water half an hour after giving birth;
• to preserve the quantitative and qualitative indicators of milk, a calving cow should be milked at least 5 times a day.

  

Ayrshire calves of this breed, their characteristics

Youngsters are born with a low weight - up to 30 kg. The bulls do not weigh much more than the heifers, the difference is only a few kilograms. For a year, the weight indicator increases on average 10 times, body weight reaches 300 kg.

The calf quickly bounces back after birth, gets on its feet, sucks its mother. A distinctive quality is early maturity, a calf can gain about 700 g per day.

From 10 months onwards, the general condition of the calf is assessed. There is no point in doing this before.

Important points when buying an Ayrshire cow

When buying a calf for personal use and breeding, there are a few basic rules to keep in mind:

• the purchase is made from trusted farmers, on major farms;
• the calf must be vaccinated, have a strong constitution, weigh at least 250 kg at the age of one. If the weight is less, it is worth considering, because the animal may not gain enough weight due to illness;
• you need to buy calves from a high-quality, thoroughbred ancestor bull. Inbreeding is not allowed. In the case of its presence, one should not expect 100% quality from the calves. Only strong thoroughbred bulls of the Ayrshire breed give strong young growth;
• the calf must meet all the parameters of appearance inherent in this suit. Even a discrepancy in one small detail can lead to a non-purebred genus in the future.

  

Common cattle diseases

Ayrshire cows have good health and strong immunity. But there are times when representatives of this species also get sick. Diseases are divided into infectious, viral. They can be both hereditary and acquired.

Infectious diseases are dangerous because they quickly infect the entire herd, the spread occurs at a record speed. Therefore, at the first symptoms, the individual is isolated, and then they call the veterinarian.

A list of the most common diseases of cows of this breed is offered for review:

1. Leukemia.

Affects the blood system. This is a chronic disease. Provokes an increase in the spleen, lymph nodes. The treatment is not effective. It is necessary to check the entire herd with regular regularity, removing weak animals.

2. Leptospirosis.

Infectious disease. Both young and adults are sick. Checking pastures and local water bodies is an excellent disease prevention. For treatment, you need a special vaccine in combination with an antibiotic.

3. Actinomycosis.

When wounds appear on the body, they must be treated without fail. Without treatment, this disease is provoked due to the fungus. A tumor appears, turning into a fistula. It is removed surgically. In the first stage, antibiotic treatment is possible.

4. Blockage of the esophagus.

Non-contagious disease. Occurs after a cow has been fed uncrushed food and roots. Symptoms: restlessness, swelling of the right side, salivation, cessation of gum. To remove the plug, pour in vegetable oil and press on the esophagus.

5. Retention of the placenta.

He should leave immediately after calving. If this does not happen after 6 hours, contact your veterinarian.

6. Brucellosis.

Causes miscarriages. Calves can be infected. Dangerous for humans and all representatives of large and small livestock. After the detection of this disease, both humans and animals must be tested.

7. Foot and mouth disease.

It affects animals and humans. The first days the symptoms do not appear, and then they are as follows:

• the formation of swollen bubbles with liquid on the body;
• temperature rise up to 42 degrees;
• profuse salivation;
• lameness due to hoof lesions;
• the formation of ulcers.

8. Smallpox.

Provokes a rash on the udder, fever. Milk becomes scanty and very thin, watery.

9. Tuberculosis.

The defeat occurs mainly in winter, without abundant walking. Incubation is 6 weeks. Infection is dangerous for both cows and humans through air, milk, mucus. Symptoms: fever, fever, fever, cough, shortness of breath.

10. Rabies.

Inappropriate behavior in relation to representatives of a kind and a person. Not subject to treatment. In case of strange behavior, you must try to close the animal, hide yourself, urgently call a veterinarian. The cow is disposed of by burning its remains.

11. Inflammation of the lungs.

It starts from dampness in the barn, cold floor. The temperature rises to 40 degrees, accompanied by cough, fever.

12. Mastitis.

Appears after calving due to certain drugs, after injury, shock, hypothermia. A gray secret is released from the nipples, the milk becomes watery, liquid. Treatment is carried out with antibiotics, additional herbal remedies. Rice starch is a good home remedy.