Native to Ayrshire in southwest Scotland, Ayrshire cattle are dairy breeds. Typically recognized by red and white markings, Ayrshire cows are known for longevity, easy calving, and strength.
Ayrshires are medium-sized cattle weigh over 1200lbs at maturity. These cows are highly popular for their versatility. Ayrshires are highly adaptable and can manage to cope with any management system. Among their physical characteristics, Ayrshires have
- Longhorns
- Stout physique
- Reddish-brown to mahogany skin color
- Rugged built, etc.
This article has explored all these characteristics extensively, giving you a whole idea about this breed. By the end of the article, you will get familiar with some of the essential attributes of Ayrshire cows that will help you recognize and work with them better.
However, to start with, we have listed some essential characteristics of Ayrshire cows that you can take a glance at.
| Color | A combination of white, brown, and cherry red |
| Built | Stout body; short & elongated head; well-developed muscle mass; short; stable and string limbs |
| Horns | Long upward built; curved; widely spaced any yellowish |
| Weight | 1000- 1200lbs |
| Length | Up to 155 cm |
| Growth | Up o 125 cm |
| Udder | Neat; large; wide; and with a silky texture |
| Milk production capacity | Around 8500 liters (average) |
How do you identify Ayrshire cattle?
Before you get familiar with Ayrshire cattle, you need to know how to recognize them. Every breed of cattle has some distinct, identifiable trait; all we need is to identify them.
In order to identify Ayshire cattle, you can consider the following identifying traits:
Coat color:
Ayrshire cattle tend to be mahogany in color with white patches. The shades, however, may vary from light to dark. Due to the red-mahogany coat color, Ayrshire cattle may sometimes get confused with Guernseys. However, Ayrshire cattle tend to be larger and darker coat color than Guernseys.
Size:
Ayrshire cows belong to the weighty category. A purebred mature Ayrshire would weigh over 1200lbs.
Markings:
Apart from the reddish-mahogany coat color, Ayrshire cattle are also recognized by their red and/ or white markings. The markings tend to be small and jagged and can be found scattered all over the body.
Horns:
There is something really unique about Ayrshire horns.
The horns in a matured Ayrshire tend to be as long as 1 foot and light in color, except for the black tint on the last several inches of the horn tips. However, during their younger age, Ayrshires are often de-horned because the horns are not practical.
Temperament:
You can easily recognize these cows if you minutely analyze their temperament. This breed is often dominating and is least attacked by other herd members.
Ayrshire cattle advantages
Ayrshire cows are mainly bred as dairy cattle. They are considered good grazers and are known for consistently producing milk.
However, the primary advantages of Ayshire cows include their longevity of production and ease of management. The majority of Ayrshire cows can be milked for over ten years – longer than any other significant breed.
Among other advantages, significant you can count the following:
- Effective forage conversion
- Maintain a good health
- Easy calving
- High adaptability
- Productive milk production
That being said, these cows tend to have strong udder formation, which is comprehensive, long, and capacity with a silky texture.
Ayrshire cattle disadvantages
Ayrshires were officially recognized as purebred in Scotland by 1812 and are mainly bred for good quality milk. Still, producers may face certain disadvantages with this breed.
Ayrshire cows tend to be very dominating and wear a strong temperament. As a result, they may seem challenging to manage by beginners. That said, it may not be the right breed for you if you are not well trained for cattle farming.
Among other disadvantages, one may include the following:
- Bull Ayrshires can be aggressive and willful
- Females may show stubbornness and fear in the milking process
- They are heat sensitivity (more if combined with high humidity)
- It is essential to maintain an active lifestyle for them
What Colour is Ayrshire cattle?
The coat color of Ayrshire cattle is a crucial recognizing trait. Their beautiful hairy coat with striking colors and markings makes them unique.
That being said, the coat color of Ayrshire cows can come with a combination of white, brown, and cherry red body colors. Therefore, the color of the body can vary greatly, but they are primarily known for their white and red color patterns.
As far as Ayrshire bulls are concerned, their coat color may display a shade of mahogany color do dark to resemble almost black. Additionally, the color marking in Ayrshires may vary from all red to all white.
Ayrshire cow weight
It is pretty safe to mark Ayrshire cattle as a large breed. They have a stout physique and are heavyweight.
That said, a matured Ayrshire cattle would weigh somewhere around 1200- 1300lbs or 450- 600 kgs. They are hardy cattle that can adjust to various management styles, including group treatment on dairy plants with accessible stalls and dairy parlors.
Ayrshire cow height
Ayrshire cows are native to Scotland, and they are known for being medium and heavy breeds.
A matured Ayrshire cow will stand somewhere between 50 to 53 inches tall.
Ayrshire cow size
Native to the County of Ayr in Scotland, Ayrshire cows have a medium built. However, they are known to be a tall and fleshy breed.
That said, Ayrshires grow in considerable size and are known for having a large frame. Their length can grow up to 155 cm (approx.), and height can go as up as 53 cm. Also, this breed is known to be strong and rugged and has the capacity to thrive in almost every type of management system.
Ayrshire cow milking capacity
One of the significant reasons behind breeding Ayrshire cows is high milk production. In high quantity, these cows also produce good quality milk.
As stated above, an Ayrshire cow can produce around 8500 liters on average. This yield in some countries exceeds 20000 liters per lactation. Daily, one can expect an Ayrshire cow to produce about 43lbs per day. Also, their milk contains only 4% fat and 8.8% nonfat solids.
Although Ayrshire cows produce the second-highest volume of milk, their milk is regarded to be the best for making cheese. In fact, Ayrshires remain in high demand because of their capability to convert grass into milk.
Here, it is interesting to note that the current world record of milk production is held by Lette Farms Betty’s Ida- an Ayrshire cow. She has a record of yielding 37,170lbs of milk and 1592lbs of fat in 305 days as a result of twice-daily milking.
Ayrshire cow calving
One of the typical characteristics of Ayrshire cattle is their calving capacity.
That being said, these cows are known to have problem-free calving. Ayrshire cows can calve for the first time in around 2 years. Additionally, a purebred Ayrshire cow would produce red and white-colored offspring. Another best thing about this breed is that calves almost always survive in most cases.
How long do Ayrshire cows live?
Cows, in general, can live up to 20 years outside the farm setting. This, however, tends to cut short to 4- 6 years in a commercial farm set-up.
Ayrshire cattle are a healthy breed. Ayrshires have demonstrated that they can remain good season after season, providing milk long after most breeds have perished out.
What do Ayrshire cows eat?
Ayrshire cows are popular for turning their feed into milk, which results in rich quality milk production. But what do they eat?
Well, Ayrshire cows eat grass and hay. Apart from this, these cows are also be given oats, barley, and corn grains. But if explicitly seen, Ayrshire cows are fed oat straw and turnips during their dry season, which changes to hay with boiled turnips and chaff after calving.
Many people cook the turnips and chaff together in the same pot for several hours before adding a little bean or pea flour. This provides a nourishing diet for the cows. This meal, in turn, aids Ayrshire in producing huge amounts of rich, flavorful milk.
Conclusion
The modern Ayrshire has certain distinct traits that, if grasped, are obvious to the viewers. Due to their longevity to their milk-yielding capability, Ayrshire cattle remain in high demand across global dairy farms.
That being said, here is a quick summary of the points that will help you recognize a good Ayrshire:
- Coat colors ranging from red, mahogany to dark brown
- The head should be short with a good muzzle size
- Short straight back with well-defined spine
- The milk vessels should be forward extending and capacious
- Body covered with wooly hair
These are some of the easily visible characteristics or features that producers must thoroughly understand to handle and breed Ayrshire cows.
