Various

“ The breeders of the improved Devons adhere scrupulously to the deep red color of the hair, and reject individuals that have a tendency to produce white. And it seems that in this way, if no other, the color of the Devons has been established and perpetuated. The deep red color of the pure bred Devon is implanted so strongly, that there is no race in which an admixture of foreign blood is so easily traced; nor is there a race that has remained so free from foreign intermixture. Their color is generally stamped on the progeny, in a cross with any other breed. [3] ”

“ In Scotland, the calves of the Ayrshire breed, that are not wanted for keeping up the breeding or dairy stock, are either fattened for veal, or turned for beef at an early age. The larger portion, perhaps, of the males are killed for veal. In fact, in some districts, veal is an article of considerable importance, and the ability of Ayrshire cows to make fat calves is considered one of the excellencies of the breed. ”

“ Many breeders, who have taken the utmost pains, and have been at great expense to keep their herds pure, have not been careful to keep accurate records of the pedigrees of their stock, feeling that as long as they themselves were satisfied, their assurances would be sufficient to convince purchasers. This course answered when there were but few cattle of this breed in the country, and the necessity of an organized effort to preserve the purity of the blood had not been recognized ”

“ Youatt made this remark, and in this time the breed has been still further improved in reference to general usefulness. I have been assured by some of the most experienced breeders in Scotland, that while nothing has been lost on the score of dairy properties, considerable has been gained in hardiness and thrift, and in the faculty of giving a greater return, both in milk and flesh, for the food consumed. Of course it is the return obtained in proportion to the food eaten, that constitutes the true criterion of value in all animals. ”

“ Bloomfield, the manager of the late Earl of Leicester's estate, at Holkam Hall, Norfolk, England, has, by careful attention, greatly improved the size and quality of the Devons, and increased their milking properties, so that he obtained a prize for having produced an average annual yield of 200 pounds of butter per cow, in a dairy of twenty cows, or equal to four pounds per week the year round; and he offered to milk forty pure Devons from his own herd against an equal number of cows in any one herd of any breed found in England, without finding a competitor. ”

“ It has been the design of the Committee on Devon pedigrees to perfect a Devon Herd Book that would meet the wants of all American Breeders of Devon cattle. To accomplish this they have been untiring in their labors, sparing no pains to thoroughly investigate each pedigree; and have decided upon each, according to the facts received from the testimony given. While some have been rejected, others have been deferred [8] till more light can be given to prove their purity of blood, which may be done in season for the second volume. ”

“ On this point we are without any evidence from abroad, as oxen are not worked in Scotland. The results of the few trials that have been made with full-bloods, have been highly favorable in reference to the qualities of the breed for this purpose. Judging by their points, there is no reason why Ayrshire oxen should not be equal to any others, of their size, for any kind of labor. They have clean, firm legs, well-placed muscles, and are remarkably quick walkers.
The advantages of a Registry, or Herd Book, for this breed of cattle, are too obvious to require argument. ”

“ At the same time the fact has not been overlooked, that to breed and perpetuate a profitable dairy stock, regard must be had to hardiness and strength of constitution, and also to such fattening tendencies as will insure a profitable return from calves fattened for veal, from steers reared for beef, and for cows, which having served their turn in the dairy, are at last dried of their milk and prepared for the shambles. ”

“ Points which are characteristic, and therefore common to the breed, though very valuable in themselves, are marked comparatively low, because they are easily obtained, and demand but little attention on the part of the breeder; nevertheless an animal not possessing the characteristics of the breed, must of necessity be almost worthless. On the other hand, points of less value, which are characteristic deficiencies in the breed, or at any rate difficult to sustain at their maximum excellence, are marked numerically high, as they go far to complete the natural excellence of the animal. ”

“ Youatt (1835) says, "A century ago there was no such breed in Ayrshire or in Scotland;" and he asks, "Did the [present] Ayrshire cattle arise entirely from a careful selection of the native breed?" adding, "If they did it is a circumstance unparalleled in the history of agriculture. The native breed may be ameliorated by careful selection; its value may be incalculably increased; some good qualities may for the first time be developed; but yet there will be some resemblance to the original stock." ”

“ An accurate record of the pedigrees of animals, together with a record of such premiums as they may have taken, cannot fail to afford a guide, to some extent, in breeding with reference to special objects—the principle, that "Like begets Like," being admitted as a general law. The subject of publishing a Herd Book for Ayrshires, in Scotland, has been agitated on several occasions, but, down to the present time, no direct action has been taken on it. ”

“ The quality of the Devon beef is unsurpassed, even rivalling the little black West Highland ox, in the estimation of the London west-end butcher, whose fastidious customers oblige him to kill none but beef of the finest quality and flavor. ”

“ Thus Haxton observes, "For all medium soils and climates throughout the United Kingdom, there is no breed equal to the Ayrshire, for profit, whether the produce is converted into cheese, butter, or veal." ”

“ It must be admitted that the Short Horns present themselves to notice under circumstances of peculiar interest; possessing in themselves a combination of desirable qualities, and rendered attractive to the eye by their splendid frames, and beautiful varied colors, it is not surprising they have become objects of public interest. Great temptation is laid before a class of men to manufacture pure bloods to suit their purposes, being able to afford them at a much less price than a genuine article. ”

“ The desire to obtain as large a representation of stock as possible, and to extend the advantages of the Association as widely among breeders as they could, has induced the committees on the various classes of stock to hold open their books, and the delays incident upon tracing doubtful pedigrees, through in many instances a long correspondence with owners and breeders, have prevented them from furnishing the copy to the Publication Committee in season to have the work finished sooner. Every care has been taken to have the records perfect, and to admit no pedigrees of doubtful character. ”

“ In the New York market the "red oxen of Connecticut" most generally bring the highest price, they being Devon Grades. The Devons have the preference of all other breeds for the yoke, being strong, active, and of great endurance; and are remarkable for docility and good temper.
The cattle in many sections of New England resemble the Devons in many respects, and the fact that most of the early settlers were from the south of England, renders it quite probable that they selected their cattle from that region. ”

“ Professor Low, in his "Illustrations of British Quadrupeds," says, "From all the evidence which, in the absence of authentic documents, the case admits of, the dairy breed of Ayrshire cows, owes the characters which distinguish it from the older race, to a mixture of the blood of the races of the continent and of the dairy breed of Alderney." ”

“ The pure, improved Short Horn, having become an established variety of Neat Stock for useful and farm purposes throughout the Northern and Western States, and proved themselves to be all that can reasonably be expected of them when established on soil productive of an abundance of grass, it is desirable to preserve their blood as pure as possible, and the animals herein inserted have had their pedigrees examined and approved by the Committee appointed for that purpose. ”

“ Great facilities are within the reach of all at the present day, who desire to become acquainted with their history and their great performance at the shambles, and for the dairy, and general usefulness as farm stock.
The beef producers, and beef dealers uniformly acknowledge their great superiority over common stock. In the month of November, 1817, the improved Durham Short Horn Bull, Young Denton, (963) then sixteen months old, arrived in Boston, sent out from England by Samuel Williams, of London, a present to his brother Stephen Williams, of Northboro', Worcester Co., Mass. ”

“ The improvement of these ancient races of cattle, which has resulted in the present perfected breed, was commenced about one hundred and fifty years ago. John Tanner Davy, of Rose Ash, England, the Editor of the English Devon Herd Book, inherited the herd of his father, who had carefully bred the Devons for fifty years. ”

“ A portion of the males are castrated and fattened when about three to three and half years old. Scotch farmers, who are in the practice of fattening stock of various breeds, assured me that Ayrshire steers of this age fattened to as much profit as any, reaching the weight of 700 to 800 pounds the four quarters, and afforded beef excelled in quality only by the Galloways and the West-Highlanders. ”

“ At present the Ayrshire cattle have not been tried in America to a great extent. There have been various importations, mostly made within the last twenty years, and so far as there have been such trials as would justify a conclusion in regard to their merits, they have answered all reasonable expectations. The leading object in keeping them here is the same as it is in Scotland—the dairy—but their ability to fatten readily and make beef of good quality, should be taken into consideration [9] in estimating their value. ”

“ C. S. Wainwright, of Rhinebeck, N. Y., commenced importing and breeding his herd; his first importation was the bull Megunticook (251) , and the cows Nonpareil (924) , and Helena (774) ; Helena gave as high as twenty-two quarts of milk per day, and made fifteen pounds of butter per week. In 1851 he imported May Boy (71) , whose granddam, Old May Flower, made over seventeen pounds of butter per week. In 1853, Mr. George Vail, of Troy, N. Y., imported one bull and two heifers from the herds of Mr. Davy and the Earl of Leicester. ”

“ In regard to the latter property, but few trials have as yet been made here. Most of the males have been kept for bulls, and the females have seldom been fattened till too far advanced in years to breed. It may be worthy of consideration, whether it would not be an object to give some good steers of the breed a fair chance to show what they could make in beef at three to four years old. ”

“ Sire, an Ayrshire Bull, bred by Robert Gray, Fredericton, N. B., 2d Sire, Duncan, out of an Ayrshire Cow, imported by Robert Gray, 3d Sire, Jock the Laird 4th, out of Helen, imported by Robert Gray, 4th Sire, Jock the Laird 3d, bred and imported by Robert Gray, Dam, Bessie, by Duncan, 2d Dam, Jean, 94. ”

“ Sire, Ayrshire Bull, bred by William S. Lincoln, Worcester, Mass., 2d Sire, McGregor, imported by the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for the Promotion of Agriculture, Dam, Young Jenny Deans, by Prince Albert, imported by the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for the Promotion of Agriculture, 2d Dam, Jenny Deans, imported by the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for the Promotion of Agriculture, 1844. ”

“ Rose 2d, a thorough bred Cow, produced seventeen pounds four ounces of butter from one week's milk in June, on grass only.
Longevity.
Princess, a thorough bred Cow, bred regularly up to eighteen years old; was then dried off and turned to grass for beef, and slaughtered in the fall without stall-feeding, and made merchantable beef.
Arabella, a thorough-bred Cow, bred regularly up to seventeen years old, and died in 1861, at eighteen years old.
Lilac 4th, a thorough-bred Cow, bred regularly up to nineteen years old, and died in 1861. [5]
Scale of Points for Short Horn Bulls. ”

“ Richard Merson, James and John Quartly who also inherited the herds of their fathers, and continued their well begun improvement. Mr. George Turner, of Barton, whose herd was made up from the other breeders, Mr. Samuel Farthing, of Somerset, Mr. John Halse, of Moland, Mr. Wm. Hole, of Somerset, Mr. T. B. Morle, of Cummington, Mr. George Shapland, of Oakford, and Mr. John Ayre Thomas, of Rose Ash, Devon, with many others have caught the spirit of improvement, and continued to progress towards perfection. [4]
Qualities. ”

“ Sire Megunticook (251) ; 2d sire Prince Albert (102) ; 3d sire Hundred Guinea (56) .
Dam Lily, bred by R. H. Van Rensselaer, by Bright Eyes bred by Samuel C. Gilbert, Butternuts, N. Y., whose sire was Baltimore, bred by Mr. Patterson, Maryland, and owned by H. N. Washbon, Morris, N. Y., and whose dam was bred by Mr. Titus, Truxton, direct from a cow and bull imported by the late John Couland, Truxton, Cortland County, N. Y.; 2d dam Leonora (1371) by Sweepstakes imported in the cow by Francis Rotch, Morris, Otsego County, N. Y. ”

“ COWS.
1 Active,
Calved March 15th, 1862; bred by and the property of L. G. Collins, Linden, Montgomery County, Ind.
Sire Red Jacket 98; 2d sire Priam 87; 3d sire Sultan (122) .
Dam Sprightly 311 by Herod (214) ; 2d dam by Eclipse (191) ; 3d dam by Anchises (140) ; 4th dam imported by George Patterson, of Springfield, Carroll County, Md., from the herd of Mr. Coke, England, then the Earl of Leicester.
2 Adeline,
Calved April 1st, 1852; bred by and the property of Horace Capron, Robins Nest, Peoria County, Ills.
Sire imported Eclipse (191) .
Dam Ella (1246) by Herod (214) ”