Pedigree Dairy Breeds : Ayrshire

History The Ayrshire breed originated in the County of Ayr in Scotland, prior to 1800 and was regarded as an established breed by 1812. During its development, it was referred to first as the Dunlop, then the Cunningham, and finally, the Ayrshire. How the different strains of cattle were crossed to form the breed known as Ayrshire is not exactly known. There is good evidence that several breeds were crossed with native cattle to create the foundation animals of the breed. In Agriculture, Ancient and Modern, published in 1866, Samual Copland describes the native cattle of the region as "diminutive in size, ill-fed, and bad milkers." Prior...

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Pedigree Dairy Breeds : Dutch Belted

History The Dutch Belted (Lakenvelder) breed traces directly to the original belted cattle which were described in Switzerland and Austria. The breed was then established in the Netherlands in the 17th century. From the records obtainable, it seems they were bred by the nobility who conceived the idea of breeding animals of all kinds to a particular colour, mainly with a band of white in the center and both ends black.  The Dutch were very protective of their belted cattle and would generally not part with them. They were highly prized for their milking and fattening abilities. The breed began to flourish in Holland around 1750. (This...

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