The breed was developed in the county of Ayrshire in South West Scotland, a county of rolling hills and predominantly cattle farms and almost nothing else. The breed has become famous as one of Britain’s foremost dairy breeds and is one of the more attractively marked of all cattle. The Ayrshires is said to be temperamental and certainly not docile.
The Ayrshire could have been descended from imported Dutch cattle and perhaps the English ‘Teeswater’ breed.
The Ayrshire Cattle Society herd book was founded in 1877.
| Origin: | Ayrshire, South West Scotland |
| Class: | Polled, Dairy |
| Colour: | Red of any shade, brown or white or a mixture of these. Each colour clearly defined. |
| Parentage: | Unknown |
| Breed Club: | |
Ayrshire Cattle Society | |
