It is a wonderful privilege to get up at five on a cold winter’s morning and go down to the dairy shed. One continues to marvel at this factory, the dairy cow, faithfully doing her duty every day, regardless of time, day or climate. Nothing is more rewarding for the dairy farmer than a first lactation heifer improving on her mother’s production, or when the dairy average improves every year, or when the top producers reach greater heights every year. If these facts make sense to you, then you are without doubt a dairy farmer; but if, to top it all, you find none of the above tiresome or a sacrifice, you are truly an Ayrshire farmer.

If indeed you are an Ayrshire farmer, I believe that you have proved to yourself that this excellent breed is the best and that your confidence is strong enough to convince other dairy farmers. It is, nonetheless, treading on thin ice to say that any breed or cow is the best. Some are larger, others smaller; some produce more milk, others less; some have a higher butterfat and protein yield than others and some have a longer lifespan and produce more calves than others. But you do, indeed have the best cow and can rightfully make this claim if you can further improve her. Through knowledge, enthusiasm and purposeful breeding this target is within our reach. We are all aware of the Ayrshire’s excellent characteristics – such as her good udder, longevity, calving ease, adaptability, quality milk and profitability – and with these facts we can convince everybody that Ayrshire is the best.