Conservation status | |
---|---|
Other names | Suomen Ayrshire |
Country of origin | Finland |
Use | milk |
Traits | |
Weight | |
Height | |
Coat | multi-coloured red and white |
|
The Finnish Ayrshire is a Finnish breed of dairy cattle. It derives from Scottish Ayrshire stock imported to Finland between about 1847 and 1923.[1]: 118 It is the most numerous dairy breed of the country, constituting approximately 61% of the dairy herd.[1]: 176
A breed society, the Afvelsföreningen för Ayrshire-boskap i Finland, was formed in 1901; a herd-book was started in the same year.[3][2]
In the 1960s and 1970s Finnish Ayrshire semen was used to improve the dairy capabilities of the Ayrshire in the United Kingdom.[4]: 61
Its conservation status was given as "not at risk" by the FAO in 2007 and by DAD-IS in 2021.[5]: 40 [2]
The cattle are multi-coloured red and white.[2]
The cattle are reared for their milk. The average milk yield per lactation is 8571 kg, with 4.28% fat.[1]: 176