The national dairy herd interim census; 1960.

  • Milk Marketing Board
Date:
1961
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The national dairy herd interim census; 1960. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Western, Eastern and East Midland region and accounts for 42 per cent of the country’s milk supplies. It includes counties like Cheshire and Lancashire, the most intensive dairying area in the country, and also at the other extreme Lincolnshire, where dairying is of secondary importance. The Friesian is by far the most important breed in every county in this area, but the degree to which it exceeds other breeds in importance varies, for example, from 75 per cent in Norfolk and Suffolk to an almost equal share in importance with Ayrshires in Cumberland and Bedfordshire and with Shorthorn in Westmorland and the North Riding of Yorkshire. The contrast within the area is exemplified by the county of Westmorland on the one hand and Suffolk on the other :— Westmorland Suffolk Breed No. ws No. wi Ayrshire ... cz 4,900 13.4 2,000 5.0 Friesian ... oo; 16,000 43.8 30,100 75.9 Shorthorn ae 14,000 38.6 700 1.9 Other Breeds ee 1,500 4.2 6,900 72 Total a2 | 36,400 100.0 39,700 100.0 In Suffolk the Shorthorn breed has almost disappeared, whereas in Westmorland it still accounts for two-fifths of the cattle. 2. THE WEST. This comprises the two Welsh Regions together with the West Midland region and accounts for 21 per cent of the total milk supplies. In this area the Friesian attains the highest overall importance and reaches 81 per cent of total cattle in Montgomeryshire and 68 per cent in the whole of South Wales. Apart from the mountain area of North West Wales where the local breed (Welsh Black) continues to be important, and in Shropshire and Flintshire where the Ayrshire breed makes an important contribution, the Friesian is the only important breed in the area. The Channel Island breeds, as in the first area, are of very little im- portance, except in Gloucestershire. The Shorthorn is found in all counties and still retains rather more than average importance in South Wales. 3. SOUTH. This comprises the Southern, Mid-Western, Far-Western and South-Eastern regions and accounts for 37 per cent of total milk supplies. A much more even distribution among the breeds occurs in this area and this is attributed to the incidence of Channel Island breeds, to the Short- horn breed in the Mid-Western and Far-Western regions, and to a lesser extent to the strength of local breeds (Devon and South Devon in the Far West). In three counties the Friesian is second to other breeds—to Ayr- shire in Kent, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and to Guernsey in Cornwall. This relatively even distribution between the breeds is found in all counties in this area except Essex, but geographically this latter county has much more in common with East Anglia than with the South.
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