A coat of woolly haircloth , a monumental soundbox and sweeping horns , all in a package designed to defy glacial temperature , low - character forage and a host of marauder . Although this may vocalise like a description of the extinct woolly mammoth , it ’s really a Scripture picture of an ancient cows breed known as the Scottish Highland .
The Scottish Highland is one of the oldest breeds of cattle in the world . Going as far back in time as the sixth one C , some historian consider the ancestors of today ’s Scottish Highland may have come to Scotch shore from Scandinavia with the Vikings .
However the breed originate , the Scottish Highland obtained many of its characteristics in the Highlands and west coastal island of Scotland . give away to North Atlantic gales and a very severe winter mood , the Scottish Highland evolve to be a problematic , ego - sufficient breed . Many of today ’s Highland breeders take to the theory that the Scottish Highland resulted from the crossing of two ancient Asian breeds of cattle called the Bos Longifronsm and the Bos Primigenius . From the Bos Longifronsm the Highland got its long horns , and from the Bos Primigenius , its profuse coat .
Scotch breeders of the subsequent centuries recognized these priceless traits in their Bos taurus , and go to preserve them . Crofters , small farmers who go in the Scotch gamy state , relied on the Scottish Highland for survival . The breed ’s milk , core and hair were a source of keep for these farmers , and the calf were a treasure swop good within Scotland and in England .
Although most of today ’s Scottish Highland cattle are ruby or yellow in coloration , most of the honest-to-god - time Highland cattle were grim . shout Kyloes , these kine were found mostly on the island and were on the smaller side . West Highlands , on the other script , were larger and lived on the mainland . Their carmine pelage predominate in modern example of the breed .
In 1884 , the Scottish Highland Cattle Society was formed in the United Kingdom to aid preserve the purity of the Scottish Highland breed . Since that time , strain associations have been formed for the Scottish Highland in the United States , Canada , Sweden , Denmark , Germany , Australia and New Zealand .
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The Scottish Highland made its way to American shore in 1893 , when the breed was first import by a cowpoke in New York . The American Scotch Highland Breeders ’ Association — afterwards called the American Highland Cattle Association — was form nearly 50 yr later . The stock had already developed a toehold in North America by the meter the registry was formed to preserve and kick upstairs the strain in the United States .
Highland Cattle Characteristics
mass who own and multiply Highland oxen are passionate about the strain . According to those who love these animals , this is no average breed of cattle . Rather , Highland cows are hearty and striking await animals , with a coat of pilus that lend an alien and almost prehistoric look to them .
Suzanne Clothier - Rice , who co - have Hawks Hunt Highlands in St. Johnsville , N.Y. , with her hubby John Rice , became affect with Highland cattle five years ago , in part because of the breed ’s appearing .
“ I first fit some Highlands while jaunt in Scotland back in the former 1980s , and it was love at first sight , ” say Clothier - Rice . “ It ’s impossible to encounter these cattle and not be smitten with their striking aspect . Their shaggy-haired coats , vast and graceful wholesale horn , and their brawny body all unite with their unblinking gaze of intense curio to produce a photograph not well forget . When I account that we ’ve get Highlands , masses who ca n’t recall a Holstein from a Hereford invariably say , ‘ Oh , those are the shaggy I with the full-grown cornet , right ? ’ ”
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The Scottish Highland strain monetary standard , which describes the Highland in great detail , notes that the ideal Scottish Highland has a straight topline from the shoulders to the tail head teacher , and has hindquarters that appear mystifying and square from the rear . The cattle ’s straight , tough leg and with child , well - dress hooves round out the general appearance of the strain .
The forefront of the Scottish Highland is spacious between the optic , and forgetful from the heart to the muzzle . The breed sports a “ dossan , ” the name for the broad , thick-skulled door latch of hair between the horns that give to the muzzle .
The stock ’s saddle horn are among its most typical characteristic , and vary between Samson and cattle . While bulls ’ horn extend in a storey positioning from the principal , slew slightly ahead and downward , cow ’ horn extend horizontally and have a womanly , graceful and proportionate appearance .
Björn Olsson/Flickr
The Scottish Highland coat is another unusual aspect of the breed . More profuse in Highlands kept in colder climates , the hair consists of a flaccid fluffy underseal protected by a prospicient , substantial , forbidden coat that can reach 14 inches in distance . Both of these coats shed during ardent weather , and come in black , brindle ( red with black streaks , black with cherry-red streaks , or yellow with dun streaks ) , weak flushed to dark-skinned red , yellow , dun , silver dun and white . The most commonly seen color in the breed are ruby and yellow .
The breed ’s vivid appearance is set off by its quiet and charming temperament . “ For us , temperament is decisive , ” tell Clothier - Rice . “ We last very intimately with all our animals , have it off each by name , and prefer to solve on a very handwriting - on fundament . Nasty , flighty or aggressive animate being confine no appeal for us , and even our beef steers are pleasant to run around . The Highland crap is also reckon a comparatively soft animal — no belittled thoughtfulness when you imagine about the size , baron and speed of any bull . ”
While Highland kine have many virtues , they also pop the question challenges in some regard . “ They are chic . Way too smart . Uncanny smart , ” tell Clothier - Rice . “ And staggeringly athletic . The combination of great intelligence operation , course intense rarity , awareness of detail , and acrobatic ability means that it ’s not only not well-fixed to put on a Highland , but they are up to of simply leaving a troublesome position by vault over the dear fencing . This abase us and remind us that they do what we postulate them to do and stay where we ask them to last out not because we have removed all other options — they do so because they feel like doing so . The moment cooperating no longer constitute sensory faculty to them , they can and do take advantage of option they ’ve had all along ! ”
Highland Beef
Although many treasure Scottish Highland cattle for their alone visual aspect and docile personality , most breeders also measure these kine for their fine sum . Described as lean and well - marbled , and null of the layer of fat most often check in cold atmospheric condition cows , Highland beef command a goodly cost at market .
According to testing carry on by the National College for Food , Land and Environmental Studies , a European governing body , Highland boeuf has scurvy levels of adipose tissue and cholesterol and a higher protein and branding iron content than other beef , which is one of its appeals .
“ The beef cattle is wonderful , with splendid spirit but also thin , ” says Clothier - Rice . “ We ’ve start out so spoiled by the Highland beef that we rarely eat beef dishes anywhere but at menage . There is something fundamental about knowing your intellectual nourishment , sleep with its name and being able-bodied to put a face on the steak . For some folks , I suppose such closeness would be troubling . For us , it allow us to eat with pacification , knowing how that confidential information ’s life sentence was from the Clarence Day he was stand to the day he died , know that quiet , easy days free from emphasis or fear was what he knew day after twenty-four hour period , and that probably the most business he ever experienced — short of the last moments — was being dewormed or vaccinated or separated briefly from the herd . It ’s our mess with the cows : We will treat you with dear and respect , and we will honor your organic structure with cognisant , respectful economic consumption after your soul has stopped dwell it . We do not take these animals or their meat for give — and we are thankful beyond word for the Highlands in any form . ”
Getting Started
For entrant to raising farm animal , and cattle in particular , Highlands are a secure choice in a first breed . Not only are they loose to deal and care for , but in many function of North America , they are readily uncommitted .
“ We all have to start somewhere , ” say Clothier - Rice . “ When consider with bouncy creatures , it ’s best to start with small numbers so that you’re able to learn as you go without being overwhelmed or place many brute at peril because of inevitable mistakes . ”
For the complete cattle novice , it ’s importance to win oxen with fantabulous temperament , that are healthy , and can be easy handled , meaning they have been trained to halter , lead and affiliation .
“ cause a genial , cooperative animal that knows the ropes can hold a novitiate a recollective , long way , ” say Clothier - Rice . “ I ’d also suggest buy evidence and possibly much older cattle that , though a bit past their prime , can still produce calves for you — they bed the roofy , they know what they are doing , and you could acquire from and with them . ”
If you are a novice but have longanimity to part with , you’re able to go your fold with weanlings . In this fount , you will need the help of an experienced cattle manager to help you learn the calves how to precede and tie , since this necessitate cognition and practice .
“ Getting take with Highlands is not terribly hard if you either live near skillful breeders or are willing to travel , ” says Clothier - Rice . “ As with click or knight or any livestock or creature , there is a considerable range in the calibre of the animals uncommitted . Sadly , paying a lot is not a guarantee of tone , nor does a humbled monetary value mean that the animal is pitiful character . Take time to denounce around , know exactly what form of Highland you want to spawn and which pedigree will facilitate you achieve that . If you want a more innovative , leggy eccentric of animal who is terribly ‘ growthy , ’ some bloodlines will help you achieve that . If you want a more classic , Scotch - eccentric animal , choose carefully from breeders who also have that as a finish . ”
Clothier - Rice recommend visiting a lot of farm to get an overview of the cattle available to you . “ jaw farm is not hard to do , since Highland folks seem to have sex nothing better than a chance to talk about their oxen , and normally are quite welcoming to visitant , ” she say .
“ We ’ve memorise a slew while lean on a gate , watching Bos taurus , ask doubtfulness and just take heed . rifle to show is also a dependable way to develop your eye for what you want , watch the cows under some interesting circumstance , talk to a mint of ethnic music , and feel what ’s uncommitted . ”
When consider a stock breeder to grease one’s palms from , it ’s important to make certain you and the breeder are both emphasise the same qualities in Highland cows . “ Be sure what you want in the agency of temperament is what also matters to that breeder , ” mark Clothier - Rice . “ Some breeders consider cattle friendly if they do n’t run away when they see people , for representative . We want a cow that will voluntarily approach and look for out human company with interest . ”
It ’s important to remember that it can take quite a while to make money breeding Highland oxen , and some breeders never turn a profit , only making enough money to give away - even . “ Many founder get involved with Highlands so as to make a lot of money , ” says Clothier - Rice . “ While well - bred kine can sell for a fair amount — often far more than they would be worth as beef — there ’s also a reputation that goes along with the power to command such monetary value for cattle . There ’s a jape that distribute among Highland folk : How do you make a small hazard in Highlands ? Start with a tumid luck . ”
Scottish Tradition
Although Scottish Highland cattle are becoming very pop in the United States , Canada and various portion of Europe , the custom of multiply these cattle is still of import in their ancestral home of Scotland .
“ I have always been call for with Highland cattle , as my father and grandfather have been before me , ” aver Tom Woodneuk , owner of Woodneuk Fold , a kinsfolk - guide farm in the Cicily Isabel Fairfield of Scotland , 10 miles from Glasgow . “ Both my founding father and granddad were President of the United Kingdom Highland Cattle Society , and at present I am a member of the Highland Cattle Council . ”
Woodneuk currently has 110 Highland cows in calf and , including young female person , calves , bulls and steer , has 330 cattle in amount . “ We endeavor to breed lineament cattle either for sale to other stock breeder or to go into the food chain , ” say Woodneuk , whose readiness is open to the public for visit .
“ There are a number of botcher here who sell only Highland cows beef cattle . We also deal some in Deepfreeze packs from our farm . ”
Michael Gibson , a former accountant whose Edinvale Farm is located in Speyside , Scotland , keeps a totality of 600 cattle—80 of which are Highland — on 1,000 acres . Gibson sells many of his kine for slaughter , as well as providing bloodline Highland cattle to other breeder . “ In 1972 , I buy my first two Highland cows in Oban , ” he tell . “ I like their daring and the fact that they did not require expensive building . ”
Gibson ascertain that even in Scotland , the challenges of call forth Highland Bos taurus have more to with political economy than in reality dealing with the day - to - 24-hour interval tasks of caring for farm animal . “ prepare a profit is a challenge , ” he suppose . “ They are great fun and you may make money , but you have to be naturalistic about the quality of your stock . Remember that caliber bear : fat and flowing is upright ; skinny and filthy is not . ”
This clause first appeared in the February / March 2003 subject ofHobby Farmsmagazine .
