What colors do the Highlands come in?
Are Highlands purebred or are they a cross breed?
Where do they originate?
Why do you raise them?
Are they mean?
Are they all bulls?

What colors to Highlands come in?

There are many variations in color of the Highlands.  The colors below are the ones recognized by the American Highland Cattle Association (AHCA):

Red     
Dun (Grayish or mouse colored) 
Brindle (Red and black)  
Silver (White hair with black skin underneath)    
White (White hair with pink skin underneath)    
Black
Yellow

A good friend of mine always said if you choose your cattle by the color you might as well stay in the truck.

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Are Highlands pure bred or are they a cross breed?

Highlands are the oldest registered breed of cattle with the first herd book being established in 1884.  Their adaptability to severe changes in weather insured their longevity.

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Where did they originate?

This question always makes me wonder about some people.  The name Scotch Highland Cattle should explain where they come from but to be exact, the Highland breed has lived for centuries in the rugged remote Scottish Highlands.  The extremely harsh conditions created a process of natural selection, where only the fittest and most adaptable animals survived to carry on the breed.   Originally, there were two distinct classes:  the slightly smaller and usually black Kyole, whose primary domain was the islands off the west coast of northern Scotland; the other a larger animal generally reddish in color, whose territory was the remote Highlands of Scotland.  Today, both of these strains are regarded as one breed-The Highland.

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Why do you raise them?

Sometimes when a momma is over protective with her calf I ask myself this same question.  Highlands are exceptionally beautiful.  A herd in green pastures stops traffic.  Compared to other cattle there are several reasons Highlands are a cut above the rest.  Highlands require little in the way of shelter, feed supplements, or expensive grains to achieve and maintain good condition and fitness.   In fact, Highland cattle seem to enjoy conditions in which many other breeds would perish.  Cold weather and snow have little effect on them.  Less than ideal pasture or range land is another reason to consider the Highland breed.  It has been said that the Highland will eat what other cattle pass by, and get fat on it!  The Highland is also an excellent browser, able to clear a lot of brush with speed and efficiency.  The Highland is a disease resistant breed, and they do not stress easily.  Other bovine diseases affect the Highland less also, due to the genetic advantages they have achieved. 

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Are they mean?

Despite long hair and unusual appearance, the Highland is considered an even-tempered animal - bulls as well as cows.   They can also be halter trained as easily as any other breed, even more so be cause of the Highlands superior intelligence.  As with any other animal there are good and bad temperaments.  I've come to the conclusion, it has  a lot to do with the way they are raised and handled.  A bad tempered animal will not be allowed to stay on our ranch. 
      Highlands definitely have a "pecking" order.   You as the rancher battle to be on top of that order at all times.  They will respect you for that, you most assuredly will want that respect.

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Are they all bulls?

All Highlands have horns both the bulls and the cows.  You can usually tell how old a growing calf is by the length of their horns.  Bulls horns normally grow outward and curve down and around.  Cows horns grow outward then curve up or back.  Below is a picture of a bull on the left and a cow on the right.  Do you notice the difference in the horns?

We Tired Acres ~ Ken & Joan Rose ~ 22789 Kettle Road  Wilton,  Wisconsin ~e-mail .... phone   (608)435-6405...fax (608) 435-6407