Our Highlands
We chose to raise Highlands for many reasons. First and foremost they are cute! Just kidding. . . . although we do love their sweet fuzzy faces, we were very committed to raising Heritage Livestock Breeds on our farm. After doing lots of research their friendly and calm disposition, easy calving, longevity, and superior meat quality finishing on grass only were the main reasons we decided to invest in this grand old breed.
Highland cattle have many other interesting characteristics that traditional breeds do not. Below are some fun facts that we love about our Highlands and are more reasons why we choose to raise them on our farm!
WHY Highlands?
They have long and distinctive horns, which actually help them forage for food during during snowy winters. They can use their horns as a way to dig deep into pastures that have been covered with snow. They are also great for scratching!
Despite the large horns, they have such a good social hierarchy and understanding of their own place within it, that fights rarely happen. Many people also don't know that both the male and female highlands have horns.
HORNS:
The Highland cow is renowned for its friendly nature, often approaching people to demand attention. They are very even-tempered and can be halter trained as easily as any other breed. Highlands are quite intelligent, docile, and cooperative.
DISPOSITION:
They are wonderful mothers and have great longevity! This reduces herd replacement costs, since they're known to live for about 20 years. This is a considerably longer lifespan than other beef breeds. The average number of calves per cow is 12, and some cows can still calve into their eighteenth year!
LONGEVITY:
QUICK FACTS
Scottish Highland cattle originated in the Highlands and Outer Hebrides islands of Scotland and records also show that Highlands are actually the oldest registered breed in the world, mostly due to the fact that their herd book predates all others.
Highlands are medium in size, with cows weighing 900 to 1,300 pounds and bulls 1,500 to 2,000 pounds. They have long, shaggy coats that most commonly light red, but many other solid colors are also seen, including black, brindle, cream, dun, red and white. The horns of the Highland cows sweep out and up, while those of the bulls are horizontal with upturned tips.
Although groups of cattle are generally called 'herds', a group of Highlands is known as a 'fold'.
In 2019, Highland cattle became numerous enough to graduate from the Livestock Conservancy’s Conservation Priority List. In numbers, this means that there are more than 1,000 annual registrations in the United States and more than 25,000 animals globally.
Scottish Highland cattle originated in the Highlands and Outer Hebrides islands of Scotland and records also show that Highlands are actually the oldest registered breed in the world, mostly due to the fact that their herd book predates all others.
Highlands are medium in size, with cows weighing 900 to 1,300 pounds and bulls 1,500 to 2,000 pounds. They have long, shaggy coats that most commonly light red, but many other solid colors are also seen, including black, brindle, cream, dun, red and white. The horns of the Highland cows sweep out and up, while those of the bulls are horizontal with upturned tips.
Although groups of cattle are generally called 'herds', a group of Highlands is known as a 'fold'.
In 2019, Highland cattle became numerous enough to graduate from the Livestock Conservancy’s Conservation Priority List. In numbers, this means that there are more than 1,000 annual registrations in the United States and more than 25,000 animals globally.
MORE HIGHLAND FACTS!
Read More...
Thank you for your interest in our Scottish Highland Cattle! We get lots of calls and emails with questions about our cows and our farm. We have attempted to answer the ones we get most often and hope this will serve as a resource to those interested in our Scottish Highland Cattle. If you have questions that we do not answer here do not hesitate to contact us using the form on our contact page.
INFORMATION
Read More...
Thank you for your interest in our Scottish Highland Cattle! We get lots of calls and emails with questions about our cows and our farm. We have attempted to answer the ones we get most often and hope this will serve as a resource to those interested in our Scottish Highland Cattle. If you have questions that we do not answer here do not hesitate to contact us using the form on our contact page.
INFORMATION
Read More...
Thank you for your interest in our Scottish Highland Cattle! We get lots of calls and emails with questions about our cows and our farm. We have attempted to answer the ones we get most often and hope this will serve as a resource to those interested in our Scottish Highland Cattle. If you have questions that we do not answer here do not hesitate to contact us using the form on our contact page.
INFORMATION
Read More...
Thank you for your interest in our Scottish Highland Cattle! We get lots of calls and emails with questions about our cows and our farm. We have attempted to answer the ones we get most often and hope this will serve as a resource to those interested in our Scottish Highland Cattle. If you have questions that we do not answer here do not hesitate to contact us using the form on our contact page.
INFORMATION
Want added to our waitlist?
Have additional questions?
We will interview all buyers to make sure our cattle are a good match for you and your family. We want to ensure that when they leave our farm they are going to a loving environment. We will want to know what your goals are. Are you wanting to breed them, raise them for beef, or just want to have a Highland as a pet? Below are a few important things that you need to know about owning a Highland:
1) Highlands, like all cattle, need a buddy. Highlands are herd animals, and we will not sell one of our Highlands by itself. Cattle are social animals and are more at ease when they are with bovine friends. While some people do run their Highlands with goats, sheep, pigs or even alpacas, we require another bovine be a part of its new family, and preferably another Highland. Purchasing a cow/calf pair does not count as two. The Mama never gets a break from taking care of her calf and you will of course need to wean the calf when the time comes and then you have two animals that want to be together but cannot.
2) You cannot purchase a Highland, or any cow, turn it out in a field and hope for the best. There is a misconception that Highlands will eat anything and be able to survive. And they might ...... survive, but they will not be healthy and happy. You'll need quality pasture in the spring, summer, and fall and a reliable hay source for the winter as well as a constant water source in all seasons. Loose minerals, a feeder, a corral or handling facility, and of course good reliable fencing are a must. You'll also need a shady area for them to get out of the sun or wind. Access to a vet who cares for large animals in case of an emergency is also required. Getting these things taken care of before the animals arrive will make your life less stressful.
I am interested in purchasing a Highland cow, what important things do I need to know?
Beginning the summer of 2022 we will begin offering farm tours for small groups. We love when our customers come to the farm to buy their meat, and we always love showing them our animals, but we do not allow "drop in" farm visits just to see our animals. We will have scheduled days and times that small groups (5 or less) will be able to come and learn about all of our farm animals including our Highlands. We will share out more information in the coming weeks so be sure you signed up for our emails and follow us on Instagram or Facebook!
Are we allowed to visit your farm to pet your Highlands?
Yes, on occasion, we sell do our Highlands. However, we do not sell our Highland steers as we raise them all for our beef program. We have sold heifers in the past that we are not keeping as replacements in our fold but that is only a few each year. Although we do not often sell our Highlands, we have met lots of wonderful owners and breeders who may have them available for sale. If you would like to be placed on a contact list and notified when our farm has Highlands available for sale please click HERE and fill out your information and we will contact you if we have any become available.
Do you sell your Scottish Highland Cattle?
We currently have 5 registered Highlands out of about 40 cattle that we are currently raising. We have two bulls, two heifers, and one cow that are registered with the American Highland Cattle Association (ACHA). The rest of our fold are full-blood Highlands but they are not able to be registered. We are praying we will have three healthy calves born next summer that will be able to be registered with AHCA for the first time ever on our farm!
