This includes the criteria for judging the cattle based on the following: The Highland Cattle Society stipulates breed grade guidelines to ensure that breeders produce the highest standard cattle. While this is how the fluffy cow thrill came to life on the internet, showing is primarily for official purposes, like displaying cattle for sale or for genetic showcasing. North America, South America, Europe, South Scotland, AustraliaĪside from showcasing the fluffy coats of their Highland calves, showing is how cattle owners get to flaunt the exotic genetics in their folds.įor such events, the cattle are usually groomed with special conditioners and oils to fluff and add glimmer to their coats. Other Highland characteristics include the following: Life span Contrary to what you may think, there is a distinct difference between the appearance of the horns in bulls and cows.Ī cow’s horns are slender and longer and curve upwards, whereas a bull’s horns are thicker with a wide base and curve forwards with a slight rise towards the tips. This shows that the Highland cow’s fluffy coat is not their permanent state of being.Īnother feature you can’t miss at a glance are the exotic horns that endow the magnificent heads of this cattle breed. The long, thick coat then regrows during the colder months. The double coat is groomed with specific oils and conditioners to achieve a picture-perfect fluffy look during a showing.Īs part of their adaptation, fluffy cows start shedding their thick coat in the cooler months of spring and grow considerably less hair throughout summer. While this double coat is classically associated with a brownish color, Highland cows can also present as black, dun, yellowish, white, silver, or even red. They have a downy undercoat and a longer, oily outer coat that can grow up to 13 inches long to easily expel snow and rainwater. Highland cows are adapted to the nature of the environment they thrive in. Besides its aesthetic appeal, there is a good chance that the cattle’s long fringe plays a role in keeping flies away from the eyes.Īnother characteristic feature of the Highland cows is their unique coat, hence the name “fluffy cow.” Both the pure Highlander and the first cross Highlander have the prime ability to convert poor hill grazing into quality beef carcasses.The most memorable characteristics of these photogenic creatures are their long horns and bangs. The cross Highlander has the milk to rear the continental calf with the high beefing potential demanded by today's market. The cross Highland cow retains the inherent hardiness from the pure Highlander plus that vital ingredient - hybrid vigour. More recently, excellent results have been obtained using continental sires. These can be sired by many different breeds of bull with a Beef Shorthorn bull being a commonly-used sire. The unique attributes of the pure Highland cow make her the first choice for the breeding of commercial hill cows. Beef from Highland Cattle is healthy and nutritious with lower levels of fat and cholesterol, and a higher protein and iron content than other beef. Without needing any intensive farming, they produce an excellent modern beef carcass with lean, well-marbled flesh that ensures tenderness and succulence combined with a very distinctive flavour. Highland Cattle are naturally reared and thrive in the hills and uplands of Britain. They are remarkable for their longevity with many Highland cows breeding at over 18 years of age and having borne fifteen calves. The breed is exceptionally hardy with a natural and unique ability to convert poor grazing efficiently. They can also be finished in a more conventional manner in well-ventilated barns. Making the most of poor forage, calving outside and seldom housed, they make a real economic contribution to hill and upland areas. In the British Isles, you can find folds flourishing on many different types of ground, from the slopes of the Sussex Downs in the south across to the East Anglia fenlands and north to the windswept machars of the Outer Hebrides.īut it is on poor mountain land with high annual rainfall and bitter winds that Highland Cattle thrive and breed – an environment where no other cattle could exist. You can request copies from our office, and they will enable you to trace animals back to their origins through each year’s Herd Book. The Highland Cattle Society continues to publish hard copies of the Herd Book which gives you a permanent record of pedigrees and a fascinating insight into our historic breed.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |