Our Scottish Highland Ladies
- Thread starter amysflock
- Start date
Beekissed
Herd Master
One of the ladies I worked with thought Highlands were a Longhorn/Buffalo cross! 
So, what made you folks choose Highlands? What is your favorite breed characteristics? Do you sell the hide and horns when you butcher? I've heard they can go for a good bit, if you find the right buyer.
So, what made you folks choose Highlands? What is your favorite breed characteristics? Do you sell the hide and horns when you butcher? I've heard they can go for a good bit, if you find the right buyer.
- Thread starter
- #13
amysflock
Loving the herd life
Hi, Beekissed, and welcome!
I first saw Highlands in a paddock near where a friend was looking at a travel trailer, and learned from the farmer that the horned cows I was looking at were actually girls. Later, my husband and I saw them again at the Puyallup Fair and they again piqued our interest.
When we moved to our country home a few months ago and realized we needed animals to work the land, our thoughts turned back to Scottish Highlands. Turns out we have several breeders in our area, one within 20 minutes, so we headed to his place and learned more about them. We were hooked.
For us, their beauty was the first draw, but then learning about the leanness of the meat, ease of raising, the fact that the girls are good mothers by nature who calve easily, browse rather than graze (so could eat our little bits of scotch broom and whatever else (non-poisonous) thing was growing in the pasture), and need little by way of shelter sealed the deal. We bought our girls in late-May, brought them home in early July, and it's been a love affair ever since.
I've heard you can tan the hides, but apparently it costs more to do that given the length of the hair. I'm not sure I'd ever do it...I mean, can you vacuum a Scottish Highland rug? We do plan to use the breed for meat. We can never have more than 3 or 4 adults on the land at one time (not enough room), so we'll always be small. If we get a bull calf out of one of the girls this year we will probably steer him and raise him for eventual butchering (you raise them to two years old before butchering), and will sell any heifer calves. If we don't get a bull calf, we'll probably break down and buy a yearling steer from someone else...
I actually get to take the afternoon off to help/photograph/watch the hoof trimmer work on our cow's feet! Yippee!
I first saw Highlands in a paddock near where a friend was looking at a travel trailer, and learned from the farmer that the horned cows I was looking at were actually girls. Later, my husband and I saw them again at the Puyallup Fair and they again piqued our interest.
When we moved to our country home a few months ago and realized we needed animals to work the land, our thoughts turned back to Scottish Highlands. Turns out we have several breeders in our area, one within 20 minutes, so we headed to his place and learned more about them. We were hooked.
For us, their beauty was the first draw, but then learning about the leanness of the meat, ease of raising, the fact that the girls are good mothers by nature who calve easily, browse rather than graze (so could eat our little bits of scotch broom and whatever else (non-poisonous) thing was growing in the pasture), and need little by way of shelter sealed the deal. We bought our girls in late-May, brought them home in early July, and it's been a love affair ever since.
I've heard you can tan the hides, but apparently it costs more to do that given the length of the hair. I'm not sure I'd ever do it...I mean, can you vacuum a Scottish Highland rug? We do plan to use the breed for meat. We can never have more than 3 or 4 adults on the land at one time (not enough room), so we'll always be small. If we get a bull calf out of one of the girls this year we will probably steer him and raise him for eventual butchering (you raise them to two years old before butchering), and will sell any heifer calves. If we don't get a bull calf, we'll probably break down and buy a yearling steer from someone else...
I actually get to take the afternoon off to help/photograph/watch the hoof trimmer work on our cow's feet! Yippee!
Chris aka Barney
Overrun with beasties
welcome Bekissed...I think you may be on BYChickens or TEG? I'm Barney, The Mustard Seed Gardener, and Chris aka Barney. we spoke about my garden to feed the hungry?
Have a great day.
Have a great day.
Beekissed said:One of the ladies I worked with thought Highlands were a Longhorn/Buffalo cross!
So, what made you folks choose Highlands? What is your favorite breed characteristics? Do you sell the hide and horns when you butcher? I've heard they can go for a good bit, if you find the right buyer.
Beekissed
Herd Master
Hi, folks! Hey, Barney! Yep, that's me on the other forums. I don't own any cows but have always had a lifelong interest in the animal and the different breeds. I hope to get a milk cow eventually. My sister owns the Highlands also, so I did a little research on the breed and became interested.
I've often wondered why cattlemen in colder climes don't use a Highland or Galloway herd bull. When bred to a polled breed will produce polled offspring; has 98% live births due to smaller shoulders but will finish out comparable if bred to a large breed beef such as Angus; have a longer coat to insulate during colder weather, thus reducing the need for as much feed; plus the meat is more marbled due to not needing the fat on the outside for insulation. Add to this the browse factor and you have a great combination. Not to mention the gentleness of the Highland breed, making working with the bulls a more pleasant task.
I know, in the past, there was an emphasis on taller beef but I think the new trend is going back to a shorter bull. So, Highlands would be ideal, I would think.
What do you guys think?
Yep, that's me on the other forums. I don't own any cows but have always had a lifelong interest in the animal and the different breeds. I hope to get a milk cow eventually. My sister owns the Highlands also, so I did a little research on the breed and became interested. I've often wondered why cattlemen in colder climes don't use a Highland or Galloway herd bull. When bred to a polled breed will produce polled offspring; has 98% live births due to smaller shoulders but will finish out comparable if bred to a large breed beef such as Angus; have a longer coat to insulate during colder weather, thus reducing the need for as much feed; plus the meat is more marbled due to not needing the fat on the outside for insulation. Add to this the browse factor and you have a great combination. Not to mention the gentleness of the Highland breed, making working with the bulls a more pleasant task.
I know, in the past, there was an emphasis on taller beef but I think the new trend is going back to a shorter bull. So, Highlands would be ideal, I would think.
What do you guys think?
Chris aka Barney
Overrun with beasties
I think you know a lot about the Highland cow! They are a beautiful animal. It seems many Washington State folks on his forum like this breed. too 
Beekissed
Herd Master
I like the heritage breeds and I think the Highlands are just so darn cute! Funny thing, the folks who buy at the livestock auctions will pay less for a rough coat cow...just because it looks different. As a matter of fact, anything that isn't Angus around here automatically brings less of a price! So, consequently, most folks raise Angus around here. Kind of sad, the whole peer pressure thing. It used to be Angus, then Herefords, then Charolais, then Limousin, then back to Angus...funny about trends, huh?
Chris aka Barney
Overrun with beasties
We had angus, blk spot, hereford x . Now We just have one Hereford and her son hereford /limonsin. Ours are for pets...I love them all. I don't think I've ever met an animal that I didn't like. working in a vets office some years ago, I met a pitbull that loved me and hated the vet and the others in the clinic. He would get so darn excited when he saw me that the muscles on the side of his head would pulsate! I was sooooooo glad he liked me. 
ncgnance
Exploring the pasture
Your highlands are beautiful!! I would have gone with them instead of dexters, but I'm just afraid that the summers are too hot here in nc for them.
