Benefits of Raising Highlands

These cows can handle a lot of stress and just keep on ticking.  Here in central Missouri we see 100 degree Fahrenheit summer days and sub zero winter temperatures.  Give these cattle some shade and water in the summer, and hay in the winter and they will thrive.  Highlands have a double coat of hair on their hide, and so in the winter months the wind and cold don’t really show any stress on them until you start reaching temps below zero.  This allow them to stay warm without having to grow a thick fat layer, allowing them to marble naturally without excess feed in cold weather.  In the summer they will shed off a lot of that shag so they can stay cool.  They are also excellent in regards to disease resistance.

When grazing or feeding highlands you will quickly notice that they simply don’t require as much grass or hay.  Based on our experience, and historical track record of the breed, highlands eat 30-40% less than the beef breeds we used to raise.  They are also browsers and will eat some vegetation and undergrowth in timber areas that traditional beef cows won’t touch.

These cattle are easy going and easy to work around given the size of their horns.  Like all domesticated cattle, you still have to respect their size and space, but overall these animals are typically very docile.  With their slower rate of growth, the 6 to 7 month old freshly weaned calves are great to start hand feeding, halter breaking and training for show typically weighing no more than 200-300 pounds.  So if you are looking for just a few cows to keep on a small farm for pets or for show, these animals are great options and bring a distinct look with them.

I know that a lot of people look at these cattle as something as a pet or hobby animal, but that is not always the case.  This beef cow has been providing steaks and beef cuts for hundreds of years.  Beef cuts from Scottish Highlands are lower in fat and cholesterol, and have a higher protein content per ounce of meat compared to traditional beef breeds.  Often referred to as the couch potatoes of cows, highlands spend a lot of time laying about and so the lean meat they produce is very tender.  How you finish a beef cow also makes a difference, but we have compared our own farm raised results finishing our traditional beef the same as the highlands, and the highland meat is the winner in our opinion.

While we maintain a purebred herd for continual stock, we also crossbreed some shorter traditional stock with a highland bull for beef.  Crossing is also great for first year heifers as highland calves are traditionally born between 40-60lbs, which allows the heifer to produce a smaller calf her first go around.  As Highlands have been virtually untampered with for hundreds of years, their genetics are quite different from most other cattle. This provides maximum effect when crossbreeding. Highland cross calves will have increased vigor and hardiness, as well as natural disease resistance, forage ability and still maintain low forage requirements.  These crosses grow much quicker than purebred highlands, and if you want to get some of the benefits of the highland traits to mix with traditional beef you can get steers ready to finish in 16-19 months depending on the cross.

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These cattle are amazing to have on the farm, if not for their looks, but also for their typically calm demeanor and hardiness.  This breed has been around a very long time, originating from western Scotland, and is the oldest registered beef breed in the world.  The practical part of owning highland cattle becomes evident very quickly.

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