Highland warriors
Formidable, huge and wildly shaggy, Highland cattle look like ancient beasts materialised through the mists of time. But where did they come from – and how do they survive the winter? James Fair finds out
It’s midwinter in the Scottish Highlands, and a snow storm is battering the pastures, woodlands and exposed upper slopes and mountain tops. Most cattle at this time of year have been taken indoors for their survival, but at Rothiemurchus Estate in the north of the Cairngorms, some 150 or so are free to roam and forage.
They are Highland cattle – along with malt whisky, the telephone and Kenny Dalglish, one of Scotland’s great gifts to the rest of the world. Fittingly, perhaps, they are ginger behemoths, an ancient breed with primeval shaggy coats, pointed horns and floppy fringes, standing steadfast in the teeth of the gale.
But while they may look fearsome as they stoically resist the bitter onslaught, in reality they possess a calm and tranquility that is in marked contrast to many cattle.
“Highlands are – in the nicest possible way – thrawn [stubborn],” says Grant Mackenzie, who runs the 150-strong herd, known as a ‘fold’, at Rothiemurchus. “I’ve had them all my life, and though they are very easy to work with, they require a lot of patience. They are very intelligent, and if they think they can get the better of you, they will.”
Kenny Matheson has a fold on the west coast of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, a location where gale-force Atlantic storms rather than Arctic temperatures are the main hardship. He also attests to their gentle nature, despite those horns and a reputation for an instinct that is fiercely protective of their calves. “If they’ve been brought up well, they are pretty easygoing,” Kenny says.
WILD HIGHLANDERS
You can see Highland cattle throughout Scotland, and they are arguably as representative of its wilder parts as red deer or golden eagles. Drive along the long and lonely road to Fionnphort on the Ross of Mull and you see them wallowing in wetland areas subject to daily tidal flooding, where carbon-hungry saltmarsh plants and vegetation unpalatable to other breeds are eagerly grazed. “Highland cattle,” the signs tell wide-eyed tourists. “Living the life of a beef animal.”
You also see them in other parts of the British Isles and across the rest of the world, too. The US, Australia, Canada, Norway, Finland and Switzerland have all eagerly imported Highlands over many decades. They are iconic within Scotland and familiar across the western world.
HAMITIC HERITAGE
Highland cattle – or coos – are descended from a line of wild cattle, Hamitic longhorns, that the Egyptians domesticated more than 6,000 years ago. From there, they reached the Iberian Peninsula and were slowly brought north until they arrived in the Outer Hebrides in the second millennium BC, where they were selectively bred to be small and to have long, black coats. The red version that is more common today only became popular as a result of the Victorians’ preference for it. In fact, Highland cattle can be red, black, creamy-white and a subtle dun colour that would make the coat-wearer look – if it weren’t for the horns – like a cuddly teddy bear.
Those long, oily shaggy coats are, of course, an essential part of the armoury that allows them to survive in sub-zero conditions, but there is a soft, thick undercoat, too. Just as important is their ability to survive on a diet that includes low-quality grasses, saplings, thistles, heather and almost anything that crosses their path.
They require remarkably little veterinary intervention, and are less prone than other cattle to diseases such as pink eye or eye cancers, because the floppy fringe, or dossan, protects them from the sun and irritants such as flies. According to Joyce Jones, who keeps a fold of nine Highlands on Minchinhampton Common in Gloucestershire, they rarely need help when it comes to calving. “They generally just get on with it,” Jones says. Frequently, she is unaware a female may be ready, though swelling teets can be a sign. “You might see them going away from the rest of the herd, into a corner somewhere, and you keep an eye on them,” she adds. “But if they calve anytime during the night, I’m in bed, I’m afraid.”
There are some downsides to Highland cattle. Bred purely for their beef, they are relatively small compared to some more modern breeds, weighing one third less than comparable beef animals, such as Limousin, Angus or Charolais.
SLOWLY BUT SURELY
Perhaps even more significantly, they are slow to mature, with calves needing to reach about 30 months until they are ready to be sent to market. But, thanks to that ability to survive in almost any weather, off low-grade forage and with little veterinary care, the financial inputs are correspondingly low.
Kenny Matheson says it is this that makes Highland cattle a better bet as livestock in the remote Outer Hebrides. The biggest issues for farmers, especially here, are what he calls the “4 Fs”: the costs of the ferry, freight, fuel and feed. Reducing these costs as much as possible is essential.
For most of the year, good grazing on croft pasture, together with the more marginal machair and moorland, provide sufficient nutrition. In the winter, they do need some supplementary food, but this is always home-grown silage or haylage and never bought-in soy.
The end result is a highly sought-after meat. “Highland beef can be expensive, but it’s worth the money,” says Matheson. “People buying it know that it’s home-grown, low in food miles, low in saturated fats and high in protein. A lot Winters on Lewis may not be as cold as they are in the mainland Highlands, but other factors can be equally debilitating. “A wind speed of 20–40 knots (23–46mph) is not unusual, and you have to be prepared for two or three days where it is gusting 70–90 (80–104mph),” he says. Such extreme weather takes its toll on commercial cattle, but the Highlands ride the storm like ships cresting waves in a gale.
It used to be the case that Highland cattle were driven to market from islands across narrow stretches of water called kyles, which means sound or strait in Gaelic. Think the Kyle of Lochalsh, which separates the Isle of Skye from the mainland, or the Kyle of Tongue in Sutherland. That no longer happens, but again it reveals the hardiness of this unique breed.
GRAZING INTO THE FUTURE
Today, Highland cattle are not only exported far and wide for their excellent-tasting meat, but are also valued as conservation grazers. This is where domestic livestock are utilised for their ability to forage in a way that increases floral diversity in a grassland. Cattle are best for this because they feed in a selective way, using their tongues like an elastic hand, whereas sheep crop a pasture as closely as a lawn mower.
Highland cattle also feed on woody plants, creating more space for wildflowers. Those thick coats pick up seeds that are then dispersed as they freely roam, and their small size and weight means they have a lower impact in terms of trampling pressure. Grant Mackenzie says they help to clear space for new growth on the forest floor and also bring seeds in through their dung.
With the increasing focus on the nature crisis here in the UK, these qualities mean Highland cattle’s importance will only continue to grow. “When you think of Highland cattle, you think of Scotland, but people are starting to take an interest in what they do, rather than just taking photos of them,” says Mackenzie. They are not the only example of ways to manage land that look back to the past to find the path towards a brighter future.
James Fair is a journalist with a passion for wildlife and the environment. He specialises in investigating political, controversial issues, such as badger culling, the illegal wildlife trade and the links between grouse shooting and persecution of birds of prey.
LIFE IN A FOLD
•A herd of Highland cattle is called a fold because they were once kept in stone shelters, known as folds, for safety at night.
• Folds can number from a few animals to more than 150, though many farms will divide large folds into smaller groups.
• There is rarely aggression within a fold – if there’s a bull, he will rule the roost, otherwise the oldest female is likely to be in charge. Calves of the top-ranking cow are more senior to other offspring.
• Males and females have different horns; the former’s are thicker and point forward, the latter’s point markedly up.
• Top cows will dictate where the fold roams and will probably barge their way to the front if any supplementary food is on offer.
WHERE TO SEE HIGHLAND CATTLE
ROTHIEMURCHUS, CAIRNGORMS
The estate runs ‘Hairy Coo Safaris’ for guaranteed sightings, but you are free to wander the estate on your own.
CULLODEN BATTLEFIELD
The site where the 1745 Jacobite rebellion came to a bloody end is now home to a pair of Highland cows.
EDINBURGH AND BEYOND
The Hairy Coo tour company runs trips from its Edinburgh base, with Highland cattle the focus everywhere it goes. The Trossachs herd is a highlight.
HUSHINISH, HARRIS For a remote setting, you can’t beat Hushinish on the west coast of Harris. There’s a good chance of spotting Highlands on the drive there or on the beach.
DOLMELYNLLYN ESTATE, SNOWDONIA
Highland cattle graze woodland, reducing scrub and creating the conditions for bluebells and wild garlic to flourish.
THE DOODALES, NORTH YORKSHIRE
Stay at the farm and enjoy watching the small Doodale fold, which includes both red and black cows.
CATHOLE CLIFFS, SOUTH DEVON
More conservation grazers – these ones roam spectacular clifftops overlooking the English Channel.