{"id":21774,"date":"2022-12-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-13T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=21774"},"modified":"2022-12-15T09:54:02","modified_gmt":"2022-12-15T08:54:02","slug":"highland-warriors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/2022\/12\/14\/highland-warriors\/","title":{"rendered":"Highland warriors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A Highland cow stands on Curbar Edge as dawn breaks in the Peak District, Derbyshire. Despite their heft \u2013 bulls weigh up to 800kg, cows 500kg \u2013 Highland cattle are agile climbers, able to navigate steep terrain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Highland warriors<\/h2>\n\n

Formidable, huge and wildly shaggy, Highland cattle look like ancient beasts materialised through the mists of time. But where did they come from \u2013 and how do they survive the winter? <\/strong>James <\/strong>Fair <\/strong>finds out<\/span><\/p>\n\n

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A thick, oily, shaggy outer coat and a soft undercoat allow Highland cattle to survive freezing temperatures <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

It\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n\n

They are Highland cattle \u2013 along with malt whisky, the telephone and Kenny Dalglish, one of Scotland\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n

\u201cHighlands are \u2013 in the nicest possible way \u2013 thrawn [stubborn],\u201d says Grant Mackenzie, who runs the 150-strong herd, known as a \u2018fold\u2019, at Rothiemurchus. \u201cI\u2019ve 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.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

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. \u201cIf they\u2019ve been brought up well, they are pretty easygoing,\u201d Kenny says.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

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A herdsman drives a Highland fold in Returning Home by John Sargent Noble (1848\u20131896) <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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Fierce-looking Highland cattle are, in fact, curious and gentle <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
WILD HIGHLANDERS <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

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. \u201cHighland cattle,\u201d the signs tell wide-eyed tourists. \u201cLiving the life of a beef animal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n

HAMITIC HERITAGE <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Highland cattle \u2013 or coos \u2013 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\u2019 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 \u2013 if it weren\u2019t for the horns \u2013 like a cuddly teddy bear. <\/p>\n\n

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A Forestry Commission sign highlights the benefits that \u201chairy coos\u201d bring to woodland habitat <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n

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. \u201cThey generally just get on with it,\u201d Jones says. Frequently, she is unaware a female may be ready, though swelling teets can be a sign. \u201cYou might see them going away from the rest of the herd, into a corner somewhere, and you keep an eye on them,\u201d she adds. \u201cBut if they calve anytime during the night, I\u2019m in bed, I\u2019m afraid.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n

SLOWLY BUT SURELY <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n

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 \u201c4 Fs\u201d: the costs of the ferry, freight, fuel and feed. Reducing these costs as much as possible is essential.<\/p>\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n

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A Highland cow encourages her calf to swim; Highland cattle were once driven from islands to the mainland across stretches of water <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

The end result is a highly sought-after meat. \u201cHighland beef can be expensive, but it\u2019s worth the money,\u201d says Matheson. \u201cPeople buying it know that it\u2019s 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. \u201cA wind speed of 20\u201340 knots (23\u201346mph) is not unusual, and you have to be prepared for two or three days where it is gusting 70\u201390 (80\u2013104mph),\u201d he says. Such extreme weather takes its toll on commercial cattle, but the Highlands ride the storm like ships cresting waves in a gale.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n

GRAZING INTO THE FUTURE <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n

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A bull is led out for auction at the 128th annual sale of pedigree Highland cattle in Oban, 2019 of it is shipped down to fancy restaurants in London, and they like it because of these qualities and because they can trace everything that has gone into it.\u201d <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n

With the increasing focus on the nature crisis here in the UK, these qualities mean Highland cattle\u2019s importance will only continue to grow. \u201cWhen 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,\u201d 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. <\/p>\n\n

\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n

<\/div>\n\n
<\/div>
\n

LIFE IN A FOLD <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\u2022A herd of Highland cattle is called a fold because they were once kept in stone shelters, known as folds, for safety at night.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Folds can number from a few animals to more than 150, though many farms will divide large folds into smaller groups. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 There is rarely aggression within a fold \u2013 if there\u2019s 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. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Males and females have different horns; the former\u2019s are thicker and point forward, the latter\u2019s point markedly up. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Top cows will dictate where the fold roams and will probably barge their way to the front if any supplementary food is on offer. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

WHERE TO SEE HIGHLAND CATTLE <\/h4>\n\n
\"\"
Spot Highland cows roaming the wild landscape of Harris in the Outer Hebrides <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

ROTHIEMURCHUS, <\/strong>CAIRNGORMS
The estate runs \u2018Hairy Coo Safaris\u2019 for guaranteed sightings, but you are free to wander the estate on your own. <\/p>\n\n

CULLODEN BATTLEFIELD<\/strong>
The site where the 1745 Jacobite rebellion came to a bloody end is now home to a pair of Highland cows. <\/p>\n\n

EDINBURGH AND BEYOND<\/strong>
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. <\/p>\n\n

HUSHINISH, <\/strong>HARRIS For a remote setting, you can\u2019t beat Hushinish on the west coast of Harris. There\u2019s a good chance of spotting Highlands on the drive there or on the beach. <\/p>\n\n

DOLMELYNLLYN ESTATE, <\/strong>SNOWDONIA
Highland cattle graze woodland, reducing scrub and creating the conditions for bluebells and wild garlic to flourish. <\/p>\n\n

THE DOODALES, <\/strong>NORTH YORKSHIRE
Stay at the farm and enjoy watching the small Doodale fold, which includes both red and black cows. <\/p>\n\n

CATHOLE CLIFFS, <\/strong>SOUTH DEVON
More conservation grazers \u2013 these ones roam spectacular clifftops overlooking the English Channel. <\/p>\n\n

Photos: Getty, Alamy, Naturepld.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Formidable, huge and wildly shaggy, Highland cattle look like ancient beasts materialised through the mists of time. But where did they come from \u2013 and how do they survive the winter? 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