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Highland cattle
| Place of Origin | Scotland |
| Origin | Highland cattle are known to have a history that dates back to at least the 6th century AD, while the first written evidence dates back to the 12th century AD. Originally, small farmers kept Highlands as a house cow to produce milk and meat. The Highland cattle registry ("herd book") was established in 1885. This is the oldest herd book in the world, which makes them the oldest registered cattle in the world. Although groups of cattle are generally called herds, a group of Highlands is known as a fold. They were also known as kyloes in Scots. |
| Purpose | Meat, can be used for milk on a domestic scale |
| Appearance | Highlands are known as a hardy breed well able to cope with the rugged nature of their native Scottish Highlands which have a high annual rainfall and sometimes very strong winds. However, highland cattle have also been successfully established in many temperate countries in Central Europe, and indeed in countries where winters are substantially colder than Scotland such as in Norway and Canada. Their hair is considered the longest of any cattle breed and gives protection during the cold winters. Their skill in foraging for food allows them to survive in steep mountain areas where they both graze and browse, and eat plants that many other cattle avoid. They can dig through the snow with their horns to find buried plants. Highland cattle are a Scottish breed of cattle with long wavy coats which are coloured black, brindled, red, yellow or dun. |
| Horns | Long horns |
| Cows Average Weight | 500 kg (1,102 lbs.) |
| Bulls Average Weight | 800 kg (1764 lbs.) |
| Other Considerations | They are generally good natured animals but very protective of their young. |
