What You Want To Know
About Scottish Highlands
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1. What is the difference between a micro, mini, and standard size Highland?
This is a great question, especially if the size of your Highlands matter to you! We've put together this visual for you to reference when needed.
Just because a cow is chondro positive does not mean it will be micro size at maturity, and a chondro negative cow does not mean it will be standard size at maturity. While we can all make an educated guess based on averages of the parents, anyone who tells you they can accurately predict the mature height of a calf is either naive or lying.
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2. How Much Do Mini Highlands Cost?
Honestly price is such a large range. We focus on having high quality genetics docile temperaments. We work with them daily to ensure they meet our standards. Especially since we are raising them as pets. The prices for our Highland cows depend on quality (genetic makeup, color, conformation, etc). Just as a general rule of thumb, you will pay on average around $10,000-$15,000 for a high quality miniature Highland. The price depend largely on genetics, conformation, temperament, color, above average hair length, or below average size.
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3. Why Does Their Hair Cover Their Face?
The facial hair covering the face of these beautiful cattle is called their “dossen”. While this long hair is beautiful and unique to the Scottish Highland breed, it also provides wonderful fly protection in the summer months. This hair does not hinder the ability to see or navigate their terrain.
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4. Their Horns Look Scary, Should I Dehorn them?
The number 1 rule to keep in mind with cattle is that they can hurt you with OR without horns. From day 1 always make smart choices with handling your cattle.
Horns or no horns? That is the ultimate question. Once you have selected a calf, we will ask whether you want your calf with horns or dehorned. Dehorning is a Permanent process, so you may want to really think about this decision prior to purchase.
With Highlands, there are definite pros and cons.
PROS:
*Horned Highlands will look more like a Highland. You will probably have an edge when selling because your breeding stock will look more majestic and more Highland like, especially the lower percentage calves.
*If you live in a hotter climate, horns do help bovines stay cooler as they dissipate heat.
*Horns do grow very slowly. They are just nubs when calves are weaned and are approximately 1-1.5" at age 1. You will have time to get used to them as they grow.
*Cattle can hurt you with or without horns. Some say that horns are like bringing a knife to a gun fight.
*Horned cattle make people respect them a bit more. You are more likely to keep your eye on them at all times, which you probably should do anyways.
CONS:
*They can be more destructive to facilities
*They need more space at feeders, and they can get stuck in feeders.
*They can injure each other tussling for dominance, whether with their horns or by making the lower dominance cow dash to avoid horns and get poked by sticks, etc...
*Dominant cows can chase away lower pecking order cows when you are trying to feed them treats
*When tussling for dominance, you can get caught in the flight zone of the retreating cow. This can happen whether the cow is horned or dehorned, but they seem to jump away faster with the long horns.
Cattle know EXACTLY where their horns are. Cattle can be dehorned later in life, but it is both messy and possibly life-threatening with a risk of hemorrhage. It is imperative that such dehorning be done when it is NOT fly season. Dehorning at an older age can drastically change a bovine's temperament. If possible, the decision to dehorn should be made at a very young age.
We love the unique look of Highlands with their long hair and horns. However, the decision to dehorn is always up to the owner.
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5. How Long Do Scottish Highlands Live?
Most miniature Scottish Highlands live to be over 20 years old. It is not uncommon to have a 19-year-old cow still producing quality calves. As they continue to age, their horns continue to grow. They will turn upwards and out around 3-4 years old, as they continue to grow they will even start twisting and looking like handlebars. Our oldest girl on the farm was born in 2011, and her horns are a great example of this.
Fun fact. Scottish Highland horns will contain "rings" for every year they grow. With the right nutrition program you can count the rings and get a really close guess on how old your cow is.
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6. Do Highlands Need Help Calving?
Highland mothers are known to be very good mothers, and calve with ease needing little to no assistance. They typically prefer to be left alone during the birthing process. We like the old saying, "Don't do something, just stand there."
A Highland mom that has been properly trained will allow limited access to her baby soon after birth. During the weaning process you can train the calves to love human interaction and they will quickly develop a puppy-like personality.
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7. Can/Should You Keep Your Highlands With Horses/Donkeys
We personally don't recommend that cattle and horses be kept together. Equine (horse family) and Bovine (cow family) both live in a hierarchy system. Essentially a ranking of top “dog” to the last or weakest member of the family. The status on this hierarchy system shifts as the animals get older and more dominant. Equine bite and kick to establish dominance while bovine head butt and spear. These different methods don’t mingle very well, so it can create a dangerous atmosphere for both families. The two species compete for the same hierarchy system when housed together. Other species (goats, pigs, sheep, etc) will do just fine with both horses and cows. You may find farms where the horses and cows coexist with no issues. Sometimes they do, until they don’t. We’ve heard and seen horror stories of dead animals in this situation.
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8. What Type Of Climate Can You Keep A Highland In?
The Scottish Highland breed is known as a foraging cattle breed. They love a nice green lawn but also enjoy cleaning up a brushy wooded area. The horns on the Highlands allow them to work through thick brush without injury.
Their unique ability to adapt to almost any environment gives them an opportunity to flourish whenever life takes them. They do especially well in cold weather. The double coat of thick hair allows this breed of cattle to survive the colder weather with less fat.
Fun fact, the Scottish Highlands are the only breed allowed by law to be kept outside during the winter periods.The summer shade of a forest combined with the variety of food, will put these furry friends in a great mood. Just make sure they have constant access to good water, and free choice mineral.
