Highland cattle facts for kids

A Highland cow on Dartmoor in England

Highland cows with a black coat

The Highland cattle are a special type of cow from Scotland. They are easy to spot because of their long horns and shaggy, wavy coats. These coats are super thick, with an oily outer layer and a soft, downy inner layer. This amazing fur helps them stay warm and dry in the cold, rainy, and windy weather of the Scottish Highlands.

Highland cattle are mostly raised for their meat. They first came from the Scottish Highlands and the Outer Hebrides. People first wrote about them way back in the 6th century AD. Since then, these unique cows have been sent to many places all over the world.

Highland Cattle: Scotland's Shaggy Cows

Built for Tough Weather

Highland cattle are very tough animals. Their long, shaggy hair is like a built-in winter coat. It helps them survive cold winters, even when they stay in valleys. This special coat keeps them warm and dry, no matter how bad the weather gets.

Size and What They're Used For

A male Highland cow, called a bull, can weigh up to 800 kilograms (about 1,800 pounds). A female cow can weigh up to 500 kilograms (about 1,100 pounds).

Their milk usually has a lot of butterfat in it. The meat from Highland cattle is known to be very good quality. It is also lower in cholesterol compared to other types of beef.

Images for kids

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  Two-month-old heifer calf

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  The hair gives protection during the cold winter

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  Cow and calf in south-eastern Saskatchewan

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  Calves at pasture

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  Bull and bull calf, illustration from 1890–1900

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  Above Širvintos, in Lithuania

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  Bull, cow and calf on Seceda [it] in the Val Gardena, in northern Italy

See also

In Spanish: Vaca de las tierras altas para niños