Their thick double coats mean they are uniquely adapted to living in cold weather climates, and their distinctive fringes help to keep rain and hail from their eyes. Quite a bulky beast, the bulls can weigh anything up to 800kg, while the cows clock in at around 500kg. One rumour has it that when Queen Victoria visited Scotland on one of her many stays, she is said to have commented that she preferred the red coloured cattle, leading to a preference for this colour over the then predominant black and dun coloured cows when breeding. (Image: Getty)Ī herd of Highland cattle is known as a fold, with individual cows coming in a range of colours from the famous auburn/burnt orange and dun, through to sandy blonde, black and even white. The most famous Highland Cows are those with a distinct ginger coat. Nowadays, both types have been mixed and are generally just referred to as Highland Cattle. The Mainland were larger due to having richer pastures and vegetation to graze on. The Kyloe, named for the strips of land they were often driven across - the Kyles, were the smaller of the two. Originally, there were two distinct types: the West Highland (or Kyloe) and the Mainland. The oldest registered breed in the world, the records of Highland cattle date back to the first herd-book in 1885. Said to have descended from the world's oldest breed, the Egyptian Longhorn (which was reportedly well established in the Nile Valley as far back as 4000 B.C.), it is thought that they were brought to Britain by neolithic farmers.īred for both milk and meat, the Highland Cow (Bò Ghàidhealach in Scottish Gaelic) has always been important for providing both sustenance and income for Scots. This incredibly hardy breed of cattle are ideally adapted to the Highlands and west coast islands of Scotland where they originated from. Highland Cows have been known for their expressive features.
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