Highland Cattle

[Medic24]

Recently picked up a few Scotish Highland cattle to add to our managerie of livestock, and have grown to like them quite well.( small, easy keepers)

Has any one here had much experience with them, and if so, any market for them besides home beef or yard ornament livestock?

Any major issues regarding this breed? I plan to eventually let my Angus bull have his way with them, maybe getting a furry Angus type calf?

 

[Orerancher]

Congratulations, You have made a fine choice with Highlands!
Great breed. easy keepers, great brushers, very maternal, long lived,
tough,hardy weather proof...excellent beef!

Locker beef is gonna be your best market...We have more demand for our beef then we can meet... Here in the northwest it's hard to find Highland steers...everybody that has any needs em.
Find your place in the "nitch" and you will do fine.

"Good" heifers bring a pretty penny also.

Had some Highland Red Angus cross brood cows...GREAT cows!

Highlands are not a "commercial" breed...but soon,very soon we will take over...

Now sit back and listen to these texas angus breeders "bash" highlands on here

 

[Orerancher]

Hmmm....Sorry don't know how I posted thaat twice.

 

[Bez]

All right orerancher:

No bashing from me - just info seeking.

So, lets not do an advertisement when you fill me in. I am a HH guy.

Ok - so they do not each much. They are smaller. They look like tough beggars - stand out in any weather and never need coddling.

But - what about that coat in hot weather? When they get cut? Lice? Infections and such?

Meat condition - ie: marbling? I am a fan - some are not - but I like good marbling.

Dress weights gotta' be light - got an average?

Basically I am asking for a run down on these guys.

You might throw in a few of your favourite tips for those in the freezer trade while you are at it - we are successful at that, but always looking for new ideas.

Remember you are satisfying curiousity - not selling! Because believe me - I cannot afford to buy!

Oh, and also remember - there's another thread here on the board about one of these guys running loose in the bush! He's happy and the owner is not. I figure they will have to go hunting soon - he's been out for a couple of weeks and is well on his way to going native.

Regards

Bez

 

[Orerancher]

Bez.

In warmer areas and in the summer they shed out alot of their hair, Ours look down right awful in late spring shedding out big clumps of hair...The neighborhood birds seem to like it for nests...

Yes lice can be a problem something to keep a eye on.
the only real problem with the breed is some have really bad feet...we cull heavily for feet and udders...

Yes they do hang a smaller carcass, most marble verywell.

Highlands respond very well to human contact...but if ya just turn em out in the brush...they will go native, They do have a real sweet tooth though.easy to train to the rattle can.

Don't have any tips for the freezer trade...started with family and friends,
gave out a lot of free samples... word of mouth, and good luck

 

[docgraybull]

Oh, and also remember - there's another thread here on the board about one of these guys running loose in the bush! He's happy and the owner is not. I figure they will have to go hunting soon - he's been out for a couple of weeks and is well on his way to going native.

Regards

Bez

Bez,
You beat me to it! That's an entertaining thread. Those Highlanders are cute furry little critters though. Orerancher and Medic24, how did you guys use the same avatar but get it to face the opposite direction?

 

[Medic24]

Actually Doc, I saw two different pics in the avatar that just seemed opposit of each other, the one i picked was in the lower left of the gallery if that helps to locate it.

Ok, I do have a confession, at heart I am thrifty person, and I can't say I paid alot for these cattle, they came through a commercial auction and almost no one bid on them, thus I got two for $250.00, a heifer and a steer, weighing out at about 500 lbs each, I could not say no, thinking that once again the freezer would get stocked up, But gees, got em home, and started to get attached, now i want more.

As well I do have the perfect place for them, 65 acres of broken pasture with lots of weedy plants, and 4800 feet elevation, gets mighty cold and windy at times.

Can I assume a standard vacination and worming program is on order for these cattle? or am I looking at something different here?

 

[Vicky the vet]

I used to work as the vet for a large highland operation. (Purebreds, were into showing at the time)

They have an increased nutritional requirement for sulphur. If you're not careful, some of the older cows can develop mastitis from poor udder conformation. I've seen pretty much the regular diseases from them. They don't seem to flush as well as some other breeds. Vaccinate like regular cattle. They'll pare down on the hair in the summer, but remember that hair can act as insulation against HEAT and COLD. Humidity seems to affect them about the same as regular beefers.

Just a comment about handling them. They have wide horns and can't fit in a normal headgate. You have to get one which opens all the way on each side then cranks into place behind the horns.

V

 

[UG]

From what I understand, Highlands were popular in the UK for their excellent meat quality (i.e. good marbling and tender). I think I even read somewhere that the Highland meat was often used primarily for royalty.

There are some Highland breeders in the midwest who have developed a branded beef product, selling Highland beef to restaurants, a local meat market or two, and also sellilng freezer beef.

I talked to them a couple times and my impression is that the Highland cattle don't grow real quickly so one of the producers is running Red Angus bulls with his Highland cows. I also don't think they yield real well. Consequently, if I was running Highland cows I would probably breed them to SimAngus or Balancer bulls to improve growth and carcass yield.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

They are tough and have a good immune system. The meat is excellent. As far as the small hanging weight, I've found that to be a bonus as most of the people I sell to in the city wouldn't be able to take a full side of a continental beef in their freezer. Also the heads are worth a few dollars. They have a nice temperament although i did have a bull awhile back who wasn't really nasty as much as unconcerned as to whether you got hurt handling him. They are prone to fly strike in our area if you calve in June. Otherwise I would say they are good for the hobbyist or for freezer beef but you get hit pretty hard if you send them to auction. I've crossed them with herefords, shorthorns and Simm-Angus. Calves are still a little too hairy but they seem to retain the quality of their meat. Good Luck.

 

[Fife]

I am new to the Forum; Highlanders are a good choice. We have a small herd that consists of a bull, a steel and three cows. We moved the group to NH from upstate NY after a good friend passed away and his wife gave us their, then, somewhat larger herd. We have had three calving seasons with pretty good luck, never lost a little one, had to hand feed a twin last summer. The Steer is huge and we have no idea of his age; he has become the town mascot in a field that overlooks the town Post Office. Just how longlived is the breed? I would hate to have a problem in the winter months with an untimely passing. Also would appreciate any information on feeding baled hay, squares, that would reduce waste. All of the feeders cause problems with the horns. Thanks.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

Also would appreciate any information on feeding baled hay, squares, that would reduce waste. All of the feeders cause problems with the horns.

We feed round bales, not squares. I'm wondering whether you mean the big square bales that you haul with the tractor or the small squares that you throw by hand. We use a tombstone feeder for our cows and it seems to work well. I think it would work okay with the small bales. For the larger squares, I know that there are companies that make tombstone feeders for those as well.

 

[Orerancher]

We feed in round feeders, I cut out "every other" slanted bar... works pretty well.

 

[docgraybull]

They are prone to fly strike in our area if you calve in June.

CRR,
What does that mean?

 

[Medic24]

Some one mentioned heads being of value? how is that? skulls or whole heads?

 

[Fife]

In New England the breed does not do well at auctions because people do not want to hold or transport with other breeds because of their horns. The heads sell well because of the horns! Go figure!

We feed 40# square bales; I will investigate the tombstone feeders and also look at removing every other bar. Thanks

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

Cattle Rack Rancher wrote:
They are prone to fly strike in our area if you calve in June.


CRR,
What does that mean?

Blowfly lay eggs on them and the larva eat their flesh right along their back. Had three highland calves get that one summer. We treated it with ivomec but even then it took a couple of weeks for the calves to recover. Its really disgusting, you can actually hear the larva eating the flesh.

Some one mentioned heads being of value? how is that? skulls or whole heads?

The skulls are worth something. I got $200 for the head off my highland bull. That guy used it in his landscaping in his yard. I haven't tried selling any since but my parents have one mounted on the tree outside their house. I like it.

 

[frenchie]

Blowfly lay eggs on them and the larva eat their flesh right along their back. Had three highland calves get that one summer. We treated it with ivomec but even then it took a couple of weeks for the calves to recover. Its really disgusting, you can actually hear the larva eating the flesh.

How old were these calves.... Ivomec pour -on or injectable.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

They were a couple of weeks old only. Blowflies usually infect newborn calves and by the time they incubate the calves are a week or two old. Only had it happen the one year on purebred highland calves. Ivomec pour on cleared it up although the calves weren't very active for a week or so after they lost all that meat off their back.

 

[tracy]

here in australia we have highlands up the road,our days at the moment have been up to 40 degrees and they were still roaming the paddocks eating in the heat.and a few years back there was a steer at a hoof&hook comp was unplaced on the hoof,but as a carcase was grand champion with good eye muscle,and marbling.