HIGHLAND
CATTLE
“The
wealth of the mountains is cattle”,
proclaimed
Dr Johnson during his celebrated journey to Skye in
1773. He was referring to Highland Cattle.
Highland
Cattle are very distinctive, with their wide sweeping
horns and long shaggy coat. They are a native Scottish
breed, very hardy and capable of enduring the extremes
of the Scottish weather. This is achieved by having
two coats, a fine under coat called the “vest” to keep
them warm and a long outer coat to keep the rain off.
The outer coat is frequently cast off in the summer
and re-grown during the early winter months.
Highland
cattle were the main source of wealth for the Clans
and many thousands were drove south from the Highlands
and Islands during the late 1700s and early 1800s
to feed the expanding population. Highland
cattle were the original Scotch Beef.
Upper
Robieston is a member of the Highland Cattle Society,
formed in 1884.
“the
object of which shall be to maintain the purity of
the breed known as Highland Cattle, and to establish
a Herd Book in which to register their pedigrees.”
The
first herd book was published in 1885.
