RARE BREEDS TRUST OF AUSTRALIA
powered by TidyHQCATTLE: Highland Cattle
CATTLE: Highland Cattle
Country of Origin
Scotland
Australian Status
Uses
Beef
Breed Traits
With their shaggy coats, and long horns, once the Highland is seen, it's not easily forgotten. They forage well, adapt well to a variety of climates, and are able to convert low quality pasture into low fat, high qualify beef.
Fertile and long lived, the cows calve unassisted and unaided. Both cows and bulls are even tempered.
They have two coats of hair: a long outer coat which is strong and wavy, and a soft and fluffy undercoat. The come in black, dun, reddish brown, yellow, silver, and brindle.
"Pure Highland beef is slow-maturing, lean, firm and very low in fat, while at the same time rich in protein and iron." [https://www.australianhighlandcattle.org/blog/highland-beef]
Bulls: 106-120cm, 800kg
Cows: 96-106cm, 500kg
History
The oldest registered breed in the world, the herd book was established in 1885. The cows were important to Scottish economics throughout the 18th century. In 1723 over 30,000 Scottish cattle were sold into England.
From the last 19th century, they were exported to various countries in including Australia. The 2022 DAD-IS had numbers reported from 23 countries for a total worldwide population of over 40,000. The largest populations are in France and Finland.
History in Australia
The Highland arrived in Australia in 1829 with Scottish settlers, but by the late 1800s they had died out and none remained. The breed was reestablished in 1954 with the importation from Scotland of 2 cows and 1 bull. In the 1970s semen was introduced. The Australian Highland Cattle Society was established in 1988. Since then there have been over 250 members and nearly 10,000 animals registered since 1975.
Breed Organisation
Australian Highland Cattle Society
Australian Population
2025: 1752 cows; 232 registrations in 2024
Photo Credit
A Highland cow on Pupers Hill, in southern Dartmoor, England. WikiCommons
References
https://www.australianhighlandcattle.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_cattle
Page by C. Wormald, March 2026
