The highland cow is the oldest registered breed of cattle in the world. Their presence was first recorded in the Outer Hebrides in the 6th Century. These days they can also be found across the south of Scotland, in other parts of Europe, as well as in Australia and North and South America too. Highland cattle can even be found foraging 10,000 feet up in the Andes.

Is that hairy cow a boy or a girl?

The most noticeable difference between the two sexes are their horns. A bull’s horns often grow forwards or even slightly downwards and have a much wider base, whereas a cow’s face upwards and are longer and finer at the tip.






Scottish highland cattle are an ancient, Celtic breed of cattle. They are known as the gentle giants of Scotland. With their long horns, and flowing red locks, they are easily recognized. The highland cattle resemble domesticated cattle in almost all aspects but the long, shaggy hair all around its body.

They have distinctive horns and long, wavy, woolly coats that can be a range of colors, including red, ginger, black, yellow, white, grey, tan, silver and brindle. Highland cows are raised primarily for their meat, which is growing in popularity due to being lower in cholesterol than other forms of beef and their milk generally has a very high butterfat content.

These cattle are a hardy breed, designed to withstand the conditions in the Scottish highlands. Their hair is composed of two distinct layers: a downy inner coat and a longer oily outer coat, the longest of any cattle breed currently living. It keeps them warm in winter, protects them from the brush and undergrowth, protects their eyes from flies and it contributes to their stunning appearance which makes them so popular. The hair gets shorter in summer and is not as long when they are bred in southern climates. Having such long hair also means that they do not need to store the waste fat found in some other breeds of cattle.

Due to their enormous size, highland cattle are not easy to engage in a tussle. When threatened, their main defense is to charge a predator and try to gore it with their horns. For this reason, they are only threatened by the most dangerous apex predators such as wolves and cougars. An entire group of highland cattle provides a nearly impenetrable defense against predators.



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Red Rock

Come see Red Rock at the Zoo
in our Warner Park Ranch. He is
our second heaviest (after giraffes)
animal at the Zoo weighing in at 1,400 pounds.

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Nobody is sure if these cows can actually see where they are going. But whether they have super-vision or other heightened senses they certainly manage to find what they are looking for, even with that long fringe (known as a ‘dossan’) blocking the way.