Searching for Scottish Highland Cows
Highland cows, aka “fluffy cows,” have recently taken the Internet by storm as millions of people - including me - have fallen in love with their adorable, fluffy faces. So, of course, I had to visit Highland cows on my family’s recent trip to Scotland.
Photo Credit: highlander_cattles, Instagram
Highland Cattle (a variation of Bos taurus, traditional cows; called Bò Ghàidhealach in Gaelic) are the oldest registered breed of cow in the world! Originating in the Scottish Highlands and Outer Hebrides, they are adapted to the region’s cold temperatures. Their long, shaggy hair consists of two layers: an oily outer hair to keep them warm in the rain, and a downy, insulating undercoat. Their long hair covers their whole body, even their faces, giving them the adorable - if anthropomorphized - look of stylized bangs!
Photo Credit: Hailey Robe. This was one of my favorite photos from our trip!
Both males and females grow horns, and can be differentiated by the width (bulls’ horns have a wider base) and direction of growth (bulls’ horns often grow forward or slightly downward, while cows’ horns are longer and grow upwards).
There are tons of places you can find Highland cows in Scotland (see suggestions here and here) and some people in the US and worldwide do keep and breed them! For our trip, we visited Cameron’s Tea Room and Farm Shop about 30 minutes outside Inverness. In addition to horses, sheep, and other livestock, the farm keeps a herd of Highland cows that grazes in large fields right outside the tea room! After a late breakfast, we drove along the perimeter of the farm in search of the cows - they were allowed to roam the enclosure freely! - and found them a couple miles down the road. We had an amazing time taking pictures and observing them, and even saw several calves (including one nursing)!
Photo Credit: Hailey Robe
The Highland cow is certainly one of the most iconic species of Scotland, competing with “the Loch Ness Monster, unicorns and the wee midge for the title of Scotland’s most iconic creature,” according to Wilderness Scotland. In every shop, you can find shirts, mugs, bags, and, of course, plushies celebrating the “Heilan coo” (the written pronunciation of “Highland cow” in a Scottish accent, the phrase commonly adorning souvenirs). There is clearly a deep respect for this gentle, strong animal, and I was so grateful to visit them!
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