Scottish Highland Cow Breeds of Beef Cattle
There are cattle that are known for their milk product and in that location are cattle that are known for their meat. Scottish cattle, a collective group of cattle that accept their origins in Scotland, are well-known and well-loved amidst the cattle industry and are kept primarily for the meat that they produce.
Scottish cattle typically produce lean meat, which is meat that has a depression fat content. Did yous know that when fatty is stored in the human torso, one of its main purposes is to insulate our bodies and keep us warm? The same matter is true for animals as well.
The reason that Scottish cattle produce meat that is lower in fatty content is that most of them have thick, shaggy coats. They don't need equally much fat to keep them warm. But, despite having the ability to produce lean hateful in mutual, there are many differences that distinguish breeds of Scottish cattle from each other. We'll explain the differences among the 8 most popular Scottish Breeds in this article.
The 8 Scottish Cattle Breeds:
1. Angus Cattle Breed
| Color: | Black |
| Weight: | i,400+ pounds |
| Lifespan: | 15 – xx years |
Angus cattle (also known every bit Aberdeen Angus to most of the world) are named for the regions in Scotland to which they are native: Aberdeenshire and Angus. Angus cattle are distinguishable from other Scottish cattle due to their black coat, which is less shaggy than other cattle besides. They also exercise not take horns.
Black is actually the dominant color of cattle in this breed. Another breed of Scottish cattle, Red Angus, is actually the recessive colour. Some countries record the Black Angus and Red Angus every bit ii separate breeds, while others register both colors as the same brood.
Black Angus cattle were introduced to the United states in 1873, where they are now the almost popular breed used for beef. Other countries with big populations of Angus cattle include Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
two. Ayrshire Cattle Breed
| Color: | Reddish-orange and white |
| Weight: | 990 – 2,000 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 10 years |
Ayrshire cattle get their name considering they originated from the Scottish canton of Ayr. While most Scottish cattle are prized for the meat they produce, Ayrshires are unique because they are very prolific at producing milk as well due to being very efficient grazers. In fact, one of the first uses of Ayrshire cattle in early Scotland was to produce cheese and butter.
This brood of Scottish cattle is hands recognized for its cherry and white hair, which can vary from shades of carmine-orange to mahogany to nearly dark-brown in color. They naturally take horns also, but the horns are removed equally calves due to non being practical to have.
Ayrshires are popular amongst cattle and dairy farmers due to being easy to raise and being able to forage for themselves. All-in-all, this breed is very depression-maintenance from a farming standpoint.
3. Belted Galloway Cattle Breed
| Color: | Black and white |
| Weight: | 990 – 2,300 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 17 – 20 years |
Belted Galloways, also called "Belties," take been around since 16th century Scotland in the district formerly known as Galloway. This district was along the coast, so information technology was very rugged and chilly. As a result, this breed adapted to exist very hardy to cold and adverse weather condition, every bit is evidenced past their shaggy coats. Their hair provides plenty of warmth and insulation for the cattle, which is why Belties produce such exceptionally lean and high-quality meat.
Although they are related to the Galloway brood and are both traditionally black in color, Belted Galloways can be distinguished past the white band of fur that wraps effectually their midsection. Although their natural fur is shaggy, it is sometimes kept short for commercial farming, specially in warm areas. Today, Belties can also be institute with reddish and brownish colorings, but they all have that signature "belt" in order to assist place them.
4. Galloway Cattle Brood
| Colour: | Black |
| Weight: | 1,000 – 1,500 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 17 – 20 years |
Merely like the Belted Galloway, Galloway cattle originated from the Galloway region in Scotland somewhere around the 15th or 16th century. Most of the original Galloway cattle had horns, simply at that place were also some that were polled, significant that they didn't take horns. Supposedly, this brood was never crossed with other breeds, then the lack of horns was probable due to a genetic mutation. However, breeders decided that they liked the polled await, then they started breeding the cattle to be hornless. Today, most Galloway cattle do not have horns.
Like the Belted Galloway, Galloway cattle are very hardy as a breed. Even though they were originally from a colder climate, they are able to acclimate to warm climates as well. This brood is known for its ability to nativity calves easily. This, combined with the female's maternal instincts, allows Galloways to produce young for much longer than other cattle breeds. The main color for these cattle is black, but they can also exist institute in red, brown, and dun which is a tan color.
5. Highland Cattle Breed
| Color: | Red, blackness, dark-brown, white |
| Weight: | 1,100 – one,800 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 20+ years |
Scottish Highland cattle are named for the Highlands region of Scotland, which is very remote and known for its harsh conditions, particularly during winter. Adapting to these conditions was key to the survival of the Highland breed. This led to the evolution of qualities necessary for survival, including hardiness, longevity, maternal instincts, and beingness excellent foragers.
Every bit a thing of fact, this is 1 of the longest living Scottish cattle breeds, having a lifespan of over 20 years. Similar other Scottish cattle, Highlands are prized for the lean meat that they produce, due generally to their long, shaggy coat adult to keep them warm in the common cold and moisture terrain.
Highland cattle are traditionally reddish-dark-brown in color only can likewise be found in black and white. Another distinguishing feature is their curved horns, which when combined with their shaggy hair makes this breed easily identifiable.
This breed was at one time very rare and even considered endangered. But, they are growing in popularity, especially in the Northern Us and Canada. As of 2019, they are no longer on the Livestock Conservancy's Conservation Priority List, meaning that there are at present over 1,000 registered in the United States every yr.
6. Luing Cattle Breed
| Colour: | Cerise |
| Weight: | 1,100 – 2,100 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 20 years |
Compared to other Scottish cattle breeds, the Luing is one of the youngest. It was first developed in the late 1940s every bit a cross betwixt Shorthorn and Highland cattle on the Scottish island of Luing. By crossing these two breeds, a distinct brood was created that was both hardy and easy to become meat from. They as well got from Highland cattle the ability to forage and withstand common cold temperatures outside, in addition to being easy to breed themselves.
The coat of the Luing is a combination of the shaggy Highland coat and the shorter coat of the Shorthorn. Most of these cattle are red or white, but you may sometimes see them with ruddy and white coloring every bit well. They have a very thick hide, which is like shooting fish in a barrel to remove to collect meat, a quality that they got from the Shorthorn.
7. Blood-red Angus Cattle Breed
| Color: | Ruby |
| Weight: | one,200-1,900 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 15 – 20 years |
The Cerise Angus brood originated from the Aberdeenshire and Angus region of Scotland, but like the blackness Angus did. Remember that the two breeds are actually considered to be the same moo-cow in many places. The major deviation is that the color of Red Angus cattle is the recessive colour trait. When convenance Angus cattle, it is estimated that i out of four calves will exist ruby, while the other 3 are black.
Although they are considered to exist medium-sized cows, Carmine Angus cattle are very beefy. They produce a lot of meat. This trait, combined with having a long lifespan and an easy-going temperament, has led the Red Angus to be one of the most pop cattle breeds in the globe for producing beef. As a affair of fact, nearly of the Angus cattle on continents such as Africa, Commonwealth of australia, and South America are scarlet instead of the more common black colour.
8. Shetland Cattle Breed
| Color: | Blackness, white |
| Weight: | 770 – 990 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 17 – xviii years |
Shetland cattle are the smallest Scottish cattle breed. They are named because of their origins on the Shetland Islands of Scotland. In the 1950s, there were merely around 40 purebred Shetland Cattle remaining. Although their numbers have increased today, they are still a rare breed and are considered to be at-risk.
The main color of Shetland cattle is blackness, with or without white. Colors such equally cherry-red, gray, and brown are possible but rare. They have pocket-sized horns that resemble Viking horns as well.
Shetland cattle were originally bred to produce milk, and their milk is high in butterfat which is essentially the fatty part of milk. But, Shetland cattle are very easy calvers, which means that they can be crossbred with bulls of all sizes to produce more calves. Because of this, Shetlands are generally kept for breeding purposes or as suckler cows. Suckler cows feed their young themselves until they are old enough to exist fattened for beef production.
What Is the Well-nigh Popular Scottish Beef?
Angus beef is the most pop Scottish beefiness in the unabridged earth. The reason for its popularity is due to its marbling, which is substantially the amount of intramuscular fatty in each cutting of meat. The marbling of Angus beefiness is considered to be exceptional compared to other types of beef and is what gives Angus beef its juiciness, tenderness, and flavor.
Pure Angus beefiness is considered to be the all-time, merely today Angus cattle are crossbred with other cattle. That ways that when determining the quality of the beef, other factors need to be taken into consideration as well. Some of these factors include the lifestyle, diet, and age of the cattle as well equally how the meat was candy.
Final Thoughts
Scottish cattle are pop mostly due to the lean meat that they produce, although some do produce milk as well. The reason for producing lean meat goes back to the common cold climate in Scotland and the cattle'due south power to suit to it by developing shaggy fur and general hardiness. Whether you're looking into purchasing cattle for your farm or are a foodie with an interest in beef, we hope this article provided you with plenty of useful information to take with you.
Featured Image Credit: pen_ash, Pixabay
Source: https://petkeen.com/scottish-cattle-breeds/
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