Highland Cattle

In Scotland, there is a special breed of cow called, “Highland Cattle.” They have extended horns, much like the American Longhorn in appearance. Record of these ‘Heilan Coo’ go all the way back to the 6 ^th century AD. Naturally, with Scotland as their native home, they have long hair to survive the harsh winters; in fact, their oily exterior coat is the longest of any breed of cattle. Unlike other cattle, Highland Cattle have the ability to use their lengthy horns to dig through the snow and find plants, allowing them to thrive in environments most other breeds cannot.

Celtic ancestors originally used these cows for milk and meat, and helped develop diet and cultivating traditions of the Islands of Britain and Ireland. These cattle have been greatly appreciated, and are actually the oldest recorded and registered cattle in the world, as the Highland Cattle Registry is the oldest herd book in the world, going back to 1885. Another neat fact is that Queen Elizabeth, in 1954, ordered Highland Cattle to be bred at Balmoral Castle, where you can find them to this day.

Keep yourself warm this winter, with any of our Irish knit sweaters and caps, made in Ireland!