Highland Cattle
Breed Standard
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Skottland gällande beskrivningen av rasen. Texten är hämtad ur årsboken 1998
för The Higland Cattle
Society.
Of all the representatives of
our British bovine breeds, the Highlander has the grandest and most picturesque
head; it is, indeed, to his head that he owes his great favour among artists.
As a rule, it is most proportionate to the body of the animal, and is broad
between the eyes, while short from the eyes to the point of the muzzle. The
forelock between the eyes should be wide, long and bushy, and any nakedness or
bareness there is certain to detract from the appearance of the animal. Some
would almost have the hair so wide there as to obscure the eyes, but this in
many cases would be allowing one good point to over-shadow another. The eyes
should be bright and full, and denoting, when excited, high courage. When
viewed sideways, there should be a proportionate breadth of the jawbones
readily observable, when compared with the width of the head in front, whilst
the muzzle should, when looked at from a similar point, be short, though very
broad in front, and with the nostrils fully distended, and indicating breeding
in every way. One of the most noteworthy features in a Highlander,
is of course, the horns. In the bulls, the horns should be strong, and come
level out of the head, slightly inclining forwards, and also slightly rising
towards the points. Some, however, do not care for this rise, though any
drooping is considered to be a very bad fault when between the crown and the
commencement of the curve, as this is generally accompanied by a low weak back.
Some, too, are of the opinion that the masculine appearance is slightly
detracted from when the horns rise directly from the crown. This, however, can
only readily be detected and commented upon when particular animals are brought
before experienced judges, as within a show ring.
As regards the horns of the
cow, there prevail two opinions. As a rule, they come squarer out from the head
than in the male, rise sooner, and are somewhat longer, though they preserve
their substance and a rich reddish appearance to the very tips. The lack of the
appearance of substance or "sappiness" about the horns of the male
would be very much against the animal in the show-yard. The other taste is that
for a female, the horns of which come more level from the head, with a peculiar
back set curve, and a very wide sweep. A large number of enthusiastic breeders
seem to prefer, by comparison, the latter, which gives possibly the more
graceful appearance. In all cases, however, the horns of a Highlander, when
well set, gives the animal a stamp of nobility which causes it to attract the
attention of any stranger who might pass heedlessly by animals of other breeds
as merely cows, bulls or oxen.
The neck should be altogether clear and without dewlap below. It should
form a straight line from the head to the shoulder in the cow, but in the bulls
should have that distinct crest common to all animals of the bovine species.
This crest should come gracefully down to the roots of the horns, and being
well coated with wavy hair, the masculine appearance of the animal is fully
completed. The shoulder should be thick and should fill out greatly as it
descends from the point to the lower extremity of the forearm.
From behind the shoulder the back should be fully developed and
beautifully rounded. Any slight sinking or hollow is most decidedly
objectionable. It should also, as in the Ayrshire, be as straight as possible,
and the ribs should spring boldly out and be both well rounded and deep. When
measured across the hips the breadth should be very great, and the quarters
should be exceedingly well developed from the hips backwards. The thighs should
also be well developed, and should show great fullness. Viewed generally, the
quarters should be square between the hips and the tail, and from between the
tail right down to between the hind feet. The legs, both before and behind,
should be short and strong, the bones strong, broad, and straight, the hoofs
well set in and large, and the legs well feathered with hair. The animal should
be set wide between the fore-legs, and it should move with great dignity and
style, as this is considered to be one of the most reliable evidences of
careful and true breeding.
The hair, of which there
should be a great profusion, more particularly on the parts indicated, should
be long and gracefully waved, very much as in what dog-breeders denote
wavy-coated retrievers. To have a curl is to possess a decided fault, and one
which has of late years become unfortunately too common in some folds. This has
been attributed in some quarters to a growing desire to make Highlanders grow
big from feeding them higher and housing them more. At
anyrate, experience goes far to prove that the more exposed they are the
greater the profusion of the hair, and the less its tendency to curl. Thus, the
reason of the island cattle being always so much better haired than the
mainland cattle is owing to their never being housed in winter.
The usual colours are black,
brindled, red, yellow, and dun, and there is considerable difference of opinion
among breeders as to which is preferable.
In general, as to colour, it
may be said that a good herd should possess a mixture - avoiding always all
those which indicate unhealthy thrivers. The thickness of the skin, as in all
fattening breeds, comes in for considerable amount of attention, but it has to
be borne in mind always that the Highlander has been adapted by nature to
withstand great exposure.
Inverness, 10th June, 1885
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