Things I've Learned: Cows

Remember at the beginning of this week when I said I go by temperament, use and appearance? Ok, I truly didn't care about the first two when choosing my highland cattle, I was all about the appearance!

Because I needed to convince Rob, I researched the daylights out of them. Luckily, their temperament is gentle and smart. They are considered a meat breed. In fact, they have some of the lowest cholesterol and fat of meat cows. However, our use is for breeding. There is a great demand for Highlands, but remarkably few Texas breeders. They can be registered, they can be shown, and they can be sold for a bunch of money. Where most cow breeds are sold by weight, Highlands are sold for their genetics. We took advantage of the drought when other farms were struggling, and got ourselves two females and the ultimate silver male. I'm trying to convince Rob to let me get one or two more females, but we'll see how it goes. 

In addition to breeding, Fergus will also be, um, let's say milked when he comes of age at various times for straws to sell. Those are for breeders who prefer doing things by artificial insemination. If you see a cow adult film being played in the barn, just mind your business. Haha.