Our Cattle

Miniature Scottish Highlands

A small fold of naturally miniature Highland cattle — halter-trained, Chondro negative, and raised on Pennsylvania pasture.

Miniature Scottish Highland cattle at Five Springs Farm

The Breed

A traditional breed of western Scotland

The Highland is one of the oldest registered cattle breeds in the world. Two distinct types once existed: the Kyloe, small and often black, reared among the Hebrides; and the larger, more variable mainland cattle — usually brown or red. They were first imported to the United States in the late 1890s.

Highlands are instantly recognisable for their long, wide horns and their unusual double coat — an oily, weather-shedding outer layer, the longest of any cattle breed, over a soft downy undercoat. Coat colour runs approximately 60% reddish brown, 22% yellow, with the remainder pale silver, black, or brindle.

Miniature Scottish Highlands stand 36 to 48 inches tall and weigh between 500 and 700 pounds. They are famed for calm, friendly temperaments and are kept primarily as homestead companions. Highland cattle have occasionally been crossed with Dexters carrying the Chondrodysplasia dwarf gene — cattle carrying it are called Chondro positive.

Chondro negative

None of our cattle carry the Chondro gene. All have been tested Chondro negative. Our fold has been bred to be naturally smaller — between 36 and 48 inches — through careful selection rather than genetic modification.