"Hairy Coo"

[British Red]

I have, for many years, had a huge affection for the "hairy coo". Highland Cattle are, in my opinion the most fearsome looking animals whilst in reality being lovely biddable beasts. Any cow or bull, with a fringe, can't be all bad!

In any event - thats a really good scratch!

Red

 

[g4ghb]

NO! ....................
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.................. THAT'S a realy good photo!

 

[JonathanD]

You wouldn't want one of those horns up ya!!!

 

[sandbender]

That's a lovely photo, was it taken down your way or were you north of the border?

 

[Bushrat]

There is a field full of these next to my house and I have always found them to be quite placid, until a young un decided to chase me out of "his" field. You can't argue with those horns and I had to leg it (up hill) and bail out over the fence.......not very dignified.

 

[British Red]

That's a lovely photo, was it taken down your way or were you north of the border?

Well North of the border (banks of Loch Ness).

That said there are a few just over the ridgeline from me here (on the South Downs). I have no idea what the attraction is of these beasts - perhaps just the fact that they are well adapted and seem to require less "tending" than many of the intensively managed Holsteins etc. I do like the older breeds - from Soay sheep to Saddlebacks and Tamworths - perhaps not as much "produce" but far more interest and able to thrive with less human intervention.

Red

 

[sandbender]

You can't argue with those horns

No, especially if he's feeling a bit frisky, you wouldn't want to hang around

I do like the older breeds - from Soay sheep to Saddlebacks and Tamworths - perhaps not as much "produce" but far more interest and able to thrive with less human intervention.

They hairy heeland coo is fairly hardy, they'll probably outlast us

This is what passes for an old breed over here, they were almost extinct in the sixties, just three or four breeding males left, now there are 20,000

No the guy isn't short, they really are massive! There is some video footage here, it's in Hungarian but six massive cows stopping all the traffic is the same in any language

http://www.chew.hu/grey_cattle_take_in_budapest_o.html

 

[Tengu]

Thats one big bull.

You could have fun with one of those; sit on his back, point in direction you want to go, slap him on the haunches and never be bothered by crowds ever again!

 

[Tengu]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_Grey_Cattle

1.5 metres? I think that guy was short.

 

[fishy1]

Well North of the border (banks of Loch Ness).

That said there are a few just over the ridgeline from me here (on the South Downs). I have no idea what the attraction is of these beasts - perhaps just the fact that they are well adapted and seem to require less "tending" than many of the intensively managed Holsteins etc. I do like the older breeds - from Soay sheep to Saddlebacks and Tamworths - perhaps not as much "produce" but far more interest and able to thrive with less human intervention.

Red

Where abouts on loch ness was it? The east side, especially south of foyers, is one of the best bushcraft locations I have ever been to.

 

[sandbender]

1.5 metres? I think that guy was short.

I don't think he's standing directly in front of the bull, you wouldn't want irritate it

You could have fun with one of those; sit on his back, point in direction you want to go, slap him on the haunches and never be bothered by crowds ever again!

Thats something I'd pay to see

Does anyone know if there an old breed in the UK that has a similar build?

 

[British Red]

Fort Augustus area fishy1 - a beautiful spot

 

[Tengu]

Doubt it, our cattle were bred for meat and milk, not pulling.

Many of our native breeds are rather small.

 

[British Red]

Does anyone know if there an old breed in the UK that has a similar build?

Charolais are bred for size - not really a UK breed (French IIRC) but this UK specimen is tipped to be the largest ever - it has two years of growing left!

Red

 

[Singeblister]

Nice pic as always Red , but when I see that I just want to cut its horns off to make something nice and eat the rest

 

[sam_acw]

I thought most of our native cattle were small and the pigs big. Not a British breed but Heck Cattle look fairly intimidating and in this part of the world there's always a chance of a Bison sighting (in some areas of the national park)

 

[sandbender]

Charolais are bred for size - not really a UK breed (French IIRC) but this UK specimen is tipped to be the largest ever - it has two years of growing left!

Thats a big beastie

Heck Cattlelook fairly intimidating

As the article says they are quite Auroch like

 

[carla]

im really glad to see the photos of those huge beasts. i saw same size in an easter festival in italy and was totally gob smacked......they were huge. now i know i must have been sober....