The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Oban sets the scene for Highland cattle festival
Event with largest entry for several years will attract breeders from UK and abroad
Highland cattle breeders from the UK and overseas are gearing up for their annual February fling in Oban.
The event, which kicks off with the show tomorrow, has attracted the largest entry for several years, with a total of 55 bulls and 70 females on offer. Also forward for the following day’s sale is a record entry of 12 black Highland bulls and a draft consignment of 13 in-calf heifers from Iain and Sheena Graham’s Killochries fold. One exhibitor who is busy preparing is north-east breeder and society council member Craig Finnie, who runs the Richmondhill fold.
It was established in 2004 when he purchased two pedigree heifers from the Cnoc fold at the Royal Highland Show then others from the Ardbhan fold, and in 2006 he paid 5,000gn for Connachat of Greybrae.
“Highland cattle get dismissed as a hobby breed but they cover all bases and can be crossed well with other native or continental breeds,” he said.
“It’s a case of output over input as you don’t have to put as much into Highlanders – they’re low maintenance, hardy and good, milky mothers but they’ve still to be looked after.”
Craig’s cattle are outwintered all year round and survive upon the harsh, salty cliffs of Boddam and Longhaven, situated on the edge of the North Sea.
“The Highland cattle breed is probably all that would stand up to the weather conditions here,” he said
Quality in the fold has been improved with the use of the home-bred stock bull Charles of Richmondhill which was bred from one of the fold’s foundation females, Banarach of Cnoc.
He is sire to most of Craig’s show winners including the April 2016-born bull Philip of Richmondhill, which is one of the fold’s entries for Oban. He stood champion at last year’s Black Isle and New Deer shows.
As for what the future holds for Highland cattle, Craig is optimistic.
He said: “Surely there is more money to be made in a breed that requires very little input and that can be crossed to any other breed to produce quality beef carcases or a hardy suckler cow.”
The show starts at 10am tomorrow at Oban Livestock Centre and the sale takes place on Monday at 10am.