HIGHLAND CATTLE SHOW & SALE
For farming enthusiasts, Oban is home of the most prestigious Highland cattle sales in Scotland. Each year, under the auspices of the Highland Cattle Society, Oban Livestock Centre hosts a spring bull sale with buyers flying in from all over Europe to bid for top quality Highland cattle to improve their own folds, followed by a great female show and sale in October, which also brings buyers from all over Europe. The 120th annual Highland Cattle Autumn Show will takes place at Oban Livestock Centre, Upper Soroba, on Sunday October 8, followed by the sale on Monday October 9, with both events starting at 10am. Trophies, prizes and awards will be judged by Mr Matt Auld of the Pollok Fold, and Mr Angus MacGillivray will judge the best young handler. The breed has a long and distinguished ancestry in Argyll and some of the best examples of the breed are from Argyll and the Islands. Animals are regularly sold at well over 2,000 guineas each. According to the Highland Cattle Society, the breed has changed little over the years and there are written records dating back to the 18th century. The Highland Cattle Herd Book, which lists pedigrees, was first published in 1885 and new folds (as herds of Highlanders are known) are added to the society’s database each year of British Highlanders. The breed standard was first set down in 1885 and has been used ever since. New folds are founded every year both at home and abroad and, in recent years, Highland cattle societies have been started in Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Germany, Holland, Finland, France, Switzerland and Norway – and there are also Highlanders in
Luxembourg, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Poland and the Faroe Islands. In the British Isles, folds are found from the furthest south to the extreme north on many different types of ground varying from the slopes of the Sussex Downs and the fenlands of East Anglia, to the windswept machars of the Outer Hebrides. While the breed is remarkably versatile and can adapt to many different terrains, there is universal agreement that it does best in the west of Scotland on poor mountain land with relatively high annual rainfall and cold westerly winds. The cattle positively thrive in this often harsh environment, calving outdoors and converting poor grazing far more effectively than other breeds. Highlanders also make great eating. Their beef is healthy and nutritious with lower levels of fat and cholesterol and a higher protein and iron content that other beef. Look out for the ‘Guaranteed Pure Highland Beef’ trademark.