Question 1

Can you just have one Highland Cow?

Accepted Answer

No, cows are herd animals and are happiest when they have a friend!

Question 2

Where are you located?

Accepted Answer

We are located in Central Victoria! Australia!

Question 3

What will I need to make sure I have before purchasing cattle?

Accepted Answer

Cattle are big animals and whilst Highland Cattle are known for their calm temperaments, the safety of humans is paramount.

You will need to have adequate fencing for your cattle. Cattle can cause serious harm and be injured or killed if they are to escape their paddocks.

To ensure your safety and the wellbeing of the animals we recommend that anyone purchasing cattle ensures they have a cattle crush and yards. You will need to be able to yard your cattle up for vaccinations and general veterinary care.

We also recommend you have basic medical supplies for cattle. (We have an upcoming blog on this) 
In addition to this, it is very important to make enquires as to where your closest big animal vet is, you can hope you will never need a vet but the reality is, you will!

Cattle can be expensive to keep! So don't think you can buy them and have them in a paddock and they will be fine. The reality in Australia is that droughts will often cause dams to dry up and feed in paddocks to die off. So make sure you have the ability and finances to buy in feed and water when required.

Question 4

Do highland cattle have good temperaments?

Accepted Answer

Highland cattle are generally known for their calm disposition. However like any animal, the more time and patience that you put into them, the better the result will be.

Here at Shady Acres Farm, we breed with temperament at the forefront of our minds.

Highland cattle have big personalities, they are inquisitive and no two highlands are the same.

To have the best experience with your cattle, you will need to be willing to put in the time!

Question 5

What maintenance is required?

Accepted Answer

Highlands will look their best if you regularly brush them. Grass seeds and generally muck can get caught up in their hair and it is always better to brush this out or cut it when required.

Highlands love to stick their heads into the hay bales and rip them apart with their horns, so it is important that you regularly check their eyes to make sure there are no signs of grass seeds.

Some cattle may need to have their hooves trimmed so keeping an eye on their feet is always a good idea.

Cattle require vaccinations and drenching to stay healthy and comfortable.

The most obvious but also the most important thing that all cattle require, is constant access to drinking water and feed. Cattle eat and drink A LOT! So make sure you are willing to keep up with their feed needs.

Question 6

When is calving season?

Accepted Answer

We aim for our cows to be calving from late July to early August.

This is different at all farms. For us we like this time of year as we miss the coldest part of winter but our calves aren't being born in the extreme heat either.

Question 7

At what age do you sell calves?

Accepted Answer

Here at Shady Acres Farm we will not sell the calves until they are at least seven months old.

Calves require the colostrum of their mothers to have the best start to life. This gives them an immune boost that calf milk replacer simply cannot provide. Staying with their mothers allows the calf to feed whenever they need, providing them with essential nutrients to thrive.

Obviously, the nature of farming is that sometimes things can happen out of your control and that is when things will require intervention but if we can avoid it, we will always let nature play itself out.

We believe in ethical farming and will only intervene if absolutely necessary. Even if we were to have to bottle feed, we still keep the calf with their mother as we believe this is in the calves best interest. Their mums can teach them a lot of things that we humans simply can't.

Because of this we are not willing to wean early simply so someone can have the calf sooner. 
The welfare of our animals will always come first.

Question 8

Can I keep a bull as a pet?

Accepted Answer

Bulls should never be kept as pets.

Whilst we only keep bulls on the farm who have excellent temperaments, we know that bulls are in nature very different to cows. Bulls are bigger and are flooded with hormones, this can make them unpredictable.

Do we believe our bulls would ever try to hurt us, no.. But we are smart enough to know that our safety on the farm comes first, always. Yes.

Say it louder for the people in the back, BULLS ARE NOT PETS.

This is why we recommend steers and heifers or cows as pets. Bulls are for breeding purposes.

Question 9

What colours do highland cows come in?

Accepted Answer

There are 7 official colours recognised by the breed.

The colours are White, Brindle,  Red, Black, Yellow, Dun, and Silver Dun.

Question 10

Did you change your name?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in early 2025 we underwent a full rebrand! Exciting stuff!!

You may have previously seen us as Adelaide Hills Highlands prior to 2025.

Why? We are interested in expanding our farm and other animals may be bought in, so we wanted a name that would work for whatever we venture into next.

Question 11

Do highland cows calf easily?

Accepted Answer

Highland cattle are generally known for their ease of calving.
More times than not you will go out to find a fresh calf out in the paddock with a healthy mum by their side..

However, as responsible cattle owners it can not be stressed enough the importance of regularly checking your cattle during the calving season. Just because they are generally known for their ease of calving, things can always go wrong. Calves can land themselves in incorrect positions and the mums will require assistance to deliver their calves.

Question 12

Do they need to have their hair cut?

Accepted Answer

This is a common question we receive. Highlands are very good at shedding their coats through summer. If you come out to the farm in summer you can expect that the highlands will have much less fluff than if you came out in winter.

We do however, trim all of our highlands back ends. They are hairy all over and the hair on their backsides in a magnet for all the bodily excretions. It looks nicer and stops heavy dreadlocks forming by trimming away the hair. It also helps to keep the flies away!

FAQ

Frequently asked questions