Shieldaig Croft cattle are run under the HiHealth scheme and are fully accreditied free from BVB, IBR and risk level 1 Johne's.  Our cattle are kept away from all others, roaming free on the hill. The original stock came from Killcohries Fold. All cattle from the croft are also tick-aclimatised.

Pedigree Highland Cattle

The Shieldaig fold originates from some of the highest pedigree Highland Cattle world-wide. Reared from decades of work using careful genetical selection and performance recording, we breed easy calvers that are out-wintered in harsh conditions.  They are reared as they were in the days gone by – on heather and grass, grazing from the tops of the hills down to the sea where they naturally select the minerals and nutrients they need from the land.

We have cattle for sale but you are equally welcome just to come and look.  We'd be happy to show you around.

In addition, we can put you in contact with members of Aird Farming Group, who provide world-class semen and embryos for export.

The Beef

Highland beef is slow-maturing making it a premium beef.  The majority of Highlanders are reared naturally on grass and moorland. They are agile, sure-footed animals who can cover a remarkable distance, keeping them fit and lean. The end result is a beef which is well marbled with low fat and cholesterol, yet rich in protein and flavour. 

The Story of the Highlanders

With its original homeland in Western Scotland, the Highlander is one of Britain's oldest and best known breeds.  It is a majestic animal with a long thick coat and wide sweeping horns which can survive where other breeds of cattle cannot.  It is on these vast areas of poor mountain land that the Highlanders thrive, calving outside and surviving harsh conditions out-wintered.  The contribution they make to the land is significant.  A single cow will generate one quarter of its own bodyweight in invertebrate life, thus greatly enhancing the birdlife, improving the ground and converting poor grazing into useful pasture.  It is perhaps for this reason that they have become so popular world-wide with Folds established from the Faroe Islands to Australia and from Sweden to 10,000 feet up in the  Andes.

The Highlanders are remarkable for their longevity with many cows breeding in excess of eighteen years having borne fifteen calves.  They make superb mothers and are known for their ease of calving and low maintenance.  They do not require expensive buildings or elaborate feed thereby making them also one of the cheapest breeds to establish and keep, whilst producing first class premium beef.