8 Fluffy, Long-Haired Cow Breeds: An Overview (with Pictures)

If you are looking to purchase a new cow for your property or are just looking to learn more about the different breeds, it can help to sort them into different categories to make them easier to compare. Right now, we will look at several long-haired breeds to help you see what the differences are between these cows and help you narrow your search. For each kind, we’ll give you a summary telling you a little bit about it along with an image so you can see what it looks like to help you make an informed purchase.

Click below to jump ahead:

• Long Haired Cow Breeds
• Furry Cow Breeds

The 1 Long-Haired Cow Breed

1. Highlander

If you were looking for long-haired cattle, you don’t need to look any further than the Highlander. These cows are from Scotland, and no one is quite sure of their exact origin. This breed has the longest hair of all cows, and they’re immense, often growing to nearly 4 feet tall and weighing more than 1,500 pounds. Some mature bulls can weigh as much as 1,800 pounds. As you might have guessed, Highlander cattle can withstand extreme cold and are suitable for areas like Norway and Canada. The meat is low in cholesterol, and these cows can thrive on a poor pasture.

The 7 Furry Cow Breeds

2. Belted Galloway

The Belted Galloway is the first furry cow breed on our list, and it’s also from Scotland like the long-haired Highlander. This is a naturally polled breed which means it doesn’t have horns, and its fuzzy appearance causes many people to keep them for ornamentation, though they are popular for their marbled meat. It has a soft undercoat that provides thermal insulation and waterproofing, allowing it to withstand extremely cold temperatures. Bulls can weigh as much as 2,300 pounds and average about 1,800 pounds, while the cows average 1,250.

3. Chillingham

Chillingham Wild Cattle are a breed of fuzzy cows that live in an enclosed park in Chillingham Castle, England. These are smaller cattle with upright horns that typically weigh a little over 600 pounds. These cows are not tamed in any way and behave like wild animals, so this is one breed you will not be able to purchase for the farm.

4. Galloway

The Galloway cattle is one of the world’s oldest established breeds. It originated in Scotland back in the 17^th century, and it’s a fuzzy black, red, or dun cow that can weigh as much as 2,300 pounds. It has a thick double coat that helps it survive cold temperatures, and it’s popular for its meat production.

5. Luing

The Luing breed is from Luing Island, and it’s a mixed breed with the Highlander and the Beef Shorthorn as parents. It was first created in 1947 and was the first new cattle breed in Britain in more than 100 years. They have a long lifespan and can give birth to as many as 10 calves in a lifetime. It’s a popular breed for its flavorful meat.

6. Shetland

The Shetland is another Scottish cow that has black and white markings. They are smaller than many other breeds, with the bulls usually weighing no more than 1,300 pounds. Their fur coat helps protect them from cold temperatures, and the primary use is to provide meat. Farmers like them because they are low maintenance.

7. South Devon

South Devon cattle are a large breed from southwest England and are primarily used for food. Farmers used to use this breed as a draught animal, and it also produced milk and meats. However, its udders are not well suited to mechanical milking, so it became a meat-only animal in the 1970s. It’s very fast-growing, and adults often reach 49 inches tall, weighing more than 2,500 pounds

8. Whitebred Shorthorn

The Whitebread Shorthorn is a British cow with a fluffy appearance. These cows produce meat with a good flavor, and breeders mix the Whitebred Shorthorn with Black Galloway cows to produce the Blue Grey hybrid, which is popular in both Europe and Scotland due to their ability to eat coarse grasses, which are prevalent in these areas.

Summary

As you can see, there are quite a few long-haired and fuzzy cattle breeds. These cows are well suited to cold weather, and many are willing to eat the rough and sparse grasses that grow in this area, allowing farmers to produce more milk and cheese with fewer resources. Many of these cows are large, which means they can double as a draught horse if you need them to. Even though many are primarily for producing meat, you can still use them for producing milk if you prefer, and most will do a good job.

We hope you enjoyed reading this short guide and found a few breeds you would like to try out. If we have helped you choose your next farm addition, please share this guide to fluffy, long-haired cow breeds on Facebook and Twitter.

• Related Read: 15 Fascinating and Fun Cow Facts

Featured Image Credit: Stelogic, Pixabay