Talk:Highland cattle

Texas Longhorn cattle

I reformatted the external links and added a bit more information. The reason I started a talk page, though, was the information about Texas Longhorn cattle being derived from Highlanders. I can't find a citation for that, and it's in direct contradiction to what the Longhorn Wikipedia article says. If anyone can cite a reputable source, we can put that info back. - Gary D Robson 19:34, 27 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Hairy coos! SOOOO CUTE! jengod 05:15, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

Added Link

Is it possible to ad www.highland-cattle.co.nz to the links page of Scottish Highland Cattle. Independent Highland Cattle Breeders Academy is a New Zealand Society established to record the pedigrees for its members of their Highland Cattle. Thank you for your consideration. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 60.234.64.178 (talk) 19:06, 7 April 2007 (UTC).

Site looks suitable, added. Bobbacon 21:20, 23 April 2007 (UTC)

Highland Cattle in the Andes!

Does anyone have any information on Highland Cattle living in the Andes (HCS UK ) I would love to see some pictures of these or know how they are getting on, where they came from or even how many are there? I would also be interested in learning of other Folds in obscure place in the World that these amazing cattle call home! Judemac 16:49, 21 April 2007 (UTC)Judemacd

Hi there! I´m adding pictures from Exposición Rural Argentina 2009. --Exepm (talk) 00:19, 29 January 2010 (UTC)

Picture captions

Highlands are not my breed, but as a cattle farmer I'm reasonably familiar with the differences in appearance between bulls, cows and steers. Without being able to see the animals' "bits", it's not possible to be certain, but I'm sure the labels as they were were wrong, so I've changed them. The one now labelled "cow" ("Highland cow.JPG") is certainly not a bull, and could be a cow (adult female) or possibly an ox (an adult castrated male; a mature steer): it's mature, because the horns are well-grown, but it does not have enough masculine features to be an entire bull (the features are quite delicate, the horns are up-sweeping). The one now labelled "bull" ("Cow highland cattle.jpg") might possibly be a very heavily built and overweight ox, but the thick, relatively short horns (which are not upward-sweeping), the very muscular neck and very broad head make it look like a bull (adult, uncastrated male). It's certainly not a cow. The photo files themselves are both named as "cow", but I fear this is the layman's generic "cattle-singular" term, not an accurate description of type. Unless anyone has direct knowledge of these individual animals, I think my labels are the best we can do. If anyone disagrees, or is unhappy with a definite label for an unknown animal, I suggest we just don't label them at all, or change the pictures for ones of known type. --Richard New Forest (talk) 21:03, 19 May 2008 (UTC)

Your explanations make sense to me. I think most people (like me) are just ignorant and welcome corrections from a professional. Thanks for your effort! Rror (talk) 21:28, 19 May 2008 (UTC)

Highland Cows

Just to say that Highland cows have also been imported in Switzerland, in the Bernese Oberland. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.109.83.25 (talk) 13:51, 30 August 2009 (UTC)

Size?

A comment on size would be nice. Kevink707 (talk) 15:14, 12 April 2010 (UTC)

The Dutch Wikipedia says a mature bull can weight up to 800 kilos, and a cow up to 500. Besides that, it also says they can get 18 years old and their gestation varies between 95 and 112 days, making them able to give birth to up to 15 calves.

---

— Preceding unsigned comment added by Seth Knops (talk • contribs) 14:20, 30 September 2012 (UTC)

Neutrality?

"...as well as retaining its undoubted appeal as one of the most handsome beasts that could adorn any landscape." Really? I'll be, uh, removing that particularly non-neutral fragment, someone might want to make a pass and remove any other clearly PoV statements. --69.209.60.108 (talk) 23:15, 20 September 2011 (UTC)

GA Review

This review is transcluded from Talk:Highland cattle/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.

Reviewer: Cwmhiraeth (talk · contribs) 10:41, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

• I propose to take on this review. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 10:41, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

First reading

Here are a few preliminary comments:

• The lead section is very brief. It should provide a summary of the information provided elsewhere in the article.
• The word "cattle" is a plural word meaning a number of bovine animals, and the caption "A Highland cattle in the Highlands" for example, uses the word wrongly.  Done
• The article needs a "description" section.  Done
• Several of the things mentioned in the infobox need expansion in the text.  Done
• The second paragraph of the "The breed" section has no citations.  Done
• The section "Commercial use" has no citations.  Done
• The sections "Commercial use" and "Commercial success" immediately attracted my attention. They are written in a rather sophisticated style, different from other parts of the article, and seem to be a copyvio of this site, or alternatively they both may be copyvios of some previously-existing work.  Done

• • I think the article needs quite a lot of improvement before it will reach the standards required for a GA. The copyvios are the most serious fault. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 11:01, 26 April 2015 (UTC)
  • I can see that the copyvios predate your involvement with the article. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 12:28, 26 April 2015 (UTC)
• What do you mean by description? Is is 'the breed? TheMagikCow (talk) 14:15, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

I meant the breed characteristics - the sort of things dealt with in the articles Murray Grey cattle and Belted Galloway. Such things as their size, build, coat, horns, growth rate, age to maturity, temperament, milking ability, etc. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 17:44, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

• @Cwmhiraeth: Is the article better now?

• Yes indeed, the article is much improved. A few further points
• I doubt the first image is a bull. It has no ring in its nose and looks more like a heifer or steer to me. See the bull illustrated on this page for comparison.  Done
• The NWHCA site just mentioned has a bit more information on the history of the breed.  Done
• The black cattle pictured are probably not bulls either.  Done
• The "Shows" section is hardly worth having but if you want to keep it, there is a typo in the last sentence.  Done
• The "External links" section lists a number of countries with highland cattle societies and it would be good to include information in the article on other countries where they are kept.  Done
• References should go immediately behind punctuation marks without an intervening space.  Done
  • Nearly there! Cwmhiraeth (talk) 06:00, 28 April 2015 (UTC)
• @Cwmhiraeth: Fingers Crossed! TheMagikCow (talk) 15:40, 28 April 2015 (UTC)

GA criteria

• I have done some copyediting and changed the capitalisation, and I think the article is now sufficiently well-written and complies with MOS guidelines on prose and grammar, structure and layout.
• The article uses many reliable third-party sources, and makes frequent citations to them. However, the citations should be fuller (I have done a couple) and an accessdate should be given for the date you visited websites.
• I do not believe the article contains original research.
• The article covers the main aspects of the subject and remains focussed.
• The article is neutral.
• The article is stable.
• The images are relevant and have suitable captions, and are properly licensed.

• Final assessment - Cwmhiraeth (talk) 09:59, 1 May 2015 (UTC)