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The Black Fold

The Black Fold

This specialist group from the bloodlines of the Highland Cattle bought at the Rigg dispersal sale constitutes a high quality, highly productive black Highlander that has consistently achieved top prices both privately and at pedigree Highland Cattle sales.

Two Black Highland Calves

Black Highland Calves

This group of Highland Cattle have been bred pure black for many generations and since being under the management of Killochries only the highest productivity cattle have been kept.

The black herd has sold bulls to many other Highland Cattle Folds giving them a high-quality bloodline that has been successful not only in show rings but also in obtaining premium prices at pedigree sales.

Bulls

Calum Seoladair Dubh of Killochries (R1044 00065) was the first home bred stock bull used with this group. (Calum’s “Signet” score is available through this link on the Society site). Calum had excellent rib eye score and EBV and has produced the quality bulls that have been so successful with many discerning folds.

At the end of 2009 we have bought back one of his most successful sons Calum Seoladair Dubh 2nd of Killochries and in the early part of 2010 we successfully drew semen to protect this important bloodline. (Calum 2nd’s score). Calum passed all the health tests making his semen marketable worldwide.

Also during 2009 we bought back Doughall of Killochries after a successful career at Ardalanish in Mull. Doughall is a son of Seamus of Killochries. Seamus, our first home bred stock bull, produced some excellent early maturing stock with very high 200-day milk scores. On Doughall’s mother’s side are some of the best Rigg bloodlines and Doughall has inherited their black gene producing a high proportion of black calves.

Doughall ran mainly with Calum’s daughters and had an excellent career at Killochries, producing some excellent calves since 2010. 

“In my grandfather’s day no colour was considered right for highland cattle but black. The great thing then was to have a fold of black cows. No one would look at the reds and yellows and cream and duns, which are all the rage nowadays. Though the blacks have since become unpopular, I have been told by the very best of old judges of Highland cattle that there is nothing to beat the blacks for hardiness and that new strains of fancy coloured cattle are much softer and have not the same constitution.”

 

Osgood Mackenzie (1842 – 1922)