Highland Cattle
Highland Cattle aren't native to Devon, but they belong here!
At least, they belong on a farm like ours. The way we farm at Springwater, working with the land rather than against it, suits the Highland perfectly, and the feeling is mutual.
Their long shaggy coats mean they graze happily through bramble and thicket, tackling the rough ground flora between our pastures and woodland that other breeds would turn their noses up at. They handle cold, wind and wet with ease. A Devon hillside in January is nothing compared to what they were bred for on the Scottish moors.
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They're also remarkable converters, able to turn the roughest forage into milk and muscle with quiet efficiency. That makes them outstanding mothers outdoors, and ideal for a purely pasture-fed system, which is the only way we believe beef should be raised. Our Highlands graze our organic grass, grow slowly, and produce beef of exceptional quality right here in Devon.
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So why don't more farmers keep them? It comes down to economics. Highlands carry a lighter carcass than most commercial breeds, and farmers who sell to processors get paid by weight. A lighter animal means less money, so the industry has largely moved on from them.
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At Springwater Farm, the lightness of the Highlands is nothing but a benefit. Their lighter frame means they graze our clay soils with far less compaction, which is better for soil health, biodiversity and the wider ecosystem. That slow growth isn't a drawback either, it's exactly what produces the beef we're proud to sell. When an animal takes its time, it lays down intramuscular fat the way nature intended, giving the meat its deep flavour, tenderness and the rich dark colour that's the hallmark of a true heritage breed.
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You won't find that on a supermarket shelf!