If you have seen a baby Highland cow online, you already know the appeal: a fuzzy teddy bear on four legs with a tiny fringe of hair over its eyes. At Mini Moo Land we have seven of them, Hershey, Milo, Biscuit, Cocoa, Mocha, Tipper and Smokey, all born this fall. Here is what we have learned (and what guests ask us most) about Highland calves.
1. A Baby Highland Cow Is Called A Calf
Like all cattle, a baby Highland is a calf. A young female is a heifer calf and a young male is a bull calf. In Scotland you may also hear Highlands called "coos," and a group of Highland cattle is called a fold, a name that goes back to the stone shelters that once protected herds in winter.
2. Moms Are Pregnant For About Nine Months
Highland cows carry their calves for roughly 277 to 290 days, about the same as a human pregnancy. They almost always have one calf at a time. Twins happen, but they are rare.
3. Calves Weigh About 50 To 60 Pounds At Birth
A study of standard-size Highland herds found average birth weights of about 24 to 25 kilograms, or roughly 53 to 55 pounds. Mini Highland calves are smaller still. Either way, they are lightweight compared with many beef breeds, which is part of why Highlands have a reputation for easy calving.
4. Highlands Are Famous For Easy Births
Breeders prize Highlands for calving on their own. In one Czech study of a Highland herd raised outdoors, every single birth happened without any human help. Small calves, a hardy mother and generations of life on rugged hills all play a part.
5. They Stand Up Fast
Like other calves, newborn Highlands are usually up on wobbly legs within about an hour of birth, looking for their first meal. That first milk, called colostrum, is packed with antibodies and is vital in the first hours of life.
6. They Are Born Fluffy
Highland calves arrive with a soft, fuzzy coat that makes them look like stuffed animals. As they grow, they develop the breed's famous double coat: a long, coarse outer layer over a downy undercoat. The baby fluff is part of why calves are such a hit on social media.
7. No Horns At Birth
Both male and female Highlands grow horns, but calves are not born with them. Small horn buds appear in the first weeks and months, and the full sweeping horns take years to develop.
8. They Come In Lots Of Colors
Reddish brown is the most common Highland color, making up around 60 percent of the breed. Yellow is next at roughly 22 percent. The rest are black, dun, white or silver, and brindle. Calf colors often shift a little as their adult coat comes in.
9. They Play Like Puppies
Calves run, buck, kick up their heels and gently butt heads with each other. It is how they build strength and learn their place in the herd. If you visit Mini Moo Land on a cool morning, there is a good chance you will catch a round of calf zoomies.
10. Bottle Calves Eat Several Times A Day
A calf raised with its mother nurses many times a day. Calves raised on the bottle drink milk or milk replacer on a regular schedule, then gradually move on to hay, grass and grain. Our calves are bottle-fed three times a day, at 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM, and guests can hold the bottle at each feeding.
One thing to know before you go: calves drink fast, and they are enthusiastic about it. Hold on tight and have someone ready with a camera.
11. Calves Are Usually Weaned Around Six To Seven Months
Calves that stay with their mothers are typically weaned at around six to seven months old. The American Highland Cattle Association uses 205 days as its standard weaning age for weight records. Bottle-raised calves are often weaned sooner as they move onto solid food.
12. They Grow Up Slowly
Highlands are a slow-maturing breed. Heifers reach breeding age at around 18 months, and they keep filling out for years after that. They are also long-lived, often reaching up to about 20 years, so a calf you meet this fall could be greeting visitors for a very long time.
Where To Bottle-Feed A Baby Highland Cow Near Orlando
At Mini Moo Land in Kissimmee, the VIP Bottle Feeding Experience lets you hold the bottle for one of our baby Highland calves. It is $65 per guest and includes admission, so you also get to pet, cuddle and hand-feed the rest of the herd. Feedings happen daily at 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM, and spots are limited, so reserve ahead. Walk-ups are welcome when space allows. You can also meet each of our calves by name.
Make It A Boggy Creek Day
Mini Moo Land is one stop inside Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures, a Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice park with more than 9,000 reviews. After you meet the herd, the rest of the park is right there:
- Ride an airboat through the headwaters of the Everglades and look for wild alligators, turtles and wading birds. Choose a one-hour tour, a sunset tour or a night tour under the stars.
- Dig for gems at the 70-foot Prospector Gem Mine, where kids sift for semi-precious stones, fossils and crystals.
- Walk through Lily's Butterfly Garden and its native butterflies and plants.
- Visit the Gator Pond.
- Eat lakeside at Boggy Bottom BBQ.
The easiest way to do it all is the 1-hour airboat ride and Mini Moo Land combo, which costs $10 less than booking both separately.
