I can remember my mother referring to them that way too. On Sep 18, 2007, at 6:42 PM, Isabella Moreland wrote: My Dad referred to one of them as a " Mukkle coo !! " Isabella ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruce Fletcher (Stronsay)" <[email protected]> Date: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 10:41 am Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Highland Cattle To: [email protected] > stephen davie wrote: >> One of the favorite beasts here is the Highland Cattle breed. > Poor as  >> they are on the test stations for daily rate of gain on > controlled  >> programs, they have become hereabouts  "estate cattle", > with slow  >> growth and several unique qualities but with incredible > personable  >> traits. They are frugal keepers, existing on the toughest of > pasture  >> and in the worst of weather with little or no shelter. They > have a  >> great fury hide to tan like a buffalo, and great whacking > horns to  >> intimidate city folk intruders.Ttheir back fat content > measures less  >> than skinned boned chicken breast. They inspire a dignified > air to  >> any country place, like a cupola and a wind vane on a barn roof. >> >> I understand the blunt economics of the cattle biz, but indeed > why  >> are there not more highlands in Orkney? Were they not the > original  >> beasts up there? > >  From what I remember from our time in the Scottish > Highlands (Brora, > Sutherland - 30 years ago) Highland cattle both graze and browse > as well > as eating plants that other cattle avoid. I don't know about the > rest of > Orkney but the monks on Papa Stronsay used to have a few > Highland cows. > The original inhabitants of Skara Brae ate cattle that might > have been > of the highland type - see <http://www.cruachan.com.au/history.htm> > -- > Bruce Fletcher > Stronsay, Orkney > <www.stronsay.co.uk/claremont> > "Do you get virgin wool from ugly sheep?" > _______________________________________ > Orcadia Group Photo Album > http://tinyurl.com/28bx9x > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ORCADIA- > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > Isabella _______________________________________ Orcadia Group Photo Album http://tinyurl.com/28bx9x ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message Evelyn S. Hlabse Richmond Heights, Ohio http://homepage.mac.com/evelynhlabse/Home/home.html

In some Scottish dialects "muckle" would mean big. R -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Evelyn Hlabse Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 5:49 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Highland Cattle I can remember my mother referring to them that way too. On Sep 18, 2007, at 6:42 PM, Isabella Moreland wrote: My Dad referred to one of them as a " Mukkle coo !! " Isabella ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruce Fletcher (Stronsay)" <[email protected]> Date: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 10:41 am Subject: Re: [ORCADIA] Highland Cattle To: [email protected] > stephen davie wrote: >> One of the favorite beasts here is the Highland Cattle breed. > Poor as  >> they are on the test stations for daily rate of gain on > controlled  >> programs, they have become hereabouts  "estate cattle", > with slow  >> growth and several unique qualities but with incredible > personable  >> traits. They are frugal keepers, existing on the toughest of > pasture  >> and in the worst of weather with little or no shelter. They > have a  >> great fury hide to tan like a buffalo, and great whacking > horns to  >> intimidate city folk intruders.Ttheir back fat content > measures less  >> than skinned boned chicken breast. They inspire a dignified > air to  >> any country place, like a cupola and a wind vane on a barn roof. >> >> I understand the blunt economics of the cattle biz, but indeed > why  >> are there not more highlands in Orkney? Were they not the > original  >> beasts up there? > >  From what I remember from our time in the Scottish > Highlands (Brora, > Sutherland - 30 years ago) Highland cattle both graze and browse > as well > as eating plants that other cattle avoid. I don't know about the > rest of > Orkney but the monks on Papa Stronsay used to have a few > Highland cows. > The original inhabitants of Skara Brae ate cattle that might > have been > of the highland type - see <http://www.cruachan.com.au/history.htm> > -- > Bruce Fletcher > Stronsay, Orkney > <www.stronsay.co.uk/claremont> > "Do you get virgin wool from ugly sheep?" > _______________________________________ > Orcadia Group Photo Album > http://tinyurl.com/28bx9x > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ORCADIA- > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > Isabella _______________________________________ Orcadia Group Photo Album http://tinyurl.com/28bx9x ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message Evelyn S. Hlabse Richmond Heights, Ohio http://homepage.mac.com/evelynhlabse/Home/home.html _______________________________________ Orcadia Group Photo Album http://tinyurl.com/28bx9x ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message