Poss family raises a different kind of cow

There is something different

about those cows.

One western

Nebraska family breeds,

raises and shows a heritage

breed of cattle named for the

rugged and remote area in

which it has flourished for centuries,

the Scottish Highlands,

and there is something different

about them.

Heather and Gordon Poss,

along with their children -

Mitchell, Jonathan and Emily -

raise this breed not just because

it reflects their own Scottish

heritage, but also because this

breed's hearty nature makes

it well-suited to the climate of

western Nebraska, just as it is

perfect for the rugged terrain

and unpredictable weather of

the Scottish Highlands.

Though the Poss family, owners

of Bennachie Farms, currently

raise 200 to 250 head of

cattle, a number which has gone

as high as 350, the family patriarch

said they are primarily

farmers, not ranchers.

This breed of cattle is often

misunderstood and unfairly

feared, Heather said, due to the

horns that every adult grows.

However, that is not the only

trait that sets this breed apart from others.

They also grow long hair which

keeps them warm in cold climates,

yet they are comfortable in the

summer heat due to their low fat

content. Because they grow at a

slower rate and spend less energy

producing a warming layer of fat,

Scottish Highland cattle produce

lean meat, often sought after by

high-end restaurants.

"Right now we sell to a rancher

in Colorado, they are finishing

them out on grass and selling

to the high-end restaurants by

Aspen," Gordon said.

Heather added that in the

eastern United States, one hospital

signed a contract for the lean

Highland beef to serve in their cardiac

ward.

The Poss family also finishes

some of their cattle on their pastures

for themselves and to sell.

"Do you know what's in your

meat? We do because we grow what

they eat," Heather said. "That's our

biggest motto."

The Highland cattle's slower rate

of weight gain makes the breed less

popular among commercial producers,

as an Angus can be finished

out in 12 months while a Highland

may take 15.

However, she said that these

docile animals offer many characteristics

not often seen in cattle,

including the highest maternal

instincts and a sense of community

when calves are born.

"One thing they are known for is

their mothering ability, so we rarely

have to pull calves," Emily said.

"They will also be protective if you

get near their calves, but for the

most we find they are a little bit

more docile than any other cows.

They also seem to have a designated

babysitter which is usually one

of the older cows. So all the others

will be out in the pasture and there

will be babies with this one cow

and you can just tell she is babysitting

while the moms eat."

"They have personality, they are

not just cattle, they actually do

have personality, I can't explain it,"

Heather said. "We don't treat them

like pets, they are cattle and they

are beef cattle primarily."

Emily added that many owners

have small herds of 10 that are a

hobby and are looked at as pets.

While their family recognizes the

cattle's unique traits, and chose

them for those traits, they maintain

them as cattle, not pets.

"With kids, their docile nature is

one of the reasons we picked this

particular breed," Gordon said.

"We didn't want anybody to get

hurt."

The children were able to show

the cattle through 4-H at the early

age of 8, and then graduated to

showing with FFA as well as the

National Western Stock Show in

Denver. The stock show is similar

to an FFA or 4-H show on a larger

scale, according to the Poss's, with

participants from around the world.

Emily said that showing the

young beasts was not intimidating,

as she grew up knowing how

to respect them and worked often

with the show stock.

"They would show animals they

had known since babyhood," her mother added. "When we show, it is

very hands-on. The animal needs to

know them."

The family previously participated

in the National Western Stock

Show annually, but as the children

became active in sports, the family

had a decision to make. Ultimately,

they stopped showing to accommodate

their game and practice

schedules.

"We sat down as a family and

said, 'Which way do you want to

go?' and the kids said they wanted

to do sports," Heather said. "So we

quit showing. We started showing

again last year."

Their first year back following a

9-year hiatus, they showed a grand

champion and all of their animals

earned ribbons.

Many of the Scottish Highland

showmen come from the eastern

United States. This particular stock

show is a big deal for the Poss

family as it is the largest national

show for the American Highland

Cattle Association.

"It is one of the largest Highland

shows in the world," Heather said.

While in Denver, the family

competes against other Highland

breeds, though they do not raise

the breed specifically to show, as

some do. More importantly, the

stock show offers them family time,

as well as a time to connect with

friends from across the nation with

their same passion for Scottish

Highland cattle.

"My best friend in the industry is

from Michigan, so I get to see her,"

Heather said. "We catch up with

people from New York that we don't

get to see except for in Denver."

The family says that other

Scottish Highland showmen have

become like an extended family,

and the stock show is their social

gathering.

"The people who do it, do it for

the love and passion of the breed,"

Emily said. "I love educating

people at the stock show as to why

Highlands are not that different

and not that scary."