Home | Philosophy | Management | Articles | Sires Breeding Stock For Sale | Stock Wanted | Meat Prices Utilization of Highlanders in Silviculture by William H. Baker As full-time family farmers, it is necessary for us to operate a diversified farm to remain profitable in these challenging times. Since 1962 when my wife and I moved back to the farm I was raised on, the various aspects of our diversification has been predicated upon the seasons of the year. This willingness to change and diversify has been the norm since 1926 when my parents purchased our original farm acreage. Since that date, there have been many enterprises formed on this land. Initially, it was sheep, turkeys and maple syrup. Then the sheep and turkeys were replaced by a milking operation utilizing very versatile and tough grade Holsteins. Around the World War II era, local creameries were failing and the focus was changed from milk to butter production. I remember very clearly in the forties peddling sweet cream butter with my parents for one dollar (U.S.) a pound. In those days a family could get by on the income from a dozen cows. Currently, our fall season begins in earnest the end of October when all our energies are concentrated on our balsam Christmas wreath business. For the last fifteen years we have made and retailed up to 4000 balsam wreaths, 2000 yards of balsam garlands and a host of other Christmas decorations each season. It was the Christmas wreath business that initiated our involvement with Highlanders. By 1969 it became apparent one of the crops our land wanted to grow was balsam fir. With cooperation and wisdom from one of our neighbors, who has a similar environment, we began our balsam wreath operation. From the beginning it was obvious our natural balsam stands of younger trees would require weeding and thinning of young hardwoods and grasses on a yearly basis. Roadways had to be kept open and the balsam needed to be free of competition to develop optimally. The task of weeding and thinning would have been extremely expensive if dependent upon hired labor, therefore that approach would not have been economically feasible . Our neighbor had used Herefords to accomplish some weeding of his balsam stand in prior years, but not being browsers, their success was limited. Around 1970, I began to research cattle breeds that were browsers and would fit our environment. Two breeds appeared to have the requirements. One, the Galloway, the other, Highlanders. At that time, there were no Galloways east of the Mississippi and Highlanders, though certainly not common, were available in the Northeast, hence the logical choice. In June of 1971, we purchased three unbred Highland heifers and thus began our long association with this breed. Over the past twenty-six years, we have gained much knowledge, made frequent mistakes and are still learning how to best utilize Highlanders in natural balsam stands. Our initial education was in approximately thirty acres of balsam ranging in size from seedlings to trees about twenty feet tall. Basically, we allowed the area to be over browsed, discovering you cannot utilize a balsam stand populated with young trees for general pasture on a year 'round basis. After the most succulent grass is grazed and the majority of the hard wood is browsed, Highlanders will start nipping the balsam. Also, during the winter months, when they are being fed hay, they will browse the balsam, particularly in loafing areas. In such a case, they will decimate the evergreens, probably more out of boredom as opposed to any nutritional requirements. Today, depending upon the height of the balsam and the hardwood browse vs. balsam ratio, we will rotate our cattle through the stands over a time period from several weeks to a summer pasture season. During the summer of '97, we will be developing a new balsam stand of approximately 50 acres. In this parcel, the balsam runs from seedlings to mature trees intermixed with hardwood saplings and brush with a little native grass. After cutting the mature balsam, and wishing to encourage the seedlings and younger trees, we will turn in approximately 20 head after the new growth has hardened off, which is mid-August in our region. The cattle will be monitored every other day and when their browsing has progressed to about 75% completion, and prior to any balsam damage, they will be removed. In two other summer pastures, which we do not own, comprising of over 100 acres and containing about 30% balsam, the owners, desiring the browsing/grazing service of our Highlanders, provide all the fencing and its maintenance, rudimentary loading corrals, and pay part of the cattle transportation costs to and from these pastures. In return, we harvest the balsam each fall for our wreath operation and pay them stumpage for the greens cut. In another similar pasturing situation, the owner markets rather large Christmas trees for commercial displays and with these larger trees, we can utilize this area during the entire summer pasture season accomplishing brush control with no balsam damage. For the last 26 years, we have made it a point to vigorously cull our cattle to promote what are called the six economic essentials: fertility, disposition, hardiness, optimum milk production, carcass conformation/quality on the rail and weight gain. We try to give each essential equal weight thus producing a balanced animal. By monitoring weight gain twice yearly, we are able to identify those animals that gain well in our relatively low energy balsam "pastures." We retain these animals as replacements or for seed stock sales, culling the poor doers. Over the years, we have observed that not all Highlanders have the same inclination to browse. As we are in the meat business as well as seed stock sales, we cross breed with several of the English breeds to obtain a heavier carcass within a given time period. It is very interesting to note that a crossbred calf from a functional Highland dam that is an aggressive browser, will have the same inclination to browse as her purebred calf. Whether this is a genetic influence in the calf, its association with its dam, or some of both, I do not know. However, it makes the Highland influenced crossbreed more valuable as its utilization of rather poor quality pasture is certainly an economic plus. The Highland breed still retains a wealth of functional genetics which have been lost by most other beef breeds through man's "tinkering." Although this article focuses on just one niche where Highland genetics are utilized in a unique manner, I recommend the exploration of various other management options where functional Highlanders may be used for the mutual benefit of the breed and their owners. Written and submitted for publication in the Canadian Highland Cattle Society Quarterly April 1997
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