A Load Of Old Bull 🐂

Most of you will know that we keep a few cows. I had always wanted cattle and was looking for a hardy native breed that could be kept outside year-round.

That search led me to Kate Sankey’s herd of Shetland cattle near Stirling, and for my 50th birthday, I received Laura—a four-year-old cow who was pregnant and had a calf at foot.

Over the years, we’ve borrowed bulls from Kate and later bought a bull calf who stayed with us for two years. Colin, as he was called, was not the most pleasant character. While he was manageable for John, I never fully trusted him and wouldn’t enter a field alone with him. On the plus side, our customers told us he was very tasty!

We needed a new bull for autumn calving this year, and I had dreams of getting an Aberdeen Angus. However, with only four breeding cows and the cost of a bull running

into the thousands, we needed another solution.

At the farmers' markets, we often set up next to Ann Davidson Butchers, where Stevie, Ann’s husband, runs the stall. Stevie is also a cattle dealer, and I frequently pick his brain about cattle matters. One Friday afternoon, I called him to ask if he knew of anyone hiring out bulls. He told me he’d call back—and three minutes later, he did. “There’s a bull arriving at your farm on Monday at 16:00.”

My first thought? “Oh no, I haven’t told John yet!” But when the big lad arrived on time, John was quite delighted.

He was huge, solid muscle, and even to my untrained eye, rather handsome. He went straight into the field and began sweet-talking the ladies. It turns out he is part of the Scottish Government’s Hire a Bull Scheme - who knew? He arrived with his passport detailing his age, place of birth, and the farms he has previously enjoyed bed and breakfast with (extras included).

The Bull Hire Scheme provides government-owned bulls to crofters and small farmers, giving them access to high-quality, high-health bulls and improving the overall standard of calves in the Scottish beef industry. The scheme has been around since 1897, originally supplying bulls and rams to crofting townships. Initially, Aberdeen Angus and Shorthorns were the most popular breeds, but by the 1980s, demand shifted to terminal sires and later to continental breeds. The Ram Scheme ran until 2004, but the Bull Scheme continues. Every day’s a school day!

Our new bull will stay with us for two months before returning to his home farm, where he will be quarantined and prepared for his next group of ladies.