Welcome to Dry Creek Cattle
717-753-9599 Carol
717-727-5667 Troy
Welcome to Dry Creek Cattle
717-753-9599 Carol
717-727-5667 Troy
Half or Quarter $4.85/lb (hanging) - Contact the butcher for your custom cuts. Delivery ETA Nov 6
We’re so happy you decided to stop by …
Welcome to the Farm!
We are Scottish Highland Cattle breeders who LOVE what we do & where we live. We purchased this neglected farm & have worked so hard over the last 3 years to prepare it to receive our fold of Scottish Highland Cattle. We currently have 16 & keep growing - we are expecting 5 calves this spring.
About Us
Registered stock, AHCA Members
We are Troy & Carol, registered members of the American Highland Cattle Association & the Mid Atlantic Highland Cattle Association. All of our cows & onsite bull are pure Scottish Highland, which helps to ensure purity in the animals we are offering for live sale and in our beef quality. We are selective in what animals we purchase, paying close attention to the genetics that we introduce into our growing fold.
We visit the herd multiple times each day to socialize with them & confirm everyone is in good health & body condition. Our animals are very docile, some of them come when we call their names & they just love attention ... and treats!
We encourage visitors so that they experience new people & things & also so people can learn about what we do & life on a farm. Call us if you'd like to stop by, if we have time we'll be happy to let you interact with our animals. We don't charge a "fee" for our time, but donations are welcomed & we are so grateful for your support.
A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality. ~Yoko Ono~
Farm Fresh Eggs - $3.50/Dz! From our resident Black Star, Buff Orpington & Speckled Sussex
Farm Fresh Eggs - $3.50/Dz! From our resident Black Star, Buff Orpington & Speckled Sussex
Farm Fresh Eggs - $3.50/Dz! From our resident Black Star, Buff Orpington & Speckled Sussex
Farm Fresh Eggs - $3.50/Dz! From our resident Black Star, Buff Orpington & Speckled Sussex
Farm Fresh Eggs - $3.50/Dz! From our resident Black Star, Buff Orpington & Speckled Sussex
Farm Fresh Eggs - $3.50/Dz! From our resident Black Star, Buff Orpington & Speckled Sussex
Photo Gallery - Meet the Dry Creek Fold
LiTerra Anemone #50,442 March, 2011
Anemone gave us a healthy black heifer calf on 3/3/22, the day before her B-Day!
She is bred back to Apple Hill Collum for an April '23 calf
Frequently Asked Questions
Please reach us at drycreekcattleco@yahoo.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Size : Lbs of Beef: Meals (4-5 family):
1/4 80 - 100 50 - 70
1/2 160 - 200 105 - 135
Whole 320 - 400 210 - 270
Highlands have a beautiful long coat of hair which actually serves quite a purpose - they are naturally lean because this thick insulation means they dont need any extra subcutaneous fat.
- Contains 40% less fat than other beef
- Contains 4% less cholesterol
- Has more heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids
- More conjugated linoleic acid - believed to reduce heart disease & cancer risks
- 7% more protein than any other breed
- 23% more tender than commercial beef
- Lower cholesterol than in buffalo, venison, chicken & lean red beef
- Lower in fat than snapper, pork loin, chicken, halibut & commercial beef
- Pasture raised beef is an excellent source of high quality protein, iron, zinc, selenium, phosphorous & B complex vitamins
- Fresh pasture offers hundreds of times more of these nutrients than a standard feedlot diet, resulting in up to 4 times more beta-carotene than conventional feedlot beef
- Highlands are the oldest registered breed of cattle in the world.
- They actually prefer cold weather. They have 2 layer coats - the outer oily coat wicks away moisture, while the downy under coat keeps them warm.
- Those beautiful "bangs" they sport is called the 'dossan', along with gorgeous eye lashes to protect their eyes from flies. They can see quite well!
- Cows have a 4 chamber stomach. The rumen can hold up to 25 gallons & it can take up to 100 hours to fully digest food ... the slowest of the animal kingdom.
- They graze approximately 8 hours a day & can eat up to 150 pounds of grass.
- They are excellent foragers eating hay, grass, straw, silage, oats, as well as poison ivy, honeysuckle vines, tree leaves (as high as they can reach) & cedar trees if they are kept in wooded areas.
- They also enjoy eating fruits & vegetables too - carrots, apples, oranges, bananas (with the peel), watermelon rinds, potatoes, bread, pumpkin, barley & corn.
- They don't really like to be kept in barns, they prefer to roam around outdoors.
- Highlands have a top speed of almost 40 mph.
- Cattle can gain 2 pounds per day on grass.
- Males can grow to be 1500 - 2000 pounds with a height of 3.5 - 4 feet high. Females can be 800-1000 pounds with a height of 3 - 3.5 feet.
- Cows are pregnant for 277-290 days & their calves can weigh 50-70 pounds. They are known for their calving ease & very rarely require any intervention. They can calf each year for up to 14 years or more!
- They have a distinct hierarchy based on dominance where gender & age take an important role. Males are dominant over females & older cows dominant to calves & younger males. A bull will start to dominate once he is around 2 years of age.
- HOW DO YOU TELL THEM APART? A bulls horns grow forward with a slight upward or downward curve & are very thick at the base. Steers horn grow much slower and almost straight out to the sides. A cows horns are more slender, they grow upwards & have a finer tip on the end.
- Cows should never be isolated for a long period of time (ESP a bull) - they are herd animals & need to have a companion for comfort. Isolation causes stress& agitation - you can also throw a steer or a goat in for companionship.
- Cattle can see 340 degrees around them with very wide peripheral vision, which means they have poor depth perception. Shadows, rutts, holes & bright colors can easily spook them. They have a blind spot directly behind them.
- Highlands exhibit a range of emotions & temperaments - they show fear, anxiety, stress & affability.
- They have a keen intelligence - they can remember other creatures, they can problem solve & can even remember where good food was found in a previous pasture or location & return to it.
- They have distinct personalities & rely on vision, touch, chemical scents & hearing to identify threats, grazing spots & to bond with other members of the fold.
- When cows / cattle are stressed, others can smell it / sense it in their urine. Steers going to butcher should be sent with a companion to prevent stress.
- Steer are between the ages of 14-30 months old when they are butchered depending on weight & body condition.
- In the British Isles, highland beef is considered to be the finest & sells at a premium. The Royal Family have a large fold at Balmoral Castle & it is the only beef served to the family.
- Highlands mature slower than other cattle & are bred later than other female cattle, at around 2 years.
- Highlands have a very long life expectancy - up to 20 years average.
- You should never stare into their eyes for any length of time as they may perceive it as a threat, it brings on an instinctual fear of a predator on the prowl. This is especially critical around a new mother with a calf.
- Cows spook easily & have a flight or fight response, meaning they flee from what frightens them & will only fight if absolutely necessary.
- Holding a treat high in the air forcing the animal to extend their neck upward puts the cow in a submissive position & reinforces human dominance.
- Cows lose their teeth between 18-24 months of age.
- There are 7 highland colors recognized by the American highland Cattle Association :
* Red *White * Black * Silver * Brindle * Dun * Yellow
Contact Us
Come and visit!
We love showing our animals & welcome you to a visit - just give us a call to stop by and see a Highland up close & personal or try a dozen farm fresh eggs from our free range chickens.
Dry Creek Cattle Company
431 Salem Church Road, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325, United States
Contact us Anytime! Troy cell : 717.727.5667 Carol cell : 717.753.9599 Email : Drycreekcattleco@yahoo.com Instagram: @drycreekhighlands Facebook Pg : Drycreekcattleco
Hours
Open today | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm |
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