The First Highland Cattle

The first of the Highland Cattle to arrive in Canada was a Bull brought over to Manitoba by Donald Smith (perhaps better known as Lord Strathcona) in the 1880s. Born near Inverness in Scotland, Smith would go on to have quite the career in Canada. In addition to his 75 year career with the Hudson's Bay Company, which witnessed his rise through the ranks to become Governor, he also served "42 years with the Bank of Montreal; 32 years with the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR); 18 years as a Member of Parliament; 18 years as Canada's High Commissioner; and 6 years as an MP in Manitoba" (HBC) Something tells me he didn't get to spend a whole lot of time with his new import...

Highland Bull

This photograph of a Highland Bull was taken by Frank Babbage, and published in the Encyclopaedia Britiannica in 1910 along with the following description:

"The West Highland or Kyloe breed are perhaps the most hardy and picturesque of British cattle. Their home is amidst the wild romantic scenery of the Highlands and the Western Isles of Scotland, though Highland bullocks with long, spreading curved horns may be seen in English parks. They have not made much progress towards early maturity, but their slowly ripened beef is of the choicest quality. The colour of their thick shaggy hair varies from white and light dun to tawny yellow of many shades, and black"

For a more recent photograph, you can visit an earlier post on this site, here.

Sources
HBC, 2014, Our History: People: Governors: Donald A. Smith
The Canadian Highland Cattle Society, 2014, History of Highland Cattle
Classic Encyclopaedia, Cattle
Wikipedia, Donald Smith 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal

Further Reading
Highland Cattle World, 2007, Highland Cattle in Canada