Naming Your Cattle

Naming Your Highland Cattle

The Highland breed is primarily a female breed for it is the unique qualities of the female that are passed on to her progeny especially when crossing with another breed of bull - the much desired 'Hybrid Vigour', so being able to follow the female line is important.

Many breeders, when they start up a fold, have a number of females that may not be related closely and may, in all likelihood, have been acquired from different breeders. The new breeder starts to breed with these females and, in due time, heifer calves out of the foundation females are born and need to be named. A common and sensible way to name these heifers is to use the name of the dam thus preserving the identity of that female line.

For example, a new breeder has three foundation cows from different breeders in his Delta fold: Anabladh of Alpha, Proiseag of Beta, and Siusan of Gamma. They all have heifer calves bred by him and he names them Anabladh of Delta, Proiseag of Delta and Siusan of Delta. Let us say the next year the foundation cows again have heifer calves. They in turn might be called Anabladh 2nd of Delta, Proiseag 2nd of Delta, and Siusan 2nd of Delta.

On paper and in the field it will always be quite easy to track the descendants of the three original cows by their name. So long as you know your animals you will be able to compare the difference between families, especially when using the same bull.

What happens when the daughter of Anabladh of Alpha; Anabladh of Delta has her first heifer calf? Some distinction must be made to avoid confusion. Giving her another number does not necessarily help. We already have an Anabladh 2nd of Delta; she was the second heifer calf born to the original cow Anabladh of Alpha and her third heifer calf would be named Anabladh 3rd of Delta and so on indicating daughters of the original Anabladh of Alpha. It is quite common to alter the name in some way without losing sight of the original foundation dam. If Anabladh of Delta's first heifer calf is red in colour she could be named Anabladh Ruadh of Delta and her second heifer calf would be Anabladh Ruadh 2nd of Delta (even although she may not be red!). The line back to the first Anabladh of Alpha will still be there.

Consider now a new breeder with his three foundation cows: Anabladh of Alpha, Proiseag of Beta, and Siusan of Gamma. They all have their heifer calves and he names them Seonaidh 1st of Delta, Seonaidh 2nd of Delta and Seonaidh 3rd of Delta. Immediately the obvious connection by name with the original dams is lost. Thereafter he is only able to compare cow with cow unless he has a phenomenal memory for pedigrees for who is the dam of Seonaidh 2nd of Delta? There is nothing obvious to tell you that it is Proiseag of Beta, only memory must serve.

Now what are the siblings of Seonaidh 1st, 2nd and 3rd to be called? Logically with this system - Seonaidh 4th, 5th and 6th so eventually, after the death or disposal of the three foundation cows and if he keeps a closed herd, the breeder will end up with his complete fold all called Seonaidh! And how about the grand-daughters of Seonaidh 1st, 2nd and 3rd? We saw with the first breeder's system they might be called Anabladh Ruadh of Delta, Proiseag Dubh of Delta or Siusan Buidhe of Delta so the names still link with the foundation cows, but our second breeder even if he makes a similar differentiation by adding a description to his second generation Seonaidhs will still have lost an easy link with his original cows.

Whilst on the subject of names; of course, every breeder is entitled to name his cattle in any way he pleases, however, the Society has always been keen to encourage the continuing use of Gaelic names for Highland cattle. A list of names is given below with translations (forget the pronunciation!) and it is hoped that when registering cattle, members will make use of this list particularly with regard to the spelling.

Females
A Bhuidhe Aillidh	Yellow Beauty	Laochag	Little Heroine
Airleagach	Fancy	Maighdean	Maiden
Annag Ruadh	Red Anna	Mairi	Mary
An Spideag	Slender Female	Muirneag	Darling Girl
An Uiseag	The Skylark	Neoinean	Daisy
Barabhalla	Parapet	Neonag	Daisy
Banarach	Milkmaid	Nighean	Damsel
Cadrann	Rowan Berrry	Nigheanag	Little Girl
Caileag	Girl	Niseag	Little Ness
Caitin	Willow Blossom	Ostag	Hostess
Canach	Mountain Down	Peigi	Peggy
Casair	Sea Drift	Proiseag	Proud Little
Casan	Feet	Raineach	Fern
Chaisfhionn	White Feet	Rainaild	Rachel
Ceit	Kate	Ribhunn	Maiden
Cluasag	Pillow	Robag	Slut
Corichean	Corries	Sileas	Cicely
Craobhag	Small Tree	Sineag	Little Jean
Cruinneag	Neat, Tidy Girl	Sobhrach	Primrose
Diorbhail	Dorothy	Soire Bheag	Little Vessel
Eilid	Hind	Sonasag	Little Happy Female
Eiteag	Fair Maid	Speachag	Venomous Little
Faoilte	Delight		Creature
Fearghachd	Anger	Stuamaig	Modest Female
Fearna	Alder	Suairceag	Gentle One
Feorag	Squirrel	Te Riabhach	Brindled Female
Fiochag	Little Angry One
Fosadh	Steadiness
Fraoch	Heather
Gruagach	Longhaired Girl
Ial	Gleam of Sunshine
Ialach	Shining Fur
Ialuinn	Honeysuckle
Lear-Ghaoth	Sea Wind

Males
Agarach	Pretender	Gilleasbuig	Archie
Am Fleasgach	The Youth	Gile Nan Gleann	Lad of the Glen
Am Prionnsa	The Prince	Graidhein	Lover
An Curaidh	The Hero	Greumach	Graham
An Gaidheal Boidheach	The Bonny Gael	Grinneach	Stripling
An Gaidheal Boidheach	The Bonny Gael	Guag	Giddy Fellow
An Serjen	The Sergeant	Guaillean	Cinder or Shoulders
An-T-Iasgair	The Fisherman	Gusgurlach	Keen One
An-T-Oganach	The Manservant	Gruaghach	Long Haired One
An-T-Oighre	The Heir	Iain	John
Aodhair	Shepherd	Iasgair	Fisherman
Aonghas	Angus	Lasgaire	Champion
Armunn	Warrior	Laochan	Little Hero
Balach Cuiumir	Neat Boy	Muiller	Miller
Bhaltair	Walter	Pronnsa	Prince
Bodach	Old Man	Ruairidh	Rory
Bratach	Banner	Saighdear	Soldier
Brogach	Sturdy Boy	Seamus	James
Cabhlaiche	Admiral	Stiubhart	Stuart/Stewart
Cailean	Colin	Tearlach	Charles
Caisean	Dewlap	Tormad	Norman
Calum	Malcolm	Uachdaran	Laird
Capladh	Commander-in-Chief	Uilleam	William
Cathach	Fighter	Uisteach	Native of Uist
Ceann-Tighe	Head of House
Ceannard	chief
Ceard	Tinker	COLOURS
Ceatharnach	Hero	Geal	White
Companach	Companion	Buidhe	Yellow
Coinneach	Kennteth	Ruadh	Red
Coirneal	Colonel	Riabhach	Brindle
Cuairtear	Tourist	Dubh	Black
Cubhaidh	Fit Honour
Cuileadair	Flatterer	DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES
Daibhidh	David	Beadarach	Lovely
Dealasach	Zealous Ardour	Beusach	Well-bred
Domhmull	Donald	Biorach	Sharp-pointed
Dubhlanaiche	Challenger	Boidheach	Beautiful
Eilthireach	Pilgrim	Dealbhach	Handsome
Fear-a-Ghlinne	Man of the Glen	Fainneach	Curly
Fear Baidhel	Kind One	Gaolach	Lovely
Fear Bratach	Bannerman	Gobhlach	Long Legged
Fearchar	Farquhar	Gradhach	Loveable
Fear Siridh	Searcher	Grianach	Sunny
Fial	Bounty	Moitealach	Proud
Fionnladh	Findlay	Molach	Shaggy
Fiuran	Sapling	Proiseil	Proud
Flath	Prince	Sgiathach	Winged
Fleasgach	Youth	Siolach	Prolific
Fudaidh	Worthless Fellow	Sporsail	Sporting
Gaisgeach	Hero	Surdail	Eager

Naming Your Cattle

Naming Your Highland Cattle

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