Chris McCarthy and Jessie.

A slightly smaller sign warns to tackle the steep driveway in low gear.  Steep may be a slight understatement.  Eventually however the sheer climb brings you to the plateau on which Phil and Chris McCarthy have built their home.  The view to the coastline is breathtaking.

“You never tire of it,” Chris said with a smile.

But it’s not the view we have come to admire. It’s the Highland cattle Chris fell in love with on a sightseeing trip to the Isle of Skye several years ago.  On their return home Phil bought his wife one of the distinctive shaggy animals for her birthday.

On our way to meet the herd, we pass by a group of Chinese Bantams and Pekin ducks.

“Those are my other babies.” Chris says.  Ahead of us a low bellow responds to her voice and just over the rise, under the trees, is a group of cows and calves.

“Most of the herd is up the top in the bush,” Phil points to a distant clump of bush.

“We’re going to be getting these ones ready for the show next weekend.”

These animals are used to being handled and fussed over and come forward to have their fringes combed forward and their ears scratched.

Braemar, a two year old heifer, knows the drill and poses for the camera – until she has had enough and with a disdainful flick of an ear turns her back on us.

Successful embryo transplants have brought 3 new calves to the fold.

“She’s just won Whangarei Supreme Champ and next weekend will be going to Warkworth show, so she’s used to people,” Phil explains.

“She’s got a bit of spunk.  Often they go to sleep in the ring, but she’s got some life.”

A heifer calf has wandered up to investigate.  Jessie, who was reared by Phil and Chris grandchildren, has already won the Waipu Calf Club and Whangarei calf section so far and is going to Warkworth with Braemar – the two are in fact from the same mother.

Chris crouches in the grass and Jessie proceeds to nuzzle and bump her in a clear sign of affection. One of two sets of twins born on the property this past season, the calf is not at all bothered by people.   Her twin however is more wary. “She’s just been handled more.  But they are easily handled, docile animals.”

 In fact the young calf seems to think she might be a Labrador puppy rather than a descendant of the magnificient animals that used to roam the Scottish highlands.

Twins are rare and to get two sets in one season even rarer.  Even better was that all four calves were heifers.

All from the same black bull with a red mother, two of the calves are very fluffy and red, one (Jessie) has long rather than fluffy hair and her colour has a soft, almost silver tinge to it in the sun.  The fourth is lighter again in colour.

“Colour can be unpredictable.”

Last year the McCarthy’s invested in embryo transplants, using Fresian cows as the surrogate mothers. Of the four transplants they got two bulls and a heifer and are pleased with the results.

Whangarei Supreme Champ Hinterland Braemar.

“We saw the Canadian Sire and the Australian Dam and did everything over the phone and we’re really happy with the result.  It’s a great way to expand and improve the gene pool.”

Hinterland Fold runs about 50 animals on the 40 acre block and apart from the animals kept for showing and breeding, onsell most to other folds. “We do sell some for meat.”

One of the characteristics of Hinterland animals is they have good feet.

“It’s one of the things we’re breeding for because it can be a problem for Highlands.  Our bull has good feet and we’ve never had to clip an animal’s feet on this block.”

Jessie is back to see if there is any more attention she can get and a tentative lick of Chris’s arm leads to an enthusiastic suckling.

“She must like the cream I put on this morning,” Chris laughs as she tries to pull free.

As well as traditional shows, the cattle are also taken to events like the Caledonian Games, where they are always a big hit. 

“Kids climb all over them, and just love them.”