I’m writing this newsletter on a ferry about to depart the Shetland Islands in far north Scotland.  I have been touring Shetland the last two days with a group of students from Oklahoma State University as part of a study abroad travel course. 

The Shetland Islands is the farthest north part of the United Kingdom.  The capital city of Lerwick is at 60 degrees north latitude.  That is the same as the northern border of Alberta, Canada (nearly 750 miles north of Calgary). Agriculture is difficult here with a growing season of about 100 days.  Crop production is limited to small amounts of barley and oats. 

Most of the land is used for pasture and hay production.  Sheep is the primary livestock industry here with sheep outnumbering people on the island by about five to one.  Shetland is home to the Shetland breed of sheep, a hardy heritage breed adapted to survive outdoors in the harsh climate.  The island is also home to the stout and hardy Shetland pony, important in the 19^th century for use in tin and coal mines. 

Sheep production is the largest livestock industry in all of Scotland with sheep outnumbering cattle by 4 to 1.  Census data from 2023 shows that the total sheep inventory in Scotland is 6.6 million head compared to the total cattle inventory of 1.68 million head. 

Nevertheless, cattle production is important and in many ways is symbolic of Scottish agriculture.  Last week, we visited the Royal Highland Show (RHS), which is a large four-day agricultural event reminiscent of the state fairs at any major U.S. agricultural state.  The logo of the RHS (below) depicts the most iconic cattle breed in Scotland, Highland cattle (photo below). 

In addition to Highland cattle, many other cattle breeds can be found at the RHS, some familiar and some not so familiar.  Familiar continental breeds are popular for terminal crosses including Limousin, Charolais and Simmental.  Less familiar are Belgian Blue cattle, heavily muscled cattle not used in the U.S. but popular in Europe. 

The cattle are known as British Blue in the U.K. following Brexit.  Other British breeds found at the RHS include Shorthorn, Belted Galloway, Hereford and, of course, the namesake of the city I arrived at on the ferry this morning: Aberdeen Angus.  The photo below is a view of Angus cattle and the countryside near Edinburgh.

I’m finishing this article on a train from Aberdeen to Glasgow, Scotland.  Below is a beautiful view of the coastline in Bressay Island in Shetland.