Heritage Breed of Scottish Highland Cattle Roam Space Farms

The new herd of hairy beasts at Space Farms Zoo this year are Scottish Highland Cattle. The Scottish Highlands are a heritage breed, originally a primitive race of cattle native to the mountainous areas of Scotland. Archaeological evidence traces this type of wild cattle back to the sixth century. Written breeding records of this hairy bovine go back as far as the twelfth century. They were the first registered pedigree breed of cattle in 1884. Scottish Highlands are one of the cattle breeds least transformed by man. Today they are used as strong, enduring draft animals

These wild cattle were captured and domesticated generations ago and are now endangered in the wild. The smaller black shaggy cattle originally came from the western part of Scotland and the islands. The larger reddish brown cattle came from the Scottish Highlands. Both groups were interbred and are now called Scottish Highland Cattle. With controlled breeding, the cattle now come in recognized colors of dun, white, red, black, yellow, brindle and silver.

The unusual looking cattle are quite large, adults weighing in at approximately 1000 pounds, and five foot high at the shoulder. Their long shaggy hair increases their visually striking mass. The heads of the adult Scottish Highland Cattle are crowned with three foot long horns, similar to the Long Horned Cattle famous in the western United States. Calves are born any time of year after a nine month gestation, weighing approximately 85 pounds. The young are born with thick fuzzy hair, which sheds out as the new longer hair grows in. The color of the calf is not always the color it will be as an adult. .
Scottish Highland cattle are bovine (members of the cow family, which have four stomachs), and ruminants, (animals that chew a cud). They are even toed, hoofed animals. The color of the hooves and nose are the same color of the predominate color of the hair! The long shaggy hair protected the cattle from the harsh winters in the Scottish Highlands. In the past, they were used for work, meat and milk. The Scottish Highland cow will produce enough milk for eighty school lunches a day.

The herd at Space Farms came to the zoo as part of an animal trade from the Turtle Back Zoo in Newark, N.J. and has since reproduced an adorable calf. The sire (father) is reddish brown and the dam (mother) is jet black. The calf was born shaggy reddish black and is slowly changing to solid black.

Recently another Scottish Highland cow was donated to Space Farms Zoo from the Staten Island Zoo., N.Y. Properly named Ginger, she is a beautiful orangey red color. The herd accepted her without reservation and the big bull has been courting her.

The entire herd is very friendly and eats corn from the hands of the keepers. The Scottish Highland cattle do not like their heads petted. The bulls spar with their long horns to establish dominance in the herd. Any touching on the head is perceived as a threat. The females are very protective of their young, as most mothers are, and use their horns for defense. The herd of giant shaggy cattle are roaming the two acre paddock at Space Farms Zoo, occasionally sparring and frolicking through the field.

The Space Farms Museum Expanded: Sussex Jail Restored

The Space Farms Museum has been growing. An antique cast iron jail was refurbished and put on display for this spring. The borough of Sussex donated the old jail to the Space Family in 1970 when the courthouse in downtown Sussex was remodeled. For years the jail was used as an emergency animal holding facility.

After being wire brushed free of rust, and a fresh coat of paint, the antique jail is now on display outside the Car Museum. Folks young and old will delight in ‘trying’ on the jail for size. .

The seven foot by five foot by seven foot high jail was installed in the Sussex Borough Court House when the Court House was built in the 1920’s. The jail itself was manufactured in Bethlehem Pa. The hard cast iron bed originally had a mattress and the bed shelf itself could be folded up to give the prisoner more space.

Sussex Constables would incarcerate outlaws or drunks in this ‘humane’ holding cell. The jail was located down a separate hallway in the courthouse with an unlocked door to the street. Hobos, (homeless wandering people of the day), could go in to sleep warm and dry if they were passing through Sussex and the jail was not in use. Over-inebriated citizens would also lock themselves up for the night to sleep it off. This unique piece of Sussex County history shows the difference in attitude for the comfort of the incarcerated between the early 1900’s and now. the antique jail is located just outside the Antique Car Museum at Space Farms.

What’s New At Space Farms’ Zoo? Kangaroo!

When a member of the Space Family takes a day trip it’s often with an unusual purpose. Last week Parker Space (co-owner of the zoo with his father, Fred Space) took a day trip to Flag Acres Zoo in upper New York State and came home with two young red kangaroo. “The two year old pair of kangaroo are enjoying their new home, but are a little skittish yet,” says Parker. “She is supposed to be pregnant, but it is too early to tell yet,” he adds. Named Jack and Jill by Parker’s son Hunter, the kangaroo are leaping and bounding across the quarter acre grassy knoll at the top of the hill by the Space Farms Toy Museum.

Kangaroo are native to Australia and have been known to leap horizontally 25 feet using their thick tails as balance. Contrary to public perception the red kangaroo will seldom jump higher than 5 feet. The red kangaroo can grow up to five feet tall, with the average weight for the male around 150 pounds. Kangaroo eat grasses and grains while living in the open grasslands of Australia.

The male kangaroo is called a “Boomer”, the female a “Flyer” and the young are called “Joey”. Young are born after a 33 day gestation and are about the size of a lima bean. After climbing into the famous marsupial pouch of the female, the joey will nurse for 8 months. During the end of that time the joey will hop in and out of the pouch at will. The young kangaroo will continue to nurse for another 6 months. “Red kangaroo reach total size at four years, so these have a little growing to do yet,” states Fred Space.

“We had Walabies, the smaller cousin to the larger grey and red kangaroo, at the zoo while I was growing up here,” reminisces zoologist Lori Space Day, Fred’s daughter, “So these two are a really neat addition to the zoo.”