There should be a profusion of hair which should be long and gracefully waved. Curly hair is regarded as a fault and has become common in some folds. This may be due to a growing desire to make Highlanders grow big from feeding them higher and housing them more. Experience however has shown that the more exposed they are, the animals generally have more hair with less tendency to curl. Indeed, island cattle have much more hair than mainland cattle, due to them never being housed in winter. Although the classic image of a Highland cow today is red they also come in other shades including yellow, brindle, dun, white and also black, the breed’s original colour. In general, a good herd should have a mixture of colours. The thickness of the skin, as in all fattening breeds, must always be considered. Highland cattle have been adapted by nature to withstand exposure to harsh conditions.