#Coosday - celebrating 10 years

Herd the moos?

A fun social media series celebrating the hardy Highland cow across our consumer social channels is celebrating its 10-year anniversary – with one recent post reaching over three million people. 

In November 2014, we began posting an image or video of the most iconic of Scottish animals on Facebook each Tuesday, with the hashtag #Coosday. Due to its popularity, this was then posted on all channels, with Instagram becoming the most popular channel for #Coosday. 

In the last decade, our social media team have published a #Coosday post almost every week and since 2016, there have been 1,160 #Coosday posts that have reached people over 218 million times. 

What started out as sharing a fun image to celebrate the iconic hairy Scots cattle – known in Gaelic as Bò Ghàidhealach – is now used to help raise awareness of businesses, destinations and the burgeoning agritourism sector. 

Despite the social media landscape evolving in the last decade, #Coosday posts have remained a firm favourite with followers around the world, with one post published last month (October) reaching over three million people.

A highland cow at Pollok House and Country Park in Glasgow. Credit VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

These rustic cattle, famous for their shaggy red, blonde or black coats, can be found across Scotland - including the islands - and #Coosday has profiled them the length and breadth of the country, including: 

• a smiling coo in Drumnadrochit, Highlands 

• a Halloween #Coosday post featuring a Highland coo in Forfar, Angus 

• baby Highland coos in Lochaber, Highlands 

• a Highland coo overlooking a stunning beach on the Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides 

• The Arbikie Highlanders – five Highland cows who are vital to regenerative farming and natural environment recycling in Angus 

• Highland coos on the golf course at Brora, Highlands  

• a Highland coo being groomed in the West Highlands  

• a Highland coo with a beard in Dumfries & Galloway 

In many places across Scotland these rugged yet magnificent animals roam freely, including along the Bealach Na Bà, an historical cow drover’s road running between Applecross and Shieldaig in the Highlands; and the Highland villages of Duirinish and Plockton, where Highland cows are also free to roam the villages. 

The native breed, which is recognisable by its long, pointed horns and overgrown ginger fringe, is becoming a popular draw for international visitors following reports of growing interest in experiences to see the farm favourites.

Check out our gallery of recent coo pics from Instagram.