Building A Legacy.
Welcome to Creekside Highland Haven - where dreams do come true.
This farm isn't just a dream - it's a legacy.​ After losing my dad to cancer and winding up with an unexpected inheritance, I knew I wanted to do something meaningful with it. I took my heartbreak, inheritance, and set out on a journey to find something that I was truly passionate about that would hopefully one day turn into something much more, and that's where Creekside Highland Haven was born. Nestled in the hills of Mason City, Nebraska I along with my husband Shawn own and operate Creekside Highland Haven and Creekside Highland Legacy which focuses on registered AHCA breeding stock. Our focus from the very start has been and continues to be integrity, conformation, temperament, and staying true to breed character. When we set out on this journey, we knew we wanted cattle with quality, good temperaments, and great genetics to build the foundation of Creekside Highland Haven. We started out with six – four heifers and two bulls, purchased as a package from Chad & Suzi Kremer in South Dakota. We started Creekside Highland Haven on an acreage in our backyard, and what began as a dream has grown into something truly special. ​
We’re so grateful for where we began, what we’ve achieved, and what we’re bringing to the future. ​​
Breeding healthy, high-quality miniature cattle begins with a clear philosophy: prioritize animal welfare and breed integrity over simply reducing size. Miniature Highland cattle should retain the iconic characteristics of the Highland breed — hardiness, calm temperament, and correct conformation — just in a scaled-down form.
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Genetic Selection Matters: We choose cows and bulls that not only exhibit desirable size but also strong structural soundness, fertility, and temperament. Selecting solely for small stature can inadvertently propagate genetic weaknesses if anatomy, udder quality, or skeletal strength are ignored.
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Avoid Unethical Shortcuts: Practices like stunting growth through restricted nutrition or breeding from runts compromise animal health, is widely condemned by veterinarians and reputable breeders alike, and it is not something that we believe in here at Creekside.
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Genetic Testing: Testing DNA and chondro (growth-gene) has become an essential took for us. It helps us make informed breeding decisions that reduce the likelihood of hereditary issues in offspring.
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Breeding Methods: We utilize a combination of natural breeding, artificial insemination (AI), and advanced reproductive techniques to thoughtfully improve our miniature herd. Natural breeding allows for low-stress pairings between well-matched animals. Artificial insemination gives us access to proven, high-quality genetics from exceptional bulls while maintaining herd safety and genetic diversity without the need to house too many bulls. In select cases, advanced reproductive methods such as IVF allow us to maximize the impact of our best cows without overbreeding them, ensuring consistency, quality, and long-term herd improvement. Together, these methods allow us to breed responsibly while prioritizing health, temperament, and correct conformation.
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Balanced Nutrition: We put emphasis on high-quality forage, mineral supplements, and clean water, especially during pregnancy and lactation. Sound nutrition supports reproductive success and calf viability.
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Detailed Record Keeping: Maintaining accurate health, breeding, and lineage records for every animal is extremely important. These records help monitor trends, identify desirable traits, and plan future mating decisions.
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Regular Vet Checks: Routine vaccinations, parasite control, pregnancy checks, and nutritional assessments help us to ensure breeding animals and calves remain happy and healthy.
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Transparency Builds Trust: Providing prospective buyers with honest information about an animal’s genetics, health testing, and breeding history fosters confidence to our potential buyers and supports long-term breed integrity.