I would go for the Highlands.....of course, we are somewhat partial to them.
They are fairly docile, some more than others mind you. About half of ours like to get brushed out, and will let you touch or handle them easier than the others. We have only had one that I would say had an attitude problem, but that was more when she had a new calf in the pasture than at other times. Both of our herd sires, plus a young bull calf that we just recently sold to a farm in TX, LOVED getting brushed out....to the point that I could brush out any area on them without problems. One of our older cows you would swear will start snoring as you brush out her head and neck area....her head starts to sink lower and lower until chin touches the ground! Guess it relaxes her or something.
Between the pasture, and if you have the resources to get hay for the winter, I wouldnt be too awful afraid of getting them even at this point.
Highlands do not require grain (well, no breed of cattle does actually....it screws around with their stomachs because graining is an unnatural diet for cattle) at all....we do use a bit of farm feed from time to time as a treat to get ours up to the barn to give them a look-see. They don't get much when we do offer it, but they do like it when they get their treats. Grass fed meat is so much better for you anyways.
We loaned our first herd sire to the neighbor, who runs a small group of Angus ladies, for a couple months or so a while back. He USED to have a several hundred foot long section of fencing that was covered with honeysuckle. He he he, that was all gone when we brought him back home. Of course, they will get "pickier" about their browsing when the pasture has more to choose from. We usually end up having to brush hog once during the season to keep down the stuff they havent managed to eat yet.
One thing for sure, none of them have come close to missing a meal. By the way they moo at you though when coming down to offer a treat, or when we go to dump the grass catcher (we do not use chemicals on the lawn area, we use guineas for tick patrol) you would think they are starving or something. I think the grass catchings are like cow candy or something....well, to think about it, it probably is. The lawn does seem to be kind of thick in clover in alot of spots.
