A survey was carried out on all congenital skin tumours and hamartomas in cattle over a 20‐year period from 1977 to 1996. The clinical features and histopathology of all tumour types and of vascular hamatomas are described. Four types of congenital skin neoplasm and hamartoma were diagnosed clinically and confirmed by histopathological examination. Mast cell tumours were present in six animals, melanoma in two animals (only in cross‐breed calves), cutaneous lymphosarconia in two animals, myxoma in one animal and vascular hamartoma in three animals. It is believed that congenital cutaneous mast cell tumour, cutaneous lymphosarcoma, and myxoma in cattle are described here for the first time. Only cutaneous lymphosarcoma was found to be malignant with concurrent systemic involvement. Pruritus was observed only in the animals affected with mast cell tumour.