The pint-sized cows are adorable, but minicows are more than just a novelty fad.
Origin and Breeds of Miniature Cows - From Longhorn Cattle to Jersey Cows
Before industrialization resulted in ever-bigger, ever-plumper cows for the meat market, cows may have been close to 'miniature cow' size. Indeed, miniature Jerseys and Dexters are not artificial breeds, but descendants from true small-sized breeds. The zebu, an Indian humpbacked miniature species, was brought to America in the 1920s for showing off at zoological gardens, and has since been bred by the IMZA
Other breeds such as the Lowline Angus have been bred to miniaturization, a process that has taken off since the 1960s. There are currently 26 registered breeds of miniature cattle. Upbreeding ensures that rarer minicow species, such as the miniature Jersey, do not die out; these breeding programs have produced three-quarter-sized cattle.
Minicows are about the size of a labrador when born and stand between 30 and 40 inches high when fully-grown, weighing in at around 600 pounds.
Uses and Benefits of Minicows
Like larger breeds, miniature cows are generally bred for dairy or meat, with some overlap. Many minicows are marketed as dual-purpose, and sold singly to rural homeowners. Indeed, for many families a minicow is more than either meat or milk, being equally valued as a pet and a novelty. Miniature cows tend to be good-natured and easy to manage, providing children with a non-intimidating introduction to self-sufficiency. Minicows are popular entrants to 4-H and Calf Club shows—some children even learn to rodeo on them! Rural owners may also value minicows for keeping the grass down and providing valuable manure.
Minicows are not simply novelty pets, however. Breeds such as the Australian Lowline were developed for mass farming, with an eye to raising more steaks per acre. Minicows West explains: “Lowlines can produce 70% of the ribeye area on 1/3 the feed of animals more than twice their size. This allows a stocking ratio of 2.2 (or more) to 1. The obvious result is that up to 54% more beef may be produced from a given pasture with smaller cattle.”(1) Not only is this economically advantageous, but it is good for the environment—as well as taking up less space, minicows are much less destructive to their feed, due to their smaller hooves and docile temperaments.
Minicows are also valuable for breeding and showing. In the US, rare miniature breeds such as the zebu are principally used for breeding. The animals are also popular at petting zoos and miniature ranches.
 |
