Mini cows? | Animals | Forums

Oddly enough my gf and I were talking about cows the other day and were wondering if there were bantam cows similar to chickens. Now we know!

Any time you monkey around in reverse, so to speak, with genetics... for example trying to make a cow smaller rather than larger and healthier... I have to wonder did they breed out some of that animals hardiness? Just thinking out loud here. Plus I'm doing good to afford the price of generic full sized calves and the mini's are a good bit more.

My common sense tells me to leave those alone but maybe I'm completely wrong. I think of things like throwback genes... what happens if your mini cow/and bull both carry a recessive gene for being large? Am I going to have dystocia and a dead cow/calf? A huge Vet bill I can't afford?

Why not go with a breed that is naturally smaller like some of your Irish breeds... the Kerrys or Dexters etc.... They stayed small through a natural selection process that we can probably never duplicate. I'm not against these cattle, but do worry about the consequences long term. I'm just not used to seeing a tiny little Hereford. The one I just bred my cow to weighed 3000# when he went to the butcher....!

Not yet on the gilts. I found a proven sow out of Prudence lines but they want $500. for her!