Small farm owners can take advantage of raising miniature cows. Their petite size means they require a small space to graze and have a lesser appetite than large bovines. Raising mini cows reaps a lot of benefits. A typical cow weighs more than 1,000 pounds, and if you have two or three cows, you need a large area to graze them and consume supplemental grain.
The popularity of growing small cows began in the early 2000s when their demand increased as small-time farmers preferred them. The mini cows require less maintenance due to their small size, weighing only 500 to 700 pounds. Miniature cows can thrive in small acreage and consume less food but produce 50 to 75 percent milk.
How Much Does a Small & Mini Cow Cost?
Farmers are unmindful of the cost of miniature cows as they find these breeds rare and friendly. A miniature cow is more expensive than a family milk cow because of its numerous benefits to the farmer. Their price ranges from 1,800 to 3,500 USD, while full-size cows may only cost 1,400 to 1,800 USD.
Some people treat mini cow breeds as outside pets. These cows produce less milk for daily consumption and have excellent feed conversion. These breeds help maximize the value of your small farm with less stress.
Characteristics of the Mini Cow Breed
As the name implies, mini cows are a miniature version of bovines. If you think they are baby cows, then you are wrong. Mini cows are not calves; they are tiny cows with stunted growth due to dwarfism.
But some miniature cows developed their small mien due to selective breeding, a method of taking the cow’s traits and breeding them to produce offspring carrying the original features.
Some breeds exist without scientific intervention; they have been diminutive since the beginning. Some mini cows are products of experimentation.
Mini cows vary in size according to their measurement up to the hip. A standard size has a height of 36 to 42 inches. The height of a midsize mini cow is 42 to 48 inches, while a micro size is below 36 inches tall.
A mini cow has a height of 48 inches or less when they reach three years old, about one-third of a standard cow’s height. Their diminutive appearance is excellent for two to three acres of pasture land.
Small Dairy Cow Breeds for Dairy
1) Belted Galloway
Belted Galloway cows have their origins in Scotland and are one of the earliest cattle breeds on earth. Farmers prefer them due to their characteristics, such as adaptability to climate change (double-layer hair), hardiness, and temperament. If you have a small farm, this cow breed is right for you as they require less care, and you can keep it with sheep and goats.
Belted Galloway breed can provide your daily milk consumption. Their double-layered hair allows them to thrive in different climates. They have adjusted to Scotland’s moorlands and upland pastures in poor grazing conditions. Raising this cow breed is primarily for ornamental, milking, or meat production.
Also known as Belties, Belted Galloway cows can live from seventeen to twenty years. They forage in the paddocks or scrubby conditions and survive on silage or hay. Their adaptability to climactic conditions allows them to thrive in hot weather or during cold months. This cow breed is also known as non-selective grazers.
A fertile cattle breed, Belties breed healthy and well-fed calves under harsh conditions and weaning periods. They produce one calf at least twice a year and possess mothering ability and higher milk production. Beltie mothers have a higher percentage of calf survival at 95.2 percent and a weaning rate of 95 percent.
Galloway cows are resistant to diseases such as insect & foot disease and pink eye. They have a good disposition, making them easier to manage than other cow breeds. The cows prefer grasses to feed supplements, according to a study in Germany. Small farmers can benefit from raising Galloway as they require less feed and have feed conversion efficiency.
2) Zebu Cattle
Zebu cattle are a multipurpose cow breed that originates in India. Their diminutive size is excellent for pets. Farmers raise them for draught, transportation, milk, and beef meat production. They also convert the waste of Zebu cows to manure and fuel.
Zebu cattle are recognizable with their large dewlap, drooping ears, and fatty hump on the shoulders. They are easy to manage due to their friendly disposition and behavior. This cattle breed is adaptable to high temperatures, reasons why they thrive in tropical countries.
Some uses of Zebu cows are for rodeo shows, breeding farms, and zoo gardens. Zebu cows have good mothering and calving abilities. A healthy Zebu can yield one gallon of milk per day. Their milk is high in butterfat. However, they only produce milk in their later years. Breeders crossbreed them with taurine cattle to increase milk production.
3) Panda Cows
Panda cows are a rare breed of miniature cattle with Panda-like spots on their body. Black ovals surround their face and eyes, and a large white belt covers the midsection.
This cattle breed is expensive due to its rarity, costing around 30,000 USD. Their unique traits are a product of mutation. According to Wikipedia, there are only 24 Panda cows worldwide as of January 2011.
The most publicized birth of Panda cows was in 2010 in Colorado and Roy, Washington, in 2013. Farmer Chris Jessen of Colorado breeds Panda cows not for meat but as pets and milking. His newly born male calf was born in December 2010, and he named him Ben. This cow was the result of mating cow breeds to produce rare black and white markings on the face, eyes, and midsection.
Jessen debunks rumors that the panda cows can have white and dark chocolate milk. This cow breed is easy to manage and eats less. They are docile, making them a perfect pet for your small farm. One acre of land is suitable for two Panda cows.
4) Dexter Cow
Dexter cows had their origin in Ireland with 25 to 30 years of success rate. The size of a typical Dexter cow is half the size of Hereford cows. They are a perfect cow for milking as they can produce 2.5 gallons of milk daily. Some breeders cross the Dexter cow with other breeds.
An adult Dexter has an average weight of 600 to 700 pounds, while mature male cows can weigh up to 1000 pounds. This cow is a perfect choice for farmers with small farms. They are easy to manage, adaptable to harsh weather conditions, and flexible to any management system.
Today, Dexter cattle thrive in Belgium, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Cuba, Germany, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Denmark. Known as the smallest cattle breed in the UK, Dexter cows are a dual-purpose breed—for meat and milk production. These cows can be red, dun, or black, and they can be non-short-legged or short-legged.
Dexter cows have good mothering and calving qualities. Newborn calves can stand on their feet quickly, and heifers mature at 15 to 18 months old. This cow breed can live up to 14 years or more.
Their milk production depends on their purposes, like house cows, sucklers, or dairy cows. A house cow can yield an average daily milk of 8 to 10 liters. They raise their calf like fully-grown commercial calves if you keep them as sucklers.
Dairy cows can produce 10 to 12 liters of milk per day. Some of them can even yield 14 liters or more daily. Dexter has superior quality milk consisting of 3.51 percent protein and over 4 percent butterfat.
Dexter forages their food, and they can survive in arid places. They primarily feed on grass and hay during low conditions. Give them enough water to increase milk yield, keeping it clean all the time. Keeping Dexter as milking cows can be successful if you feed them regularly according to their size, which is two-thirds the size of a regular cow breed.
5) Jersey
Jersey cow is among the three cattle breeds native to the British Channel Islands. Raising a Jersey cow for milking is a good idea as the cows are highly productive and produce more than ten times their weight in milk per lactation. The milk has a yellowish tinge and is high in butterfat content. Their milk contains 4.84 percent butterfat and 3.95 percent protein.
Managing Jersey cows is easy due to their excellent temperaments. Their milk production can reach up to three gallons per day, whereas milking can be twice daily. They are adaptable to extreme weather conditions. Due to their climatic change adaptability, you can find them in the United States, New Zealand, Denmark, and other countries.
Jersey cows require less maintenance and less food. Since they are small, they consume half of what fully grown cows can eat. Nepalese farmers use them as draught animals.
Bulls weigh 600 to 700 kilograms. They have an average weight of 350 to 400 kilograms and a height of 115 to 120 centimeters. They have good mothering and calving abilities with a lower rate of obstructed labor or dystocia, making them popular for crossbreeding with other cow breeds.
6) Guernsey Cow
Guernsey cow is a cattle breed for dairy that produces golden-colored milk. Their golden yellow milk is due to its high beta-carotene content aside from its butterfat and protein content. Guernsey is among the three cattle breeds in British Channel Island, one of them is Jersey and extinct Alderney cattle.
A typical Guernsey cow has a coating of fawn or red or a combination of white and fawn or white and red. It is a friendly, docile, and hardy cow believed to have its roots from crossbreeds of two French cattle breeds. Guernsey cows arrived in the United States in the 1840s.
Guernsey has efficient calving, milking, and grazing ability. They consume less food and do not require ample grazing space due to their diminutive size. They produce high milk yield if you feed them a good amount of food to keep them healthy.
7) Holstein Friesians
Holstein Friesian is a cattle breed native to Friesians, North Holland, Netherlands, and Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. People in Ireland and the United Kingdom call them Holstein, while Germans call them Holstein. Holstein cows are known as highest producing dairy animals in the world.
Breeders in Germany and Holland raised the cows to graze on grassland, which led to the production of high dairy-producing cows—the black and white Holstein Friesians dairy cows. Due to its high milk production, this cattle breed has scattered in 150 countries.
Its first importation happened in North and South America from the Netherlands. After importing 8,800 black-pied German cows (Friesians), Europe ceased its exportation because of diseases affecting the dairy animals.
Today, Holstein Friesian dominates in the USA as a dairy breed, as it can produce 2,674 gallons of milk per lactation. The lactation period lasts for 305 days, which is equivalent to 75 pounds of milk per day. This cattle breed is adaptable to different climactic conditions, eats less, and is easy to manage because of its friendly disposition.
FAQs
Does it mean that small teat cows produce less milk?
The size of a cow’s teat does not affect its ability to produce milk. The udder heights and depths are relational to milk production.
What is the average milk a cow can produce per day?
A cow can yield thirty liters of milk per day, which is more than a calf can consume. Farmers can milk a cow twice or thrice a day. The percentage of protein and butterfat depends on the cow’s breed. Generally, the protein content is 3.2 to 3.3 percent, while the butterfat content is 3.8 to 4 percent.
