Spotted recently in Ketchum, Idaho: three miniature cows.
They’re not much bigger than a dog.
How I would love to have a little cow of my very own.
Just look at those faces.
Let’s all get cows, shall we?
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wouldn’t those “miniature cows” be more accurately described as calves?
PS – that was a genuine question not intended to be quite as snarky as it came across. I really want to know – these aren’t seriously full-grown are they?
Nope, they’re not calves. These are actually miniature cows. A couple of them are youngish, but they’re not going to get much bigger than this.
so presumably these tiny little chaps are pets only that may milk a bit (as opposedd to the dexters which actually produce quite a bit of beef)?
If they did miniature heck cattle, highlanders and belted galloways I’d be really made up.
They are cute. Very cute. In fact, that little dark brown one might do. But my parents used to raise steers for beef and I had to bottle feed them. They aren’t very smart. And they are snotty and they wipe their noses with their tongues. Ewwwwwwwww. Yes, of course, I gave up beef. It’s hard to eat something you’ve bottle fed. Can I maybe have a mini hedgehog instead?
they’re available in the US? fabulous! i’ll take two, just as soon as i get a couple of acres so they’ll have space to frolic with my mini schnauzers and my hoped-for goats!
*dreams on…*
I love cows! Do you have any idea if they produce as much milk as a goat? More, less? Enough to make cheese, maybe?
I’d rather have Pygora goats — small, cute, wonderful spinnable wool, and the does produce about a quart of milk per day. Too bad a herd of goats wouldn’t go over well in suburbia…
‘And they are snotty and they wipe their noses with their tongues.’
Wish my kids had been able to do that!
….at least they were smarter.
those are adorable! now i’m gonna have to get chickens AND miniture cows!
Damn you to hell, Garden Rant! Every time I show my hubby a picture like this he says “NO!” even before I can say something gushing like “aren’t they cute and they give milk and mow the grass!”
I want goats, too. Now I just need more than a quarter acre to keep ‘em on.
Are you kidding me with this stuff?? What type of genetic modification went on here? Breeding processes? What purpose do they serve?? Not sure what to think about this now…
No genetic modification other than what Mendel did. These small cattle are the product of years of selective breeding—breeding small framed cows to small framed bulls. Instead of selecting the big hulking bull calf as the one to use as the herd bull, they are choosing the small bull and the small cows.
As a dairy farmers daughter I only see work.
OH MY GOSH I want one now! I would call her Betsy and she’d be my best friend ever. They are so cute!
They are cute! I wonder how much grass they can eat, so we don’t have to use a gas-powered mower at our community garden…
NOT FAIR Amy! I cannot believe how adorable they are. I just have to have one. They’re not that big, and gee- they couldn’t eat and poop all that much. Hhmm.
Small cows. I wonder what their meat yield is?
Okay – - only kidding! Actually, I think selective breeding for smaller animals is more economical, both environmentally and financially. I would suspect that smaller livestock opens up a larger arena of participation for those who otherwise would not be able to because of space constraints. They are absolutely adorable – - my kids would love them!
Benefits please!
They are so adorable.
How much do they cost? Initial cost and shipping and to feed?
“What type of genetic modification went on here? Breeding processes? What purpose do they serve??”
A recent article actually stated that these smaller cows are likely closer to the size cows were originally, before all the antibiotics, growth hormones, fattening up, etc. kicked in and created the “monster” cows we are used to now.
And as to their purpose, they are evidently easier to raise organically, since pound for pound they require less grazing room and feed.