Miniature cattle for small farms

This is an interesting article, if you can goats, but want beef these might be an option.

http://www.bigpictureagriculture.com/2011/10/ten-miniature-cattle-breeds-for-your.html

There's a zebu bull on the farm. He was supposed to be a steer. And while I don't turn my back on him, he's not overly nasty.

The Highland, the Zebu, the Dexter and the Jersey were all small cattle from the get go.  Just the nature of where the breeds developed.  The Lowline is the small breed with the most attention and care in modern times.  It was specifically developed from registered Angus stock to preform well as a grassfed beef. 

The Scottish Highland has always been the breed that I would someday want to get.  They do well in cold climates and in heat... contrary to what you would think due to their hairy clothes.  The hair insulates both ways.  Highlands have very little surface fat as well.  The hair provides them protection so they tend to put the fat into marbled beef.  They are decent milkers and were developed in a harsh grass only environment, so they do well as grass fed beef.  Originally, in Scotland, there were two breeds the red one that you most often see and a smaller black version.  Now both breeds are considered the same.   Just look at that face! 



I guess I just like wild looking hairy things - like my Sage dog.    

I've heard that the Jersey was also originally a smaller cow, then it was bred to get it larger. I'll admit to always liking the looks of Jersey cows. I think it's those eyes. I'm a sucker for the pretty eyes.

My Grandma Nettie had a sister Blanche.  They had a small dairy operation and they milked registered Jersey cows.  I remember feeling so sorry for those cows.  They had the bony look of many dairy cows and those HUGE soft eyes, then my Aunt Blanche would yell at them and slap them if they came into the dairy parlor in the wrong order.  Really everything was pretty business as usual on a farm and they were not actually thin or being mistreated, but those big brown eyes sure worked an effect on a little kid.   

They are very pretty cows.