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05/12/06, 09:55 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Washington State
Posts: 57
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Miniature Cattle - do you know about them?
OK, so I've been reading info on the miniature cattle & want to get some input. If you have a mini or have experience around them, please pass on the info. I would also like buying information & what to look for when buying one.
Thanks!
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"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save the world through him." John 3:17
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05/12/06, 10:01 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Michigan
Posts: 243
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I was going to post a similiar post. Recently started researching the miniature cattle, but have not located any folks raising them in my area yet. (SE Michigan).
I've got boer goats and wanted to get some cows too, if they are compatiable in the pastures.
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05/12/06, 10:49 AM
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Miniature Horse lover
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: West Central WI.
Posts: 21,107
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by farmerlogan
OK, so I've been reading info on the miniature cattle & want to get some input. If you have a mini or have experience around them, please pass on the info. I would also like buying information & what to look for when buying one.
Thanks!
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Here is a few message boards to ask questions about mini cattle.
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/MiniatureCattle/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MiniatureZebuCattle/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/minifarmanimals/
Hope this helps out....At some point in time I want to get a mini Jersey steer just to raise and spoil as a pet, lol... Although I did have a mini Zebu. He was very tame I traded him for a mini donkey
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05/12/06, 12:11 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,441
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Patt has Dexters. Does that qualify? I only have one Dexter. Step in here and help us out, Patt.
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05/12/06, 12:59 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 813
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We have a small herd of miniature jerseys. I would be glad to answer any questions of send pictures if wanted. We are calving right now and have a waiting list for heifer calves. Of course, all bulls so far, but they are healthy.
we have a bull that is now 1 year old and only 28 inches tall. He is our cutie.
Let me know how I can help.
Joanie
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05/12/06, 01:23 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 486
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Dexters are a small breed of cattle, not a 'mini' breed where the short animals of a normal breed were bred together to minaturize it ( mini-herfords, mini-zebu, etc ).
We have Dexters and really enjoy them. Very easy keepers, good temperament, easy calving. Some folks milk them, a lot of folks raise them for meat and milk, we haven't milked or eaten any of ours yet.
With 'mini' animals I would be concerned about genetic defects that have been strengthened by using a smaller gene pool ( short animals from the original breed ) and possible health problems that arise from that sort of breeding. I don't have any experience with minis so I could ( and usually am ) far off base.
http://www.dakodan.net/dexters/forum/ is a good Dexter message board if you are interested.
Last edited by Hammer4; 05/12/06 at 01:27 PM.
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05/12/06, 02:37 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 447
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Jersey girl...What do you get out of your jersey's 
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05/12/06, 02:53 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 486
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Well I can tell what we get out of our Dexters, some pee, some poo, and once a year a calf from the girls if we are lucky.
Haha...?
Anyhow, registered female dexters can sell from 1000 - 1500 or so, unregistered a few hundred less than that. The males don't sell for nearly that much unless folks thing its a really good bull prospect. I picked our bull up for meat cost a couple years ago.
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05/12/06, 03:48 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Michigan
Posts: 243
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What if you're not interested in milking, just pets and meat purposes? Highlanders (They are so cute!)?
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05/12/06, 04:46 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 813
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Glidergurl - we get milk and meat out of our jerseys.
Seriously, we average about $2000 to $2500 for registered heifer calves.
It may sound like alot, but they eat much less than a standard cow, and we have girls giving anywhere from 4 to 6 gallons of milk a day. You save a lot of money in feed.
I would post some pictures on here but am not sure how and am not computer wise.
Our web sit has not been updated in awhile, but you can see some calves.
www.ber-gustfarms.com
Joanie
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05/12/06, 05:15 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 1,009
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we have Dexters...
And we LOVE them! We are not milking them yet. But three of them have such lovely bags. We have a steer calf that will be next years freezer meat.
They are easy on fences..easy on food intake..gentle and easy going for the most part. Here in southeast Iowa..the weather has its extemes..and neither cold or heat seem to bother them like it does other breeds.
I reinforce what was said earlier..they are not minis..they are a true breed.
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05/12/06, 07:17 PM
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Michigan
Posts: 381
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Mr. Potter has a herd of Dexter down in SE Michigan I believe.
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in our air and water that are doing it."
--Al Gore, Former Vice President
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05/12/06, 11:42 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Spring Branch, Texas
Posts: 96
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There are many Dexter breeders on this board, myself included.
I couldn't be happier with the breed. Dual purpose for beef or milk, sometimes trained as oxen, even the family pet. Some of us do not like to use the word "miniature" being that it's not natural. Dexters are one of the smallest breeds of livestock and are also considered a Heritage breed.
Even though they have been in the U.S. a little over 100 years, our herd numbers are small so they are a rare breed.
www.legendrockranch.com
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05/12/06, 11:45 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 67
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Jerseygirl, dh had a question a while ago about these mini jerseys...he asked how far back you can trace their lineage? Ive only asked one other person, and she couldnt tell me much, just that her jersey was smaller anyway, so she could be registered.
Mary
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05/12/06, 11:59 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: North East
Posts: 1,025
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if you are concerned about gene pool this guys stock might be the best thing.
http://www.miniaturebull.com/
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05/13/06, 12:03 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Washington State
Posts: 57
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So LOTS of great info here, but one question -- you all seem to be back east & mid west. Anyone know any breeders out west, preferably WA?
__________________
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save the world through him." John 3:17
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05/13/06, 01:00 AM
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I love hockey
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Western Washington
Posts: 73
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mini cattle in western washington
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05/13/06, 06:21 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 813
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Mary, I don't know how far back I can trace them. I know who bred all of them and could call and check for you. I do think I can follow their registry back a ways, beyond that I do not know.
Joanie
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05/13/06, 04:34 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ouachitas, AR
Posts: 6,049
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We have Dexters and Highlands. Dexters are considered a standard cattle breed but they border the height requirement for mini's. Highlands are a full size breed on short legs. We're raising Highlands that are more typical of the originals from Scotland. Raising them for beef is the big thing today and most of them are your usual over-fed, super huge, looks like any other beef breed except some extra hair and horns. Ours are about the same height as our Dexters but they are heavier. Dexters have a more tractable temperament over all I think.
As far as the mini's go they seem to be outrageously over priced, you can get a Highland or Dexter for the same price as any good quality papered cattle breed. I think the mini's are just a fad. I'd be curious to know how you milk one? Sit on the floor, put it on a goat milking stand?
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05/13/06, 08:53 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: wisconsin
Posts: 4,293
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Wow the cattle are the smallest I have ever seen. I can see city folks having mini cattle in their back yards lol.
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