Our family has been considering getting a family cow for a couple of years now. However, we're not sure that we could use the 4+ gallons of milk a day they produce. We would like to eventually have a Jersey, but their milk production is up there as well. Is there such a thing as a miniature Jersey? If so, how would we go about finding one? If not, what small breed would you recommend? Thank you in advance for your responses.

-- Chris DeCollibus (c.decollibus@oscnet.net), June 17, 2000

Answers

Check out Irish Dexters.

-- Gayle (gvoshell@dol.net), June 17, 2000.

Minicattle

Directory of miniature cattle

Guinea Jerseys

American Miniature Jersey Cattle Registry

Cattle pages for general interest

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), June 18, 2000.

Shure there are min. Jerseys! These dayts there is a min. every thing. Except for the prices! We looked very seriously at Dexters, but realized getting started was way beyond our budget. We thought we could sell them to small families for beef. Reserch in our area showed small families can buy a side of beef already processed cheaper.

-- Okie-Dokie (www.tommycflinstone@aol.com), June 18, 2000.

When I started researching miniature cattle, all the agriculture college people laughed at me and questioned why anyone would want a "small" cow when they could have a big one! Don't let such people discourage you! We haven't been able to get one yet but we are in the market for a miniature milk cow too! Hopefully we can get emough money to get one by next year!!! I have a lot of allergies and I think the milk would be much better for me! (Yes I know, I could get a goat and we are planning to get goats too!)

-- Suzy in 'Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), June 20, 2000.

i have some "miniature" jerseys and they are great- but they are not toys, which is what i think some people think about when they hear the word "miniature". my interior fences are 4 foot for the sheep and when i had standard size steers a few years ago, by the time they were a year old they were plowing the fences over. even my 2yr. old bull is staying put behind the short fence although i had to put wire fence over the gate panel because he was reaching through and bending the gate. i would never go back to standard size cattle- lots of mini options out there and the prices are coming down on some of them. lauren(az)

-- (ltlctl@yahoo.com), June 21, 2000.

I thought Jerseys WERE miniatures. :-) I grew up with Holsteins, Brown Swiss, and Jerseys. My Dad and brothers and I are all over 6 ft tall, and to us, the Jerseys were such cute little things that you could just push around when you needed to. (Compared to them black and white behemoths.)

-- Dan Conine (dconine@dotnet.com), June 21, 2000.

We are raising miniature Jerseys and also Kingshire and Kentshire blk and wh beef cattle. They are not toys, they are real. They eat a 1/3 less than big cattle and with tobacco going out in Ky we needed an alternative crop. We chose miniature cattle. We have Belfairs and Belmonts which are 1/2 Jersey and 1/2 Dexter. They are all miniatures. We have some for sale but are just getting started. E- mail us for stock and prices. They are the up and coming thing in this world today. We got our start thru an ad in the Countryside Magazine. Praise God for it! We belong to the International Miniature Breed Society. There are 20 miniature breeds registered now. Jerseys at the present are very scarce and it will take a couple years to get enough to do much with but we are on our way. Come join us, its fun!We welcome any and all inquiries.

-- Evalyn Frye (rayl@ekns.net), June 21, 2000.