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Mini vs full size cattlle

S

ShoersSage

Active member
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
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40
Location
Texas
I would like to know what some of yall feel about the mini cattle? I was researching what type of cattle I would like to have in a couple of years. I came across the mini , from what I have read about them they are easier to handle and dont take as much acreage. I know that during sale season I will be handling the cattle so I want a breed that will be easy to handle.
Yes I am a "city girl" but I am willing to learn and I have been trying to as much as I can. If I had my druthers I would have mini but if they are not economically sound then what breed is good?
 
Any breed can make you money if you market them right. For that matter, any species could too. It depends on what you have for pasture, what you have for markets in your area, and what you want to put into them to see some return on your time, effort and investment. If you only have a few acres, having too many fullsize cattle could lead to overgrazing, and of course having too many mini's or anything could do it, too. Always remember that you want to have something you enjoy looking at when the day's done. If it ain't fun, what's the point, right?
 
If you want mini's go with something like a dexter. While not a true miniature they are a smaller breed of cattle. Meat is supposed to be excellent, grass conversion also is excellent. Stay away from the "mini" cows. Holy expensive!
 
The biggest problem with most mini breeds is your market.. If there is no demand for them than they are an absoiulte waste of money. By this I mean, you will not sell them worth anything at sale time at the barn. They will be heavily discounted so you have to go private treaty. If there is a market for breeding stock or for "pets" than you will be able to sell the females but the steers... Well, might be a bit harder.. Also depends on how mini you go.. I have seen mini zebu that couldn't have gone over 350 pounds as adults and I have seen Dexter cows that would run 700-800 pounds and bulls that would have been 1200--1300. Still much smaller than convential cattle but nothing like those mini Zebu.. Of course there are also Dexters that will run 450-500 pounds as mature cows and bulls that would top at 850 or something like that.. All in what you are looking for I suppose.
 
If you want Sage, I can toss a few pictures of the Dexters we have up.. Wife wanted some a few years back and they do somethings pretty good.. The meat is good but smaller.. What I have really liked is a couple crosses we have done with them... Nice stocky little cow that raises a good 3/4 nondexter calf that preforms with most of my Angus cattle just fine.
 
I've often thought that if I ever for some reason had a mini type-- it would be the Australian Lowline-- which is just a downsized angus (almost the old angus of the 40's-50's)...

Lowline cattle are very definitely a beef breed. They are always black, naturally polled and at all stages of their growth are 60% of the size of normal beef breeds. As they stand today, they are generally the smallest breed of beef cattle.

At birth, calves average 20-24kg (45-53 lbs). Their growth rate is very rapid at first, due to the fact that the dams make excellent mothers and provide ample milk, and most double their birth weight during the first six weeks. Mature cows can carry a calf at the teat up until the calf is about 8 months.

At 8 months, the heifers average 110kg (240 lbs) and bulls 140kg (300 lbs). As yearlings, they have increased to about 190kg (420 lbs) for heifers and 230kg (510 lbs) for bulls. Cows at maturity, 3 years, weigh a consistent average of 320kg (710 lbs) in good condition and stand between 95 and 105cm at the shoulder. The equivalent aged bulls, well muscled, top out at over 400kg (880 lbs) and stand between 100 and 110cm at the hip.

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/australianlowline/index.htm
Click to expand...
 
Seen a few lowlines, we thought about getting them way back when but the price was prohibative.. I know some folks who have them, as well as the really small herefords and they cost a fortune.. I dunno, if I had it all to do over again I would have just bought some Red Angus but they served and serve a purpose here so I suppose that is all that matters.
 
Here are the 2006 Denver Sale Results


5 Fullblood Bulls $30,800 $6,844
3 Percentage Bulls $6,700 $2,233
7 Fullblood Bred Females $67,050 $9,578
12 Fullblood Open Females $93,000 $7,750
5 Purebred Open Females $13,800 $2,760
2 Bred 3/4 Females $5,900 $2.950
9 Open 3/4 Females $26,700 $2,967
2 3/4 cow/calf pairs $7,750 $3,875
10 Open Females $41,550 $4,155
2 Embryo Lots (5 each) $8,000 $4,000

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

56.5 Lots Lowline Cattle $301,250 $5,332

I think I read somewhere that the old N Bar ranch-- home of Northern Ranchers favorite animal, EXT :wink: :lol: -- was raising some now....

They have a long thread going over on cattletday about lowlines- with some more pics:

http://cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37870&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
 
Thanks Il that would be great.
What I am looking for is something not too small the feedlot or packers wont buy, but a bit smaller than the angus. It also has to be cowey enough not to embarrass a cowboy LOL
Like I said during the sale season both spring and fall I will be handleing these cows alone. I am not a big person ...only 5' 2" and I will say this LOL getting older I dont want a fight on my hands. At my age it takes longer to heal and I really dont want to deal with hard to handle animals. The
800-1000 pounds sounds about right. I cant tell you what part of the country since we have not got that part settled .......man dont like heat~ woman dont like snow LOL Both of us do like the runnel county in Texas area.
I am trying to get an idea so I know what direction to go..how much land, do I need to start working other than climbing stairs and shutting cell doors.
Thanks everyone for your ideas they all help and give me a clearer picture.
 
Your best bet might be to try to find some commercial cows in that 1000-1200 pound range and than breed them to a lowline to bring the size down to what you are looking for.. After you get there, get a calving ease commerical bull and you might have something that won't take it in the shorts as much as a mini breed would but you are still going to get dinged for really small framed cattle...Everything will sell but some discounts will be greater than others.. You will get a discount if you drop your cows down to that lower end of the spectrum, at least around here you will.
 

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