Market for Miniatures

[RedRockRanch]

Hi everyone, I'm just getting into the business, own 22 acres but have the ability to lease nearby as I grow and gain experience. I've read that the miniature breeds are good for smaller acreage but when I do the math I'm not sure how profitable they are from a business standpoint. As well, the cattlemen I've spoken with in the North Texas area don't recommend them to me. When I told one rancher that I was considering Dexters he frowned and said "Are you sure about that"? He went on to explain at the sale barns he's been to the Dexters didn't bring as much per pound as the full size breeds. I've seen the miniatures of all breed types command high prices in niche markets using direct sales like websites, forums, craigslist, etc. These type sales seem to involve long distance pickup/deliveries, lots of negotiation, lots of breed registration red tape, etc. This would be all fine and good for an established ranch with deep pockets and resources, but is it wise for someone starting out? I've decided to start with a small herd of red Angus Hereford cross but would consider miniatures if it really made sense. Thanks in advance. I look forward to gaining lots of knowledge here in the cattletoday forum.

 

[Taurus]

If your goal is selling the calves at the salebarn, forget the miniature cattle.

You need to find the buyers to buying your minature cattle stock. I've seen surplus animals for sale that never got sold for a year or more.

 

[ANAZAZI]

Red angus/hereford is a good start. Miniatures is not.

 

[HOSS]

My mother raises Dexters and mini-Jerseys. It is definetly a niche market. She targets folks that want freezer beef but do not need a full sized steer. The females are targeted toward the homesteader type people that have small acreage and want a family milk cow but don't need all the extra milk that a full sized Jersey produces. She sells by word of mouth and repeat customers. She is backing off now that she is getting up there in age and she has saturated the local market already. I would start with the red angus x herfs and see how you like it. If you find that a niche market is available in your area there is nothing wrong with getting a couple of minis and seeing how it goes. If it doesn't work you are not out alot of money. If it works well you can expand the minis by reducing the red angus x herf cows a bit at a time.

 

[RedRockRanch]

Thanks for the comments, it validates what I was finding out. ...and Thanks Hoss, I had thought of that approach (getting a few minis at some point) especially if I get into making cheese and butter as we'll be homesteading on the same property in a few years.

 

[gonzo]

Red angus/hereford is a good start. Miniatures is not.

dito
I personally wouldn't go with mini's, there just a fad. :welcome:

 

[novatech]

Promoters of these animals (mini's, dexters,etc.) will tell you all about the great efficiency and pounds of beef you can raise on a given piece of property. What they do not tell you is your only going to get about 1/2 price per lb. at the sale barn. This turns out to be less dollars per acre.
The money in mini's is in the marketing. People buy them thinking they will be able to sell them for what they foolishly paid.
There are some grass fed beef producers that sell a finished product (cut and wrapped), but then again it is your marketing skills that will pay off.

 

[Ouachita]

Alpacas. Can't go wrong with alpacas. That's where the money is. I missed a golden opportunity several years ago, to trade a 60k aircraft for a breeding pair of them instead of cash. I chose the cash. Still kicking myself. It was tempting though, about how when I had my "infrastructure" setup in "about a year", they will have already "paid for themselves". Hindsight. Regrets. Pityful. Plum pityful. Oh well, that's what boot straps are for, and now I'm in the big time. BEEF (forgot I can't laugh on the quick reply, whoops)

There is a lady near me that raises Dexter's, and has put tremendous effort into convincing locals on the benefits of owning them, or buying them for freezer beef. I think 99% of her market is quite distant (to the nearest urban areas). She has even offered to give local 4H and FFA kids for free, if they'll show. Nobody has taken the offer yet. Kinda like driving a moped to Bikes Blues and Bar-B-Q. I think if you lived on the outskirts of say, San Francisco, you could potentially do well. Not on the Red River.

Welcome, and good luck to you!

 

[ga.prime]

Chinchillas.

 

[dun]

Ostriches and emus

 

[Taurus]

Oh by the way don't building up the herd of miniature cattle, you might have hard time to sell the surplus animals that never got sold.

 

[cmay]

Yeah, too bad about the ostriches. I don't want to raise them, but I really do like ostrich steaks. I had a chicken fried ostrich steak at a small cafe once that was as good as anything I have ever eaten.

 

[greybeard]

Yeah, too bad about the ostriches. I don't want to raise them, but I really do like ostrich steaks. I had a chicken fried ostrich steak at a small cafe once that was as good as anything I have ever eaten.

I had one in El Reno myself about a decade ago. It wasn't bad at all. Can't remember the name of the place but their main fare was Buffalo burgers and calf fries.

Miniatures? Don't get me started. You still have to have nearly all the infrastructure of full size cattle but with less than 1/2 the benefits.
My wife sees 'em when we drive around and says "Oh how cute!" and I respond with "Oh how dumb".
My b-i-l just went to a lot of expense to put up a new 6' woven wire fence, with 6 line posts all around his place and announced he wanted to get some mini-dexters to stock it with. :shock: :roll:

 

[Taurus]

Had ostrich steaks in the past it was good!

 

[andybob]

We did really well with Ostrich, especially when we started exporting to Europe and the USA... We process a lot of Dexters and Shetlands through the on farm abattoir they are popular as freezer beef here in the UK, where the Shetlands do make a good profit is when they are kept as a base herd and crossed to larger framed beef cattle the F1's finish to a good carcase weight, and grade in the top range.

 

[townfarmer]

We did really well with Ostrich, especially when we started exporting to Europe and the USA... We process a lot of Dexters and Shetlands through the on farm abattoir they are popular as freezer beef here in the UK, where the Shetlands do make a good profit is when they are kept as a base herd and crossed to larger framed beef cattle the F1's finish to a good carcase weight, and grade in the top range.

What are shetlands? I was thinking little wooly ponies until you mentioned crossing with large beef cattle.

Andrew

 

[Taurus]

We did really well with Ostrich, especially when we started exporting to Europe and the USA... We process a lot of Dexters and Shetlands through the on farm abattoir they are popular as freezer beef here in the UK, where the Shetlands do make a good profit is when they are kept as a base herd and crossed to larger framed beef cattle the F1's finish to a good carcase weight, and grade in the top range.

What are shetlands? I was thinking little wooly ponies until you mentioned crossing with large beef cattle.

Andrew

Think them as small sized Holstein cattle.

 

[slick4591]

Yep, I'm glad I'm not the only one that had the pony image in my head.

 

[andybob]

The native Shetland cattle like the ponies, sheep and dogs are miniatures, very hardy dual purpose cattle popular with smallholders, though still quite scarce due to their being used in the past for beef production when bred to larger British breeds and later, Continentals.
http://www.shetlandcattle.org.uk/

 

[RedRockRanch]

Well, after being away for quite a while....I ended up working with a lady from Scotland and I now have a small here (9) full-blood registered Shetland cows. They are wonderfully docile, medium-sized, manageable horn size, and multi-colored. Will be harvesting 2 steers this year so stay tuned on how the beef is. Took me a little over 5 years to accomplish it, but I imported 15 embryos and 200 straws of bull semen from diverse genetics. This is a heritage breed and quite rare, only about 800 in the world. Myself and one other breeder I sold 2 cows to are the only ones on this side of the planet with any. USDA and other regulations in the UK made it almost impossible but I finally got it done. Nice to be back on the forum here.