will salo
New member
Is there a miniature line of Scottish highland cattle?
Scottish Highland cattle
- Thread starter will salo
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Victoria
Well-known member
Found this site:
http://www.minihighlandcattle.com/blog
http://www.minihighlandcattle.com/blog
Mycows
Member
will salo":2nywjsuu said:
Hi will salo, there are a few breeders of Miniature Scottish Highlands here in the USA. As was previously mentioned, go to: http://www.minihighlandcattle.com/blog . If you contact him (Rick Sanders 209-245-6973 ), he can tell you of some breeders that may be near you. He is the breed registrar. That is how I located my Miniature Highlands. I continue to be fascinated with them everyday. Definately worth checking into. Take care....Dennis
http://www.practicalcows.com
AngusLimoX
Well-known member
There are a few of us in here interested in developing a breed of "lap cow", for those that would like to have cattle in an apartment or suburban setting.
The project manager for this initiative is Mr. Caustic Burno, a member of this board, and we would be interested in hearing just how "miniature" you can get these cattle.
Our shareholders would of course be willing to compensate you for any research and development costs, but you would have to accept primary bovine by-product as payment.
Thank you for your time.
CBBBI ( CB's Baby Bovine Inc. )
The project manager for this initiative is Mr. Caustic Burno, a member of this board, and we would be interested in hearing just how "miniature" you can get these cattle.
Our shareholders would of course be willing to compensate you for any research and development costs, but you would have to accept primary bovine by-product as payment.
Thank you for your time.
CBBBI ( CB's Baby Bovine Inc. )
cherokeeruby
Well-known member
LOL
:lol: :lol: :lol:AngusLimoX":12bzqlw0 said:
If I understood what I was told correctly the main driving force behind miniature cattle is the ability to have more head of cattle on feed with the same or even less feed cost than a smaller herd size of the standard breeds. By doing so they can elevate themselves out of the hobby farmer/rancher category and into the part time rancher/farmer category. Thus eliminating the ridicule they previously received from the big boys on this board. Good move.
andybob
Well-known member
There was a breed called the Pecanite in Zimbabwe, an adult bull stood about the hieght of a Labrador dog.
They were used for grazing orchards without damaging trees, the invasion of farms and smallholdings four years ago resulted in their extinction as they ended up being BBQ'ed by the thugs who invaded the farms.
They were used for grazing orchards without damaging trees, the invasion of farms and smallholdings four years ago resulted in their extinction as they ended up being BBQ'ed by the thugs who invaded the farms.
Doesn't anyone realize that when you breed for a single trait, size in this case, that all sorts of other physical deformities show up. Smaller cattle produce less meat and more waste as a percentage, than their larger cousins. Arguing that a 900lb Lowline takes up less space than a 1300lb Angus steer is ridiculous. I spoke with a breeder of miniature horses a couple of years ago. In order to get the small, cute size, they would breed back to the same stud over several generations. Apparently, birth defects aren't a concern, as long as dumba** 1-2 acre ranchers are willing to buy these animals. If you hadn't guessed, I am 100% against Lowlines, mini Herefords, or any other freak of nature.
Mycows
Member
6M Ranch":24pfn300 said:
Hey 6M Ranch, I just wanted to let you know that I agree with your statement that breeding for a single trait could be dangerous. But I would add that responsible breeders of miniatures do not just breed for just one trait alone. The animal has to be of sound and correct conformation as well as healthy. It is common knowledge that most of today's cattle breeds (large or small) were developed initially with a small gene pool. No one says that the larger breeds are genetic freaks, so the same should hold true for the miniatures.
Also I would like to say that you are correct in stating that there is a slight disadvantage to breeding miniatures regarding processing costs (waste, processing fees) per 100 lbs. However, when you consider that 2 miniatures can be run on the space required by one large cow, then there is a potential to raise more meat per acre.
Finally I would say that my miniature Jersey is 500 lbs and my smallest Highland is 600 lbs (I am still working on bringing the size down), not 900 lbs. as you mentioned.
I am glad that you have found a breed of cattle that you like and can work with. Please understand that I feel the same way with my miniatures. Celebrate diversity when it comes to breeds of cattle.
Take care.....Dennis
AngusLimoX
Well-known member
Well,not trying to raise heck, but in a large circulation farm magazine a couple years ago there was an article on this nice couple that was retiring after 50 years of farming.
The only thing they intended to do was continue with their miniatue horse breeding activities. I am sorry I forget the specifics on exact breed but the things were smaller than a pony and multi-colour coated.
The next week there was a reply story to the retirement story. The reply was the most insulting, condemning almost hateful piece I have ever seen ( outside of this forum :lol: :lol: ).
The lady replying stated that breeding these types of animals was animal cruelty, as they were breeding for traits that were a deformity. She said the animals almost always needed to be put down at an earlier age because of bone structure defects, and that they were in pain from an early age.
There must have been something to what she said, to have that letter printed in the first place, and the following week the retiring couple wrote in saying they were getting out of breeding the little beggars!
We currently own a miniature donkey ( due to foal in 2 weeks ) and I find the whole topic interesting. I guess I really don't care what other folks breed ( beef wise ) as long as it is humane, and it doesn't undermine the beef industry.
The only thing they intended to do was continue with their miniatue horse breeding activities. I am sorry I forget the specifics on exact breed but the things were smaller than a pony and multi-colour coated.
The next week there was a reply story to the retirement story. The reply was the most insulting, condemning almost hateful piece I have ever seen ( outside of this forum :lol: :lol: ).
The lady replying stated that breeding these types of animals was animal cruelty, as they were breeding for traits that were a deformity. She said the animals almost always needed to be put down at an earlier age because of bone structure defects, and that they were in pain from an early age.
There must have been something to what she said, to have that letter printed in the first place, and the following week the retiring couple wrote in saying they were getting out of breeding the little beggars!
We currently own a miniature donkey ( due to foal in 2 weeks ) and I find the whole topic interesting. I guess I really don't care what other folks breed ( beef wise ) as long as it is humane, and it doesn't undermine the beef industry.
My point doesn't just apply to miniaturization of certain animals. This would apply to any trait in an animal that you are trying to emphasize. Size, marbling, etc. Most genetic defects are recessive. When an animal is repeatably bred to the same bloodlines, you increase your chances for other defects to materialize dramatically. A two foot horse is a genetic defect. If allowed to happen naturally, I don't think a two foot horse would last long in the wild.
for those that have bashed my views on highland cattle in the past you must know how hard it is for me to refrain from commenting too much on this topic of "Minature" line of Scottish Highland Cattle :lol:
Herefordcross
Well-known member
We looked at a few the other day, they are some hairy cattle that's for sure.
BAGTIC
Well-known member
As for 'most' defective genes being recessive it simply isn't so. Recessivity or dominance has nothing to do with defects.
Dominant 'defects' are merely easier to spot and therefore to eliminate. Also many dominant defects are lethal so the condition heals itself.
Looking at the history of livestock breeding almost all the advances and the breeds themself, of whatever kind of animal, is the result of uncovering and isolating recessive genes that in random mating would have gone unnoticed. For example the polled condition in cattle is a genetically dominant gene but is rare in nature because it reduces survivability. In captivity the criteria changes and it increases survivability. In the wild the huge udders on top of the breed Holsteins would also be a liability.
As for standard size beeves dressing out a higher percentage of meat actual tests indicate it isn't necessarily so. Smaller animals will also produce more marketable sized cuts. Smaller animals do less damage to pastures and equipment.
One consideration I have not seen addressed it whether it is more costly to process two 800 pound carcasses or one 1600 pound carcass.
Dominant 'defects' are merely easier to spot and therefore to eliminate. Also many dominant defects are lethal so the condition heals itself.
Looking at the history of livestock breeding almost all the advances and the breeds themself, of whatever kind of animal, is the result of uncovering and isolating recessive genes that in random mating would have gone unnoticed. For example the polled condition in cattle is a genetically dominant gene but is rare in nature because it reduces survivability. In captivity the criteria changes and it increases survivability. In the wild the huge udders on top of the breed Holsteins would also be a liability.
As for standard size beeves dressing out a higher percentage of meat actual tests indicate it isn't necessarily so. Smaller animals will also produce more marketable sized cuts. Smaller animals do less damage to pastures and equipment.
One consideration I have not seen addressed it whether it is more costly to process two 800 pound carcasses or one 1600 pound carcass.
brierpatch1974
Well-known member
not I read somwhere that it takes highland cattle twice as long to grow out to a butchering age/siz.. Is this true?
I would love to set down someday and taste the differant steaks from differant breeds. I bet most of them there is not much differance.
BP
I would love to set down someday and taste the differant steaks from differant breeds. I bet most of them there is not much differance.
BP
andybob
Well-known member
Bagtic; I have butchered a number of Dexters over the years all of which were good quality carcases, comparative assesments by our performance test group proved medium framed cattle produced more beef per hectare than the large breeds, unfortunately there were no herds of small cattle in our scheme so there was no basis for comparison, it would be an interesting research project.
6Mranch;I have no personal experience with minatures, what little I know about the forementioned Pecanite, is that they were selected from natural minatures which were a product of their environment,the guy who developed them selected from a large number of herds and selected for all the usual commercial traits, except in minature.
6Mranch;I have no personal experience with minatures, what little I know about the forementioned Pecanite, is that they were selected from natural minatures which were a product of their environment,the guy who developed them selected from a large number of herds and selected for all the usual commercial traits, except in minature.
BAGTIC
Well-known member
Here is another 'miniature breed' that I stumbled across recently. As this is a traditional breed it certainly was not created as a result of the craze for lawn ornaments but as a working breed.
http://www.embryoplus.com/cattle_cachena.html
http://www.embryoplus.com/cattle_cachena.html
