Miniature cattle

Miniature cattle are found in various parts of the world. Some, such as the Dexter of Ireland and the Vechur of Kerala, India, are traditional breeds; others have been recently created by selective breeding. The Australian Lowline was the unexpected result of a scientific experiment.[1]:3 Some, but not all, miniature breeds display achondroplasia, or dwarfism.[2]:xxvi

Compared to larger cattle, miniature cattle require less space and less feed,[3] and may be easier to handle.[4] They do less damage to pasture land, do not need such high or strong fencing,[5] and do not produce as much methane.[3]

Breeds
BreedOriginHeight/weightImage
Australian Lowlinederived from Aberdeen Angus in Australia[6]
  • Males: 110 cm
  • Females: 100 cm
Dextertraditional Irish breed92–107 cm[7]
Kasagarodtraditional breed, Kerala, India80–90 cm[2]:322
Lagune or DahomeyBenin, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Togo
  • Males: 100 cm
  • Females: 80 cm[8]
Miniature Zebumodern breed register, United States
  • Males: 182–272 kg
  • Females: 136–227 kg
  • Maximum height: 107 cm[2]:245
Minivaca
(also Bonsai Brahman, Bonsai Zebu)		Mexico, derived from Indu-Brasil[2]:205
  • Males: 200–220 kg
  • Females: 150–160 kg
Smallest examples 140 kg/60 cm[2]:205
NiataUruguay, Argentina; now extinct[2]:xxvi
SombaBenin, Togo
  • Males: 110 cm
  • Females: 85 cm[9]
PunganurAndhra Pradesh, India
  • Males: 107 cm, 240 kg
  • Females: 97 cm, 170 kg[10]
Vechurtraditional breed, Kerala, India[2]:xxvi

An American breeder, Richard Gradwohl, has developed eighteen different strains of miniature cattle.[3] Miniature Galloway, Hereford and Holstein have been bred.[2]:245[3] In the United States, small zebuine cattle deriving from stock imported from Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Sweden may be registered as "Miniature Zebu";[2]:245 in Australia, similar cattle may be known as "Nadudana". In the United States, Jersey cattle of the original island type may be known as "Miniature Jersey"; Jersey cows stand about 115–120 cm and weigh some 350 kg.[2]:212

References
  1. David Barnett (1998). History of Lowlines. In: Foundation Herd Book. Armidale, New South Wales: Australian Lowline Cattle Association.
  2. Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.
  3. Rebecca Seal (25 July 2010). Why mini cows could save the planet. The Guardian. Accessed February 2017.
  4. [Associated Press] (4 January 2006). Miniature Cattle Breed Interest. Los Angeles Times. Accessed February 2017.
  5. Australian Lowline Cattle: A Rare Breed of Australian Origin. Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand. Accessed February 2017.
  6. Breed data sheet: Lowline/Australia. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed February 2017.
  7. Breed data sheet: Dexter/Ireland. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed February 2017.
  8. Breed data sheet: Lagune/Benin. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed February 2017.
  9. Breed data sheet: Somba/Benin. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed February 2017.
  10. Breed data sheet: India: Cattle: Punganur. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed February 2019.
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