If you have five, 10, 20 or even 100 acres and you run the big Hereford you could find yourself supplementary feeding some if not all the year round.
You could develop new relations with your neighbours as hungry cattle push on fencing and ultimately bust through. When it rains chances are your ground will get all pugged up and take a lot to repair.
So, if you have a few acres, would like the pleasure of owning a couple of beautiful red and white cows, have a look at Miniature Herefords. On average you can carry two minis to one full-size animal on the same acreage.
The modern day Miniature Hereford has been around since the 1960s, when a family in the United States bucked the trend of ‘bigger has to be better’’ and selectively bred from the smallest Herefords they had.
News of these little guys spread slowly around the world and Australia has a steadily growing group of dedicated people who are busily breeding robust, quiet, user-friendly small cattle for similarly-minded others.
People with a few acres, possibly not much experience, basic facilities and children or grandchildren who just love the idea of a pet in the paddock.
Some of them are tired of mowing the ever-growing grass and want a couple of lawn mowers, others want to have their own home-grown beef.
Miniature Herefords deliver on both counts and if you want to see baby calves frolicking in the sunshine, then minis can deliver that too.
Today’s mini is about half the size of the modern Hereford and are easily quietened and handled.
Breeders pay a lot of attention to temperament as a placid mini is an absolute pleasure and ensures the enjoyment of the owners.
To the uninitiated they won’t look any different from their big cousins and it won’t be until someone stands beside them that you realise they only come to about your hip.
The Miniature Hereford has to be a frame score of 1 or less by the age of three years. A frame score chart can be found on the AMHBN website.
By keeping the size at a frame score of 0 or 1, half the small Hereford is the perfect size for the average domestic chest freezer.
A recently processed 18-month-old steer came in at the following: liveweight 410kg, carcase weight 230kg = 56.1%, meat yield 147kg = 36% of liveweight = 64% of carcase weight.
Shared with family members, it is the best eating.
The Australian Miniature Hereford Breeders Network (AMHBN) is the perfect place to start if you are interested in Miniature Herefords.
The group holds monthly Zoom meetings to answer members’ questions and discuss a range of topics as requested by members.
Go to AMHBN.com.au for more information and to find registered breeders in your area.
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