Now that you’re all fired up!

Here are several ways to get started with miniature cattle.

Breeding Up (or should we say down):

Slow - low budget start up. After selecting the miniature cattle breed your interested in you could begin breeding your cow, or one you purchase locally, to a miniature bull of the desired breed. You could purchase semen of a quality bull to artificially inseminate (A-I) your cow or you could take her to someone who has a quality miniature bull of your selected breed to get her bred. After she is bred nine months or so later you should have a calf. If luck is with you and you get a heifer, in fifteen months you can get her bred or A-I (normal success rate: 65%) to a different quality bull of your choice. After the forth generation you will have a 93.75% miniature breed you can classify as a purebred (of the selected breed) (1@50%,2@75%,3@87.5%,4@93.75%). This will take eight years to complete assuming your very lucky and get a heifer each time (highly unlikely). Also you will *never* want to have more than a 50% genetic influence from one parent in any calf (inbreeding).

Note: Miniature is a frame size designation. (see charts)

Embryo Transplant:

This will be the faster budget alternative start up. Here you would start with or purchase a recipient cow. You would purchase an embryo of your selected miniature breed and have it implanted in the recipient cow during the latter part of her heat cycle via a qualified technician. Virgin heifers usually make the best recipients, although highly fertile, good mother cows are also good candidates. If all goes well and you get a pregnancy (normal success rate: 60%) you will have a fullblood calf in nine months.

Purchase a fullblood animal of your choice:

This is the quick start up. Also, you get to look before you buy and select for the qualities you desire most. Though due to the limited availability of most miniature cattle they are still in a breeders market and are fairly expensive. The prices will be directly related to the number of quality animals (supply) available.

Please feel free to contact us if you need any more information or are ready to get started!

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