Mini Cattle offer smaller environmental hoofprint

After decades of breeding bigger, leaner, faster-growing cattle, maybe bigger isn't better. As environmental concerns bring the beef industry under more scrutiny, so-called miniature cattle – some less than a meter tall – could be the wave of the futu

And it’s not just the environmental benefits that make these smaller animals attractive. Proponents say their meat tastes better and they are more economical to raise. All of which could account for the steady increase in the number of miniature cattle worldwide. The digestive systems of ruminant animals such as cows and sheep, generate tremendous amounts of methane, a major greenhouse gas. This has prompted some environmentalists to call for reductions in beef production, a nonstarter in countries like the United States where average beef consumption per person is about 60 lbs. per year. There are also issues surrounding the overgrazing on grasslands, and the carbon footprint of transporting the beef over long distances. According to the International Miniature Cattle Breeders Society, there are 27 breeds of miniature cattle. Fully-grown, they weigh between 500 to 900 lbs., whereas the larger breeds weigh 1,500 lbs. on average. Raising two of the larger size animals would require about five acres of pasture, whereas 10 of the mini-cattle could be raised on the same plot. They are also more “feed efficient” meaning you get more animal or “live weight” for the same amount of feed. “You’re talking about animals that are a lot less expensive to raise,” said Richard Gradwohl, president of the society. “The production per acre for smaller acreage farmers is significantly higher.” This makes them ideal for the hobby or small-scale local farmer. The meat of the mini-cattle is also said to be more tender than that of the larger animal. “They taste like good beef,” said Adrian Hykaway who raises a herd near Fort Saskatchewan. “Because a lot of us aren’t using grain, they have that distinct grass taste.” There are currently 20,000 miniature cattle in the United States. They are also being actively raised in Alberta, Canada, and in the UK. As it turns out, miniature cattle are nothing new. Smaller breeds were being raised in Ireland as early as the 1600s, but they nearly went extinct as the demand for bigger cattle edged them out.