MORE TASTE• MORE ANIMALS•MORE BEEF•
ALL ON LESS FEED and EQUIPMENT.

SMALLER CATTLE – GREATER PROFITABILITY!

CHARACTERISTICS
The Miniature Hereford is best described as a small chunky version of the larger Herefords. In contrast to the tall long legged larger cattle types, Miniature Herefords are thick, deep bodied, short legged, muscular and chunky.

ADAPTABILITY

INVESTORS:

Seed stock production in Registered Herefords is a valuable and a tax deductible business. Comparison check of the Standard Registered Hereford seed stock shows Miniature Herefords at comparable pricing points. The market should hold or improve as they gain recognition for their true value commercially. Additionally, they do not have the management or market problems of some other exotics because they are easy to handle and produce a product in constant demand — Gourmet Beef, it's what's for dinner. Right size cuts of great, consistent beef at less cost to the producer.  Management programs are available at Falster Farm.

SMALL ACREAGE OWNERS:

Not everyone has a big farm/ranch. Even folks living on small acreages can enjoy the cattle country life -- Miniature Hereford cows and steers finish out on grass without hormones. According to Texas A&M research: producing 15 — 20% more rib-eye per hundred weights than large breeds. The small acreage owner may now turn small areas to better use because of the grass efficiency, a higher stocking rate, and the advantages of premium prices within the seed stock market.

4H & YOUNG GROWERS:

The size and temperament of these animals make them ideal for people who cannot or prefer not to deal with larger animals. They are a great alternative to sheep and swine, where size of the animal is a factor. Registration with the American Hereford Association assures the owner that the animals are genetically selected to be of high quality, ideally proportioned and consistent (dwarfism free bloodline.) When a Miniature Hereford steps on you — "Ouch."  When a Standard steps on you, "Get me to the hospital."

DAIRY PROGRAMS:

Modern bio-technology and Miniature Herefords may make dairying more profitable. Calves can be produced (up to 2 at a time) that have more value than Holstein steers, and you may be at considerable less risk with virgin heifer's birthing due to much lighter average calving weights.

FEEDERS:

According to research at Texas A&M, Registered miniature Herefords are very efficient feed converters. They do well on grass alone and allow a higher stocking rate. These animals produce a high percentage of quality cuts in proportion to their size, and grade choice or better on grass alone.

EMBRYO TRANSFER:

Most full sized cows are capable of carrying two Miniature Hereford embryos! Not only are the calves more valuable, but they are providing a higher production rate. Embryo transfer allows one to make the most efficient use of breeding stock . . . one may flush the heifer for valuable embryos  for sale or implant them into surrogate recipient cows. Bulls may be collected for valuable semen. Like all seed stock cattle, there is a continuing breeders market for these animals.

The transfer of embryos is proven technology and has been in place for a variety of animals, including humans, for a number of years. The splitting and sexing of embryos and the aspiration of follicles is more recent, but also a proven technique.

We are currently in process of flushing carefully selected Miniature Hereford mama cows. The collected and graded embryos are sold to all ports, including Europe; after two and ˝ years of work Falster Farm is the first Miniature Cattle Farm in the USA to be accredited to ship Semen and Frozen Embryos to Europe (ECU.) The accreditation requires the best selection of genetics, health and facilities. By December 2004, we will have embryos implanted in pregnant surrogates for sale.

 It is so EASY to get Started

Consider several ways to get started with miniature cattle:
Breeding Down:
Slow - yet a low budget start up. After selecting the miniature cattle breed you’re interested in you could purchase locally a (standard size) cow and begin breeding your cow to a miniature bull of the desired breed. You could purchase semen of a quality registered bull to artificially inseminate (AI) 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, eight or nine months later you should have a calf. If luck is with you and you get a heifer, in thirteen to fifteen months you can get her bred back or AI (normal success rate: 65%) to a different quality bull of your choice. After the forth generation you will have a 93.75% miniature. This will take eight years to complete assuming you’re very lucky and get a heifer each time (highly unlikely). Also you will not want to have more than a 50% genetic influence from one parent in any calf (inbreeding).

Embryo Transplant:
This will be the faster budget alternative start up. Here you would start with or purchase a recipient cow(s). The English breeds seem to have a higher conception rate than the "eared" varieties. You would purchase an embryo(s) 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 full blooded, registerable calf in eight — nine months. At the end of the program, you turn around and sell the recipient cows and get your money back or them. The sex ratio is usually 50%. As a result you will have some bull prospects that will sell as herd bulls, some not so strong to sell as steers or pets. The sale of these calves may pay for the entire embryo order. In 24 months you have a small herd at a very modest net cost.

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. Freight can be another consideration. Also, consider the fact that you would be the foundation breeder in your area, and enjoy developing a marketing strategy that works in your area. You have an opportunity to become the choice of local as well as regional buyers for your miniature cattle.  Have you looked over our Frequently Asked Question pages for what others wonder about?

This is the strategy I took 1998. I purchased 2 heifers & an outstanding young bull. With the continued help of my husband, our little Falster Farm has been growing to meet the market demand for Registered Miniature Herefords, now even in Europe.