Mid size, mini, and micro mini
Miniature Highlands
You might have heard it said there is no such breed as Miniature Highlands. This is correct if you are referring to a breed and not a size. When we refer to our Highlands as “mini” it is in size only as there is technically no miniature highland breed as of this writing. They are just smaller Highlands. All of our micro minis will have some, ever how minute, form of Dexter as that is where the Chondro gene comes from. So if we have micro mini highlands available please note they will not be pure Highland even at 87%. Our pure Highlands are small and range in size from 40-45 inches.
Why Mini Cattle?
We’ve been asked why we went from standard highlands to a smaller size highland. Besides the obvious of being so dang adorable there are the less obvious reasons like:
1.) They save money on feed. They are more efficient to feed conversion when compared to full size cattle.
2.) Miniature cattle when mature, fit family needs closer than large commercial beef. There is no need to try to sell the 1/2 of the larger cattle that a family will not need.
3.) Easier to keep on small acreage (in some cases an acre will do)
4.) Easier on the pastures than their larger counterparts
5.) They may be smaller but their gentle temperament is much larger!
6.) Easier to handle
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We have found that some folks are perceiving miniature cattle to be knee high. They are indeed that size, at birth, but mature can range from 36 inches (some less) up to 48 inches tall. We have a few that are in the 36 inch range and they come up to just the top of my hip bone. Our largest is 45 inches and comes even with my chest (I am 5’4″) They can range from 500 pounds to males weighing 900-1000 pounds. The smaller traditionally carrying the largest price tag. We switched in 2017 and never looked back, we love the miniature cattle!
Micro Mini Under 36″
Mini
36-42″
Mid Size Mini 42-48″
Standard Over 48″
Size categories of miniature cattle measured at the top of the back over the hips
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It all started in 1993 with 2 white Highlands
We are a small family owned and operated farm in rural Ohio. In 1993 we purchased our first farm, and so the adventure began. Our 75 acre farm was located in Western Wisconsin where we raised horses and standard Scottish Highlands, primarily whites. When all of our children were grown, we moved back east to Ohio to be closer to our aging parents and down sized to 50 acres.
In 2017 we decided to down size again, this time literally downsize the size of our Highlands, from standard to minis. Our cattle now range in size from micro minis to midsize and we have added a few shaggy designer cows that make great pasture eye candy! We offer only a few babies a year. When they are available they will be listed on our sales page.
Our transition to all cattle
When we moved back to Ohio we brought 12 horses with us. That was over 20 years ago. When our last 2 old horses crossed the rainbow bridge we did not replace them. It was really difficult to try to replace a life long friend of nearly 25 years, so we transitioned to all mini cattle. While they don’t quite replace our horses we love them just the same.
