Miniature Cows

I was not aware until recently that farmers have been breeding mini cows for some time now! On Today I read about a rare, miniature “Panda” cow:

The panda cow has been genetically modified to create its special panda like markings. What truly intrigued me about the article was that these animals are bred solely to be pets.

Do mini cows make good pets?

Mini cows stand at a height of about 33 to 40 inches, and can weigh between 300 to 500 pounds. Compare that to a regular sized cow that can be 5 to 6 feet tall and weigh upwards of 1500 pounds for cows, more for bulls. Aparently these little guys have mellow personalities like dogs, enjoy attention, and are social. They will come when called and can be taught tricks.

Another perk? Feeding mini cows is relatively cheap – if you have a good sized lawn. These guys will eat your lawn and can be kept that way so that you would not have to spend money on feed. In the winter it only costs about $30 a month to keep them fed with hay.

For human consumption: mini cows can produce up to 2 gallons of milk a day – which can meet the needs of a small family for their milk requirements! Just think, no more trips to the store to get milk, you can just go to your backyard!

Downsides: Mini cows are not indoor pets! They are not like dogs and cats in that regard. They need a bit of space, weigh a lot, and might not be able to be house trained. They can also be rare to find. Specially marked animals, like the above mentioned panda cow can cost around $30,000. This does not mean to say they are impossible to find or are always near that expensive, but it might take some research to find the animal you want.

Here is a comparison of a normal cow by a miniature one:

They are quite cute, even fully grown:

There are a number of different breeds of miniature cow, and they are used for different purposes. Some are best as pets, and other people actually raise them as farm animals which they use for milk and meat. It is a way to make sure that your animals are raised in good conditions and completely organically – especially if you do not have the room for fully sized cows.