Categories
Animals

5 Friendly Goat Breeds for Small Farms

two pygmy goats close up of their faces
Courtesy Savannah Desmond/NPGA

Friendly goat breeds make excellent pets, and many also excel at milk production. If you hope to add goats to your backyard, these five friendly breeds may be the perfect fit for your family.

1. Pygmy Goats

Pygmy goats top the friendly goat breeds chart, and it’s easy to see why. These mini goats have endearing personalities and their small size makes them ideal for novices and families with children. The breed loves interacting with humans, climbing, and kicking up their heels outside in the backyard. Whether begging for a treat or following you around the yard, Pygmy goats thrive on human attention.

three pygmy goats in a barn
Courtesy Diane Keith/NPGA

Hailing from Africa, Pygmy goats are exceptionally hardy. They tolerate heat and dry conditions and, when given adequate protection from wind and snow, should tolerate winter without any problems.

four goats standing in front of a barn
Courtesy Savannah Desmond/NPGA

The smallest goat breed worldwide, Pygmies, requires less feed and water, making them an ideal choice for those on a budget. Despite their small size, Pygmy goats have good milk production ( averaging one to two quarts daily per doe) and are meat producers and prolific breeders.

two pygmy goats standing together one white one black
Courtesy Savannah Desmond/NPGA

This delightful breed is disease-resistant and lives an average of ten to fifteen years or longer. More information about pygmy goats can be found through the National Pygmy Goat Association.

2. Boer

Boer goats are easily recognized by their large size, distinctive brown heads, and white bodies. Tipping the scale at over two hundred pounds, Boers are the largest goat breed in the world. But don’t let their giant size intimidate you; these gentle giants are even-tempered and calm, making them an ideal choice for novices.

Full of personality, Boer goats make fun and entertaining pets, as their antics never cease to amuse. Some things that set Boer goats apart from other friendly goat breeds are their sense of humor and ability to understand what you are saying. These goats are full of character and personality and make endearing family pets.

Bred for meat production, Boers are fair milk producers (though they do not produce the same amount as dairy breeds) and make excellent mothers.

Despite being prone to internal parasites, Boer goats are a hardy breed that live an average of ten to twelve years.

3. Saanen

If you are looking for an excellent milk producer with a friendly personality, look no further than the Saanen.  Calm, docile, and easy-going, Saanens make affectionate pets and are one of the most popular friendly goat breeds.

A Saanens’ mild temperament makes them a good pet and one of the easiest goats to milk in the milking parlor. As a dairy breed, Saanens thrive on routine.

Saanens are prolific milk producers. Each goat averages one and a half gallons of milk daily, with some does producing as much as three gallons daily.

Due to their lack of undercoats, Saanens are more cold-hardy than many other breeds. They thrive best in cooler climates and can thrive through winter with proper care and shelter during the cold winter months. However, the breed is prone to heat stress.

Saanens live an average respectable lifespan of ten to fourteen years.

4. Nigerian Dwarf Goats

Nigerian dwarf goats are the second smallest breed in the world and the smallest of the dairy breeds. They are calm, friendly, and respectable milk producers. This breed’s quiet, gentle, and playful nature makes it ideal for children and novices.

One thing that makes Nigerian Dwarfs stand out from other friendly goat breeds is their work as companion animals for older people. The Nigerian Dwarf’s gregarious and calm nature makes this breed the perfect choice for older people.

What the Nigerian Dwarfs’ milk production may lack in quantity, compared to other dairy breeds (each doe averages one to two quarts daily), it makes up for in taste. Nigerian Dwarf milk has a creamier, richer taste than cow milk and is easier to digest.

This breed is exceptionally hardy and can thrive in almost any climate. Nigerian Dwarves live an average of ten to twenty years, with an average of fifteen years.

5. Nubian

The “attention seeker” of the friendly goat breeds, Nubians are sociable goats who thrive on human and other caprine interactions. Their calm, friendly, and affectionate dispositions have earned the Nubian’s continued popularity.  Nubian goats have endearing personalities that have won the hearts of many goat owners.

The downside to owning Nubians is that they love to talk and can be quite loud. This trait puts the breed at a disadvantage if you have neighbors nearby.

The most popular milk goats in the U.S., Nubian goats, are good milk producers, averaging four to five quarts daily. While some Nubians may produce as much as four gallons daily, most do not exceed five quarts. Feed good nutrition and provide excellent care for the best milk production.

Nubian goats are a hardy and healthy breed, living an average lifespan of ten to fifteen years.

All Caprines are a delight to own, but the experience can be even more fun by choosing one of these five friendly goat breeds.

This article about 5 friendly goat breeds was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Food

Fermenting Food: Four Common Problems & Fixes

pickles that are fermenting in a jar
Susy Morris/Flickr

Fermenting food at home is tasty and nutritious, but because you’re dealing with wild cultures—not a controlled, cookie-cutter process—sometimes these projects go awry. Sauerkraut can turn mushy, pickles look funky or there’s an unsettling fuzz covering the brine. A lot of people find themselves asking, “What did I do wrong?”

The good news is you’re most likely not creating a deadly concoction in your kitchen.

“There is no recorded case of food poisoning from fermented vegetables,” says Sandor Katz, the Pied Piper of all things fermented and author of The Art of Fermentation (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2012). “You don’t have to be afraid to taste it.”

Yet, for those of us with less experience fermenting, staring into a bucket of vegetables that don’t quite look like the photos we saw online or in a book makes us wonder what went wrong and what can be done to correct it. Here are four common fermentation mistakes you might run into and how you can prevent them.

#1 Bloated Cucumbers

Eric Hurlock of Pennsylvania has been fermenting vegetables for three years and has experienced a few puzzling ferments. One of them included fermented cucumber pickles that turned out hollow and mushy.

“I put in some oak leaves for the tannins, plus some dill and maybe some onion,” he says. “I’ve done it before, and they came out fine, but after a week these were super mushy and completely hollow.”

A bloating occurs because of too much carbon dioxide build-up in the cucumber. On a positive note, Katz says it’s not dangerous to eat—it’s just not desirable. The addition of a high-tannin ingredient, like oak leaves, grape leaves or horseradish, can help slow the fermentation process and keep the cucumbers crisp. What you use depends on availability and what you prefer for taste.

With fermenting there are a number of variables that affect the process, including heat, the amount of salt (if any) and time, and rarely do two ferments turn out exactly the same. Because cucumbers are typically ripe at the height of the summer heat, Katz notes that this can also be a contributing factor to the firmness of the cucumber ferment. Using smaller, pickling cucumbers can help achieve a more appetizing final product.

#2 Soft Sauerkraut

Because sauerkraut is one of the most popular ferments, particularly by those fermenting for the first time, it’s one that raises a lot of questions.

Cabbage is often a successful vegetable ferment because it’s typically ripe in the fall when the temperatures are cooler and fermentation can occur more slowly, though this isn’t always the case. If you’re making sauerkraut in the summer with a spring cabbage, the heat of your environment can lead to a softer end product. To combat this, keep the bucket or crock holding the fermenting cabbage in a cool area instead of on your kitchen counter in 90-degree F heat.

“You can’t leave it out for weeks or it will turn into baby food,” Katz says. It’s still edible, but not many people will enjoy it at this stage.

This also raises the question of the amount of salt that should be used. The primary reason for salt is to help pull moisture out of the vegetables and to slow down the fermentation process. You can use pretty much any salt that doesn’t have iodine or other additives, though some people shy away from the chunky salts because they don’t dissolve as well. Katz says our grandparents and great-grandparents had to store a winter’s worth of vegetables by fermenting them, so they had to use enough salt to keep the vegetables from being completely soft by spring. But for us, it’s more a matter of taste.

“You don’t have to make it extremely salty,” he notes. “People’s palettes are varied to what tastes good.”

Add enough salt to make your ferment flavorful, but if your vegetables are breaking down too quickly, add a little more to slow it down or cut down your ferment time.

#3 Moldy Carrots

Another issue you might come across in your ferments is mold. Hurlock experienced this with his fermented carrots, which turned a blueish hue, so he tossed out the entire batch. The mold could have occurred, he says, because the carrots weren’t submerged all the way under the brine.

If you’ve found mold growing in one of your ferments, you’re not alone. Molds happen, Katz says.

“Most types of surface molds are white,” he notes. “But there are definitely molds that can be very toxic.”

If you find a white mold on the surface, he recommends skimming it off and throwing away any affected vegetables. However, if you come across any other colored molds, like blue or orange, use caution and destroy the batch.

Having the carrots exposed to air instead of being submerged was probably the vector needed to produce the blue mold. Plus, a shorter fermentation time could be appropriate for vegetables, like carrots, that have higher sugar content, Katz says. Adding spices also often inhibits mold growth, in addition to providing exceptional flavors.

#4 Fruit Fly Nesting Site

Kombucha is a delicious beverage made by fermenting sweet green tea using a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). During the first ferment, the tea takes on a vinegar-like flavor the longer it sits out, and then the liquid is placed into an airtight container with fresh fruit or fruit juice during the second ferment to create a bubbly and tasty drink. As with any ferment, though, there are factors that can compromise the final product.

One risk with kombucha, particularly during the summer months, is the presence of fruit flies, which can lay eggs in the SCOBY. If you see small worm-like creatures growing in your kombucha, throw out the SCOBY and find a fresh one. Kombucha and other ferments can be protected from fruit flies by securing a cloth over the container with a rubber band.

With more people delving into home fermenting, there are bound to be blunders along the way. The good news is everyone has made them. Follow the simple guidelines of using salt to your taste, keeping your vegetables under the brine, and providing the proper temperature and adequate time, and you can avoid a few common mistakes and enjoy your healthy vegetables in a new and delicious way.

This article about fermenting problems, what they are and how to fix them was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Poultry

Broody Duck Mamas: Understanding Nesting Instincts

broody duck sitting on eggs
Adobe Stock/yaibuabann

A broody duck may not be as common as a broody hen, but this mama-to-be can be equally as dedicated to her nest and young as her chicken cousins. If you are considering having your broody duck sit on eggs, here are a few things you should know before embarking on this new adventure.

a clutch of duck eggs sitting in a nest of leaves
Adobe Stock/Sandra

How Long Do Ducks Sit On Eggs?

A female duck becomes broody when her hormones signal that she should stop laying eggs and hatch out young.

Before sitting, a broody duck will lay a small clutch of eggs. Once she has a nest full of eggs (the number of eggs hatched will largely depend on the size of the female), she will then sit on the eggs for twenty-eight days (thirty-five days for Muscovy eggs), only leaving the nest for twenty minutes once or twice a day to eat, drink, swim, and defecate.

If a male duck (drake) is present, he may also show signs of broodiness and take turns with the female sitting on the eggs. Some drakes will help to raise the young, but caution should be used as other drakes may try to kill ducklings.

How to Tell If a Duck Is Broody

Unlike their chicken cousins, who seem to withdraw themselves and try to become invisible, a broody duck can be quite loud.

Broody ducks will stand with their feathers all puffed out, quacking loudly in an irritated manner anytime a flock member, human, stray cat, or family dog wanders by. The quack is usually a high-pitched, raspy sound, unlike the deep, happy quack female ducks typically make.

A broody duck will also refuse to leave the nest, often needing to be manually removed. However, unlike chickens, a broody duck is rarely aggressive, so there is no need to worry about being pecked or bitten.

One of the best ways to tell if there is a broody duck in the flock is to watch the drake. A drake is tuned in to his ladies and will act more aggressively to any humans trying to “steal” his broody girl’s eggs.

A drake’s main job is to guard the broody duck and her nest, so don’t be surprised if mild-mannered Daffy behaves aggressively while Daisy is raising ducklings. Drakes will attempt to bite your hands, arms, and even your face, so use caution during this time.

Safety First

Never allow a broody duck to nest outside or in an outbuilding with a dirt floor. Providing a broody duck with a safe place to brood and raise her young is critical to successfully hatching and raising ducklings. This is especially important as you want to provide protection for your ducklings should the broody duck decide to abandon her eggs or young (more on that later).

The first rule for providing a safe brooding area for your potential duck mama is to provide a completely predator-proof barn or coop. Even if you think your coop or barn is safe, always check over it again before letting your broody duck begin to nest.

Small snakes, weasels, and rats may not bother your adult ducks, but they pose a risk to ducklings. Also remember to consider your barn cats, as they too will eagerly turn ducklings into a tasty meal.

No Dirt Floors

It may seem natural to allow your broody duck to nest in a building with a dirt floor, but this one mistake alone has cost many duck keepers a broken heart.

Dirt floors offer no protection from predators, allowing predators to access your birds by digging underneath the coop. The alluring smell of eggs or ducklings will often cause a predator who was just wandering through your yard to take a second look.

If your barn or coop does not have a concrete (preferred) or wooden floor, do not allow your duck to sit on and hatch out eggs, no matter how much fun it sounds.

Forget the Nesting Box

Broody ducks don’t require nesting boxes the way chickens do, preferring to nest on the coop or barn floor. Always provide protection from the rest of the duck flock to ensure that the nest and eggs don’t become trampled by other flock members.

Swim Water, Please

A broody duck requires access to swimming water every day. Allow your duck to swim for about ten minutes before returning to the nest. The duck must return to the nest wet, as the wetness in her feathers will provide the eggs with the humidity needed to help the developing ducklings not stick to the eggshell.

3 Common Broody Duck Mistakes

A broody duck can make mistakes and often requires two to three attempts at broodiness to successfully hatch and raise young. But take heart; with time, most broody ducks will get it right. Ducks are not usually as exceptional mothers as chickens, so be sure to look for these common mistakes to protect your future flock members.

#1 Leaving the Nest Early

Some ducks will abandon the nest early before the eggs have fully formed. Just like chickens, this behavior is usually seen only in first-time mothers. Have an experienced sitter or an incubator on standby in case of an emergency.

#2 Attentive Nester 

A first-time broody duck will often show extreme attentiveness to the nest, abandoning her newly hatched ducklings for the nest. If this behavior happens, try relocating the duck and her hatchlings to a new safe location away from the original nest site. Check on the new family often over the next few hours. If the duck does not bond to the ducklings, you will have to hand-rear them yourself.

#3 Aggression 

Even if you are raising ducks for a friendly flock, some ducks will show aggression toward the ducklings and will even kill and eat their young. If you notice any aggressive behaviors, remove the ducklings right away.

Think Before You Hatch

Hatching ducklings is an exciting time, but before letting your broody duck begin nesting, take a minute to consider what you are going to do with those twelve new additions. Do you have room for a dozen more ducks, or are you planning on selling some of them? Even if you plan on selling some, ducklings don’t always sell the best, so be sure to have a plan in place should ducklings not sell.

By planning in advance, you will have a better idea of how you want to expand your flock. You may realize that you only want three new duck additions, in which case you can remove some of your broody duck’s eggs and replace them with ceramic eggs. At least some of the eggs will be males, so if you don’t want additional drakes in the flock, it might be best to forgo hatching at this time.

Also, consider the health of your current flock. If current flock members have genetic issues such as angel wing or curled toes, do not breed these ducks. Breeding healthy stock with no known health issues or concerns will help establish a healthy flock for years to come.

Choosing a Broody Duck Breed

Choosing a broody domestic duck breed can be more challenging than choosing duck breeds to raise for eggs as ducks are individuals and may not go broody even if their breed is prone to this trait. However, some breeds are more prone to this behavior than others, so if you are looking to raise your own ducklings, these five breeds may be a good choice.

#1 Muscovy

Muscovy ducks are hands-down the best mothers and make wonderful broodies. Before acquiring this unique breed, be sure to check with your local fish and wildlife experts to attain permits to own, hatch, and sell Muscovies.

Follow through on other guidelines provided by wildlife officials for owning these ducks, as Muscovies are considered to be an evasive species.

muscovy duck with her babies
Muscovy Duck. Adobe Stock/electrochris

#2 Ancona

Ancona ducks generally do not go broody, but when they do, these beautiful ducks make exceptional mothers.

#3 Mallard

Whether domestic or wild, Mallards make wonderful broodies and mothers. Before acquiring a Mallard to be your next broody duck, be sure to check with your local wildlife experts to attain permits to own, hatch, and sell Mallards, and follow through on other guidelines to owning these beautiful ducks.

mallard duck with babies
Female Mallard Duck and Babies. Adobe Stock/Wildspaces

#4 Welsh Harlequin

Welsh Harlequin ducks are reported to be good mothers and broodies. However, from personal experience, these ducks have never shown an interest in becoming a broody duck or mother.

#5 Pekin

While often overlooked as a potential broody duck, many Pekin females will go broody, hatching eggs successfully.  Another plus to this delightful breed is their ability to adopt ducklings even when they have not sat on eggs.

broody pekin duck sitting on eggs
American Pekin duck. Adobe Stock/mwhaskin

While some duck owners may view a broody duck as a nuisance, if you are looking to hatch and raise ducklings naturally, there is no greater joy than watching these delightful ducks hatch and raise their young.

This story about broody ducks was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Crops & Gardening

Cabbage Collars: DIY Steps To Prevent Root Maggots

cabbage collar place around young cabbage plant
Jessica Walliser

Cabbage collars are a great way to prevent problematic cabbage root flies (Delia radicum/Hylemya brassicae) from damaging cole crop plantings. Although gardeners have been making cabbage collars for years to protect plants from this pest, these are a little different from the flat cabbage collars others use. Their shape affords an added layer of protection and it works like a charm.

What Are Cabbage Root Flies?

Adult cabbage root flies look a lot like bristly houseflies only slightly smaller. They’re about 1 centimeter long with bristly hairs all over their gray bodies. This European species is now found across much of North America and up into southern Canada.

Cabbage root flies overwinter in the soil as pupae. When spring arrives, they pupate into adults, feed on flower nectar, and go on to breed and lay eggs over the course of the next five to six weeks.

Also Read: 7 Health Benefits Of Cabbage

Female cabbage root flies lay eggs on or in the soil right next to the base of plants in the Brassicaceae family, including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, horseradish, and occasionally turnips and radish. The 1/8-inch-long, oval-shaped, white eggs hatch into tiny maggots a week or so later. The maggots feed on the roots and stems of infested plants for three to four weeks before pupating into adults. There are two to three generations of cabbage root flies each season.

Because there can be dozens of maggots feeding on a single plant, the plant’s health is quickly affected. Signs of infestation are wilting leaves even when the plant receives ample moisture. Sometimes the leaves have a bluish-purple tinge to them. Cabbage root maggot damage looks similar to some other disorders, including club root and cutworms, so the only way to confirm the culprit is to dig up a plant and check the roots and lower stem for the white, wriggly maggots.

How To Prevent Cabbage Root Maggots

Because female cabbage root flies lay their eggs on or right next to the base of host plants, shielding the soil around the base of the plant is key to preventing this pest from becoming problematic. This is best performed within a few days of planting out susceptible cole crops.

Typically I recommend covering cole crops with floating row cover to keep pests away, but in the case of cabbage root flies, covering them too early may actually trap newly emerged adult flies underneath the row cover, so instead I turn to making cabbage collars to protect my plants. I put a collar around each plant by late April because the first generation of adult flies typically starts to emerge in early May through June here in my Pennsylvania garden.

How to Make Cabbage Collars

What You’ll Need

  • Cardboard, enough to create a 6- to 8-inch circle to go around each plant or recycled rounds of cardboard from frozen pizzas
  • Scissors
  • Box Cutter
  • Stapler

Step 1

supplies needed to make cabbage collars pictured including scissors, cardboard, tape measure and box cutter

Cut the cardboard into a 6- to 8-inch circle, making one square for each susceptible plant in your garden. If you’re using recycled frozen pizza cardboard rounds, you’ll just have to cut them to a 6-to 8-inch diameter if necessary.

Step 2

folding cardboard to make cabbage collars

Fold the circle in half to mark the center line, and then unfold it. Fold it in half in the other direction, and unfold it to mark the exact center of the circle. Use the scissors to cut down one of the lines from the outermost edge of the circle into the exact center.

Step 3

cutting cardboard to make cabbage collars

Starting at the center point, use the box cutter to cut four 1- to 2-inch lines that radiate out from the center point. Try to space them equally.

Step 4

scoring cardboard to make cabbage collars

The final step in making cabbage collars is to bend the small flaps created in Step 3 upwards.

Step 5

center hole opened

Install the collar around the plant by slipping the cut line around the plant’s stem. Once in place, overlap the cut line slightly until the small flaps are positioned loosely around the plant stem. There should be enough space for the stem to expand, but not enough for the flies to gain access to the soil around the base of the plant.

Step 6

finished cabbage collar surrounding young cabbage plant

Once in place, staple the overlapped cut line of the circle closed in two or three places.

Tips For Using Cabbage Collars

  • At the end of the growing season, the collars can be tossed onto the compost pile after pulling them out of the garden and discarding the staples.
  • Unwaxed cardboard may warp slightly during the growing season. You can use waxed cardboard for a longer-lasting cabbage collar if you find this to be problematic.
  • In gardens that have suffered from major cabbage root maggot damage in the past, you may find it helpful to treat the soil around the plants with beneficial nematodes (Steinernema feltiae) before putting the collars in position. These beneficial organisms patrol the soil all season long and seek out certain ground-dwelling pests, including cabbage root maggots.

This article about cabbage collars was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Crops & Gardening

Growing Asparagus: 9 Soil Tips for a Healthy Crop

first spear of growing asparagus poking out of the soil
Julie Faulk/Flickr

Growing asparagus takes a few years for the payoff and making sure you start with the right soil will help ensure a successful crop from this long-lived perennial delicacy.

How Does Asparagus Grow?

Asparagus facts are numerous since this is a fairly unique vegetable. In a healthy mature patch, you harvest first and grow later. The edible portion of asparagus is the spear, which pushes up through the soil from a deep, energy-storing root system. This spear wants to become a tall, billowy frond that captures sunlight to send back down to the root system, but you’ll pick spears young before they have a chance to toughen and unfurl.

What Kind of Soil Does Asparagus Like?

To cultivate a healthy crop, pay particular attention to the soil in your asparagus bed. Asparagus, including white asparagus, is deep-rooted and prefers sandy, well-drained soil—areas that stay wet will rot the roots and invite disease. Here are nine tips for prepping and maintaining the dirt your asparagus calls home.

1. Load Up on Phosphorus

Asparagus loves phosphorus. Composted manure, bone meal and rock phosphate are all good amendments to keep soil levels high in this nutrient.

2. Hold the Salt

While asparagus is salt-tolerant and grows well as a perennial in seaside gardens, the occasionally recommended advice to add salt to an asparagus bed isn’t wise and can seriously damage soil quality.

3. Don’t Rotate Beds

When happy, asparagus settles in for the long haul. It can live and produce for two decades or more, but it loathes having its roots disturbed for any reason, especially moving. Pick a location where your asparagus can literally put down roots, and avoid digging or deeply cultivating the soil around your asparagus patch.

4. Keep It Weed-Free

Because asparagus is so long-lived, it’s especially important to rid your planting area of any pernicious perennial weeds. Invasive creepers, such as Bermuda grass, bindweed, quack grass and buttercup, are difficult to eradicate, but they’ll out-compete your asparagus stand and must be removed from the soil before planting. Monitor the asparagus patch seasonally to keep weeds at bay.

5. Top-Dress Every Spring

Keep your asparagus patch performing well by top-dressing every spring with 2 to 3 inches of composted manure, followed by a 2-inch layer of loose resistant cultivars. Shredded arborist’s woodchips, straw and finished compost are all good choices. This top-dressing will provide the soil with nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as keep it weed-free and in good tilth.

6. Fertilize Twice A Year

Asparagus is a relatively heavy feeder. While the spring top-dressing will feed and add organic matter to the asparagus patch, you’ll get even better results if you feed lightly in early spring and again in mid-summer with a high-phosphorus organic fertilizer, like fish meal, which has a typical N-P-K value of 8-12-2.

7. Minimize Disease and Pest Risk

A patch of asparagus grown in well-drained soil is rarely bothered by disease, but fusarium wilt, purple spot, needle blight and asparagus rust can all infect your crop. If these diseases are known to be an issue in your growing region, planting resistant cultivars is essential. Your local extension program will know what issues tend to crop up in your area.

For asparagus growers everywhere, siting asparagus in an area with good airflow and practicing good sanitation is important to discourage pathogen and disease build-up in the soil. At the end of the growing year, cut down and hot compost or burn the fronds and clean up debris.

Asparagus’ most common pest is the asparagus beetle, which will often overwinter in the soil. Good sanitation and allowing hens access to forage for the beetle can help reduce the buildup of these pests.

8. Companion Plant and Cover Crop

Asparagus enjoys being planted alongside other perennials, like rhubarb and fruiting shrubs, but avoid planting companions too close to minimize competition. The fronds of mature asparagus can reach 5 feet or taller, making this plant a great option for the middle layer of a stacked perennial bed.

To build soil fertility naturally, an established asparagus patch can be under-seeded with a low-growing, nitrogen-fixer cover crop, like crimson clover, and interplanted with phosphorus bio-accumulators, like yarrow. In some areas, both crimson clover and yarrow can be invasive, so select the right soil-improving bio-accumulators for your region.

9. Start Out Right

When growing asparagus, it can be started from seeds or crowns—the crowns offer beginners a one- to two-year headstart on a harvest and often an ideal choice for beginning asparagus growers. However, if you want to start your asparagus from seed, sow it directly into well-drained, loose, fertile soil in a well-weeded, prepared bed after the soil has warmed enough to initiate germination—typically in April or May. Soak seeds in cool water or dilute compost tea for 1 hour before sowing, then space 8 to 12 inches apart. Cover seeds with 1 to 2 inches of loose, sandy soil and thin to an eventual spacing of 12 to 16 inches between plants. Keep soil moist until germination.

Alternatively, start growing asparagus indoors in late winter. Soak seeds in cool water or dilute compost tea for an hour, then sow seeds 1 inch deep in 4-inch pots filled with an organic potting mix that includes an organic, slow-release, balanced fertilizer (3-3-3 or 5-5-5). Keep the soil warm, and as soon as seeds germinate, set pots under full-spectrum grow lights or in a bright, sunny window or greenhouse, depending on outdoor temperatures. Transplant to the garden in mid to late spring when the soil has warmed.

If you opt to plant crowns, keep in mind asparagus suffers some when transplanted. Plant crowns as soon after purchase as possible, in a prepared bed of well-drained, sandy soil. Dig a shallow, 6-inch-deep trench 12 to 18 inches wide and soak crowns for 15 minutes in cool water or diluted compost tea. Place the crowns 12 to 18 inches apart along the trench, spreading the roots out gently. Top with 2 to 3 inches of loose soil. When the shoots begin to appear (in several weeks to a month or more, depending on soil temperature), hill up around the growing crowns with another inch of soil. As the shoot grows, continue adding loose, sandy soil to the trench until it is filled.

Given the right early attention, growing asparagus is an investment that can really pay off. The first few years will require the right soil prep and a little babying to make sure the crop is growing well, but after it’s established it’s a low-work culinary prize for the gourmet gardener.

This article about the best soil for growing asparagus was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Categories
Crops & Gardening

Planting Potatoes: 5 Tips For the Best Harvest

a pile of potatoes that have been grown when planting potatoes
Pat Joyce/Flickr

Planting potatoes is some of the most fun you can have when growing vegetables. They grow lush and quickly, and digging them out of the soil at harvest time is like searching for buried treasure. If potatoes are on your must-grow list this year, here are tips for getting the best harvest possible.

1. Sprout Your Potatoes First

If you allow a sprout to form on your potatoes prior to putting them in the ground, this will give you a jump start on the growing season (much like starting your seeds indoors). The sprouts will come out of the eyes of the potato, and let them grow about 1/2 to 1 inch before you plant.

2. Quarter Seed Potatoes For A Larger Harvest

It’s not necessary to plant the seed potato in its entirety into the ground when growing potatoes. Instead, you can section it into several pieces, in essence multiplying the number of seed potatoes you have on hand. Make sure each potato section has one to two sprouts (or eyes) and don’t cut them down to much smaller than a chicken’s egg.

3. Hill Your Potatoes

Hilling your potatoes as they grow helps prevent potatoes growing near the soil’s surface from turning green, which will happen if they’re exposed to light. Green potatoes are toxic to eat and, thus aren’t usable.

4. Load Up On Bone Meal

A high-phosphorus fertilizer is good for root crops because it will encourage root and flower production. Bone meal is a great natural fertilizer option to use on your potato beds. When you plant your potatoes, add a little granular bone meal overtop of the soil covering the potato seed, so that when it rains, the fertilizer is dispersed into the soil, providing lasting nutrition to your crop.

5. Add Some Epsom Salt

Also, add some Epsom salt to the soil when growing potatoes to help provide a boost of magnesium that will help build the cell walls of the potato.

With these simple tips, you’ll be well on your way to growing a healthy potato crop that you can put in your root cellar and eat off of for several months of the year.

This post about planting potatoes was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Poultry

Chicken Brooder: 7 Cheap Ways to Keep Chicks Amused

baby chicks in a chicken brooder
Phaedra/Flickr

In the chicken brooder, growing chicks quickly begin bouncing around the brooder, exploring their confines with limitless curiosity. Despite their innocence, that natural curiosity can turn nasty. Keeping your little ones amused and interested doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Here are seven ways to entertain them without breaking the bank.

1. Make Sure They Have Enough Room

One of the first reasons chickens of any age will start picking on each other is because they don’t have enough space. Chickens are active poultry and natural foragers, so sitting in tight quarters isn’t enjoyable for them. In the first few weeks after hatching, chicks barely need any extra space, but within a few days, they’ll need 6 inches to a foot per bird. Ideally, a chicken brooder that can expand in size as the chicks grow will satisfy their need for warmth and activity. You can accomplish this by building a larger brooder, blocking off a small area at first, and opening up the space as they get bigger.

Also Read: How to Build Your Own Chick Brooder

2. Provide Roosts and Swings

In the wild, chickens sleep in treetops to avoid being attacked by predators, and this inclination to hop and fly persists in domestic poultry today. Roosts and swings are a great way to inspire your chicks’ natural instinct and their need for exercise. While chicks will continue to sleep under their heat lamp, during the days, they’ll love jumping on and off roosts and enjoying the world from a higher perspective. Roosts can be built with simple twigs and sticks from your yard, balanced in your brooder or hung from above as a swing.

3. Provide Grass, Herbs and Weeds

Your own backyard can hold plenty of entertainment for baby chicks. Dig up a small clump of grass, place it in your brooder intact, and watch your chicks explore its wonders. They’ll be learning valuable lessons in how to scratch up dirt and forage for food. They may even be lucky enough to discover a worm in the weeds. A clump of weeds also provides chicks with some grit in their diet, essential to helping break down the foods they eat.

Clippings from your herb garden are another healthy option. Basil, dill, cilantro, garlic and other herbs have wonderful health benefits for chickens, boosting their immune systems and general health.

Also Read: Brooder Tips For Baby Chicks

4. Supply Sand for Dustbathing

Every chicken loves a dust bath. This activity keeps chickens healthy, ridding them of mites and lice. Chicks will naturally want to dust bathe and will appreciate the chance to do so. A dust bath is easy to make: All you need is sand and regular garden soil. Fireplace ashes or diatomaceous earth can be mixed in for a healthier bath.

Also Read: 5 Steps for Healthier Garden Soil

5. Supply Worms and Special Treats

One of the benefits of a clump of weeds or some garden dirt is the possibility of a chick finding a worm or crawly creature. When this happens, excitement abounds. The winning chick races throughout the brooder trying to keep their prize safe from the others.

To bring this excitement to your chicken brooder and add some good proteins to your chicks’ diets, dig up a few worms for them. Regularly supplying them with treats will delight them and will help to form a bond between you and your chicks, as they will recognize you and associate you with treats.

6. Mirror, Mirror

Chickens love their own reflections. You may be surprised to hear it, but they can’t get enough of themselves in a mirror. They will crane their necks and prance in front of the reflection trying to impress or intimidate the fellow inside. Adding a mirror to your chicken brooder is inexpensive and well worth the investment.

7. Play With Them

The best way to keep your chicks amused in their chicken brooder is to spend time with them. Just sitting and watching them will provide you and them with entertainment. This kind of attention gives you the chance to notice if anything is “off” in the brooder. With close supervision, even young chicks can be let out on a warm day or brought out of the brooder to hop around your floor. The more handling they get as chicks, the more they’ll enjoy being held as adult birds.

Keeping chicks amused in a chicken brooder is easy and rewarding. Keep your birds entertained, and they’ll soon be feathering out and ready for the grown-up world in the chicken coop.

This article about keeping chicks amused in their chicken brooder was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Poultry

Chicken Layer Feed & Broiler Feed: Know the Difference

pullets eating a chicken layer feed
iStock/Thinkstock

Chicken layer feed and broiler feed are two different things. For optimal health, laying hens and broiler meat birds require diets with the correct proportions and ratios of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. A properly balanced diet will ensure your birds have enough feed to maintain their body functions in addition to meeting their production needs. Different feeds are used as vehicles for various nutrients, and those feeds are formulated based on ingredients available in the area and how they can be combined to create the proper ratios of nutrients needed in the diet.

Chicken Layer Feed Diet

Understandably, laying hens need feed specifically formulated for egg production, and it should contain a minimum of 16 percent protein. (For birds going through a molt, an even higher percentage of protein is recommended.) Additionally, laying hens have very specific needs for vitamins, minerals and amino acids. The nutrients you feed will be the nutrients seen in the egg.

Calcium makes up the majority of the eggshell so a layer feed is designed to have a much higher calcium content. Calcium can be supplemented, but if a proper layer feed is available free-choice, it may not be necessary. If you like the hardness of the shells from your hens, don’t worry about a supplement. If your hens are having major laying problems, including soft shells, provide a calcium supplement, such as oyster shells.

Scraps and treats should make up a small part of a chicken’s diet. Hens enjoy grazing plants and bugs, but they should still have unlimited access to a balanced layer feed. Changes in yolk color are not an indication of how healthy an egg is; they’re simply an indication of what the hen has been eating. If you would like your eggs to be higher in certain nutrients, such as omega-3s, feed your hens a diet with higher omega-3s. Chickens will not get omega-3s in their eggs just because you let them graze your weed patch. Again, the nutrients in your chicken layer feed will be the nutrients found in their eggs.

Broiler Feed

Chicks that are being used for meat production will need to be transferred to a grower/finisher feed that clocks in around 18 percent protein at about 6 to 8 weeks of age, depending on the breed. They’ll need to remain on that broiler feed diet until they are processed. Meat chickens grow quickly. Depending on the breed, some can be finished in as little as six weeks, meaning that you’ll need to maximize the nutrients they receive to make the most of that brief finishing time.

What you feed meat chickens will affect the way they taste. Giving meat birds space to graze is fine, provided they have unlimited access to a complete grower/finisher feed. Grazing can also slow down their growth; it may take longer to finish chickens raised on pasture.

Overall, the most important takeaway for feeding any type of chicken is to feed a balanced diet, which provides enough energy for body maintenance in addition to egg and/or meat production. Additionally, proper nutrition will eliminate many egg abnormalities and help your chickens stay healthier overall! Who doesn’t want happy, healthy birds?

This article about chicken layer feed vs. broiler feed originally appeared in Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Poultry

How to Freeze Eggs to Use Later: Whole, White or Yolk

surplus eggs getting ready for freezing eggs
Ana Hotaling

Knowing how to freeze eggs is a great way to store extra eggs so they don’t go to waste. Eggs can be stored for as long as one year when properly frozen. After they’re thawed, frying or poaching them is out of the question. Just the same, your frozen eggs can be used for cooking and baking—and you’ll be glad you stored surplus eggs just in case.

How to Freeze Eggs: What Equipment You Need

You’ll need several standard ice-cube trays. Use plastic or silicone ice-cube trays for better-defined cube formation. Be sure to have either sturdy freezer storage bags or locking containers in which to store your egg cubes.

How to Freeze Eggs: Whites

Carefully separate your egg whites from your yolks, making sure that no yolk gets into your whites. This is vital, as yolks freeze differently from whites and the presence of any yolk in your whites will affect how well you can use your thawed whites. Use one egg white per ice-cube tray pocket. Freeze the whites thoroughly, then transfer the formed cubes to a storage bag or container. Label your storage bag or container with the date the egg whites were frozen.

When you’re ready to use your frozen egg whites, thaw them slowly either in the refrigerator overnight or under running lukewarm water. Thawed egg whites must be used immediately. If you plan to beat the thawed whites, let them come to room temperature first. Use two tablespoons of thawed egg whites where recipes call for one fresh egg white.

How to Freeze Egg Yolks

Unlike egg whites, which retain their liquid nature, egg yolks thicken when frozen, becoming so gelatinous that they are unusable unless treated before freezing. Place your separated egg yolks in a mixing bowl and beat them until smooth. If you plan to use your egg yolks for savory dishes, add 1/4 teaspoon salt per eight yolks and beat to combine. If your egg yolks are destined for desserts, mix in one tablespoon of granulated sugar per eight yolks. Pour your treated yolks into your ice-cube trays and freeze. Once thoroughly frozen, place your yolk cubes into your storage bag or container and label this with the date and whether they yolks are sweet or savory.

Thaw frozen yolks the same way you thaw frozen whites: in the refrigerator overnight or under running lukewarm water. Like egg whites, thawed egg yolks must be used immediately. Use one tablespoon thawed egg yolk where recipes call for one fresh egg yolk.

How to Freeze Whole Eggs

To freeze whole eggs, crack your surplus eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk until fully blended. Pour the beaten eggs into your ice-cube trays and freeze. Once fully frozen, transfer your egg cubes into your storage bag or container and label this with the date. When ready to use, thaw the eggs in the refrigerator overnight or under running lukewarm water. Use three tablespoons of thawed beaten egg where recipes call for one whole egg.

This article about how to freeze eggs was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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Animals

Miniature Cattle: 5 Breeds For Small Farms

miniature-cattle

Miniature cattle breeds are sized right for small farms. The International Miniature Cattle Breeder’s Society and Registry and Registry maintains herd books for 26 breeds, and the Animal Research Foundation registers minis of every breed.

What are Miniature Cattle?

Are today’s miniatures mirror images of our ancestors’ small utility cows? Yes … and no. Miniatures with standard-size counterparts such as Jerseys, Lowline Angus and Herefords usually are. But other mini breeds (such as Miniature Highlands, Longhorns and some of the International Miniature Cattle Breeders Society and Registry breeds) are modern creations developed by crossing small standard-size cattle with established small breeds (usually Dexters).

And the Dexter stands alone. Because of its elfin stature, most folks consider the Dexter a miniature. However, they’re a diminutive ancient breed rather than a scaled-down modern one.

How tall is a mini cow? That depends.

There are three different categories of miniature cattle. Measurements are at 3 years of age, which is considered maturity. The common measuring point is from the ground to the top of the base of the tailbone.

1. Micro: 36 inches or under

2. Miniature: 36 1⁄4 to 42 inches

3. Mid-size: 42 1⁄4 to 48 inches

For comparison, full-size or “standard” cattle breeds stand well over 48 inches.

International Miniature Zebu Association cattle, however, are measured behind their Brahma-type humps and mustn’t exceed 42 inches at 3 years of age. The American Hereford Association stipulates that Miniature Herefords must tape 43 inches or smaller; “classic miniatures” can be up to 48 inches tall. Lowlines (Miniature Angus) may be 42 inches high, as can Dexter cows; Dexter bulls can be two inches taller.

person in field with miniature cattle
Hatchet Cove Farm/Flickr

5 Popular Miniature Cattle Breeds

A handful of minis are more popular than the rest. You can consider them the big five of the miniature cattle world — Dexters, Lowlines, Miniature Herefords, Zebus and Jerseys.

You can register all five with both organizations, but each also supports a herd book of its own. Let’s take a closer look at these popular miniature bovine breeds.

1. Dexter

Dexters are tri-purpose cattle (beef, milk and draft). Today’s Dexter cattle descend from a herd of hardy Irish mountain cattle assembled by Mr. Dexter, agent to Lord Hawarden, around 1750. Dexter roots trace to the tiny Celtic cattle of ancient Eire. By 1845, when author David Low described and referred to them by name, they already resembled today’s Dexter cattle.

Irish fanciers established a Dexter registry in 1887 and an American version followed in 1911. Yet North American Dexters were ever scarce; today they’re included on the American Livestock Breed Conservancy’s Conservation Priority List, classified as rare. (If you’d like to help preserve an endangered heritage livestock breed, consider raising Dexters. They need your helping hand.)

Dexters are strikingly small cattle. Most Dexters are colored in shades of deepest ebony to sun-tinged, reddish-black. Reds and duns are far less common and grade from palest red to darkest mahogany; reds have pink noses, while duns have brown noses. Black-tipped white horns usually accent their small, neat heads, although a line of polled (hornless) Dexters now exists. There are two types: a longer-legged version (Kerry type) and a Dexter with shorter legs.

Dexters are dual-purpose cattle. Thanks to the breed’s foraging ability, and its high feed conversion and meat-to-bone ratios, a grass-fed Dexter steer will finish in 18 to 24 months, dressing out at 50 to 60 percent live weight. Dexter beef is fine-textured, tender and delicious. And Dexter cows give 1.5 to 3 gallons of roughly 4 percent butterfat milk daily, at a rate of up to one quart of cream per gallon.

Dexters are famous for their strong maternal instinct, easy calving, sweet dispositions and longevity. They do, however, occasionally throw dwarf “bulldog” calves.

2. Lowline

Lowlines are Miniature Angus cattle developed by the Trangie Agricultural Research Centre in Australia. No “outside” blood was used in its creation—they are purebred Angus bred 30 to 60 percent smaller than their standard (Highline) kin.

Angus beef is treasured for its tenderness and quality, and pound-for-pound Lowlines produce a lot of it. Enthusiasts claim Lowlines require one-third as much feed to produce 70 percent of the rib-eye of animals twice their size, making Lowlines a logical choice for organic and gourmet market beef producers.

Sleek Black Angus are traditionally more docile than other beef breeds. They’re naturally polled and prolific and are attentive mothers. Lowlines are a red-hot commodity as pets and for purebred programs, and for crossing with standard-size cattle to improve meat quality. When crossed with Jerseys they produce the ideal dual-purpose family cow.

3. Miniature Hereford

Mini Herefords are another scaled-down purebred breed. Miniatures are registered in the American Hereford Association herd book; their pedigrees are traceable back more than 100 years.

Miniature Herefords were further developed during the 1970s at the Point of Rocks Ranch in Fort Davis, Texas. By utilizing certified dwarf-free, old-fashioned Hereford genetics, owners developed a deeper-bodied, shorter-legged version of today’s market Hereford.

Miniature Herefords are said to mature 20 percent faster than standards. They’re gentle, they adapt to all climates, they’re highly efficient foragers, and veterinarians familiar with beef breeds know how to treat them. Miniature Herefords are a first-rate, easy-care choice for gourmet and organic beef producers.

4. Zebu

“Zebu” is another name for Bos indicus—all breeds of Asian humped cattle. Most folks recognize the brawny Brahman, a full-size Zebu developed in North America. The mini size resembles Brahmans with two notable twists:

1. Mini Zebus’ upright ears don’t match the Brahman’s trademark floppy ones.

2. Mini Zebu cows have a lot less hump.

Both breeds, however, sport short, sleek coats and have tough, loose skin. They also have fully functional sweat glands.

zebu miniature cattle with baby in field
Cindi Darling/Flickr

Highly developed panniculus muscles make it easy for Zebus to twitch away flies. They’re heat-, disease- and insect-resistant, and they thrive on marginal pasture. And rodeo-bull image notwithstanding, they are easy-going and remarkably intelligent.

Descended from South Indian Nadudana cattle, Miniature Zebus were imported for zoo display in the 1920s. Today the International Miniature Zebu Association (formed in 1991) lists breeders in 38 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. They are among the teeniest of miniature cattle, sometimes standing less than 30 inches measured behind the hump.

5. Jersey

Jerseys were barely more than today’s miniature size until recently, historically speaking.

The “bigger is better” boom ultimately impacted this ancient dairy breed. But enough bantam Jerseys remained to make selectively breeding them back to miniature frame a relatively easy task.

For today’s smaller households seeking a pocket-size family cow, Miniature Jerseys make good sense. They are gentle, prolific and a delight for the eyes. And their delicious, high-butterfat milk is hard to beat.

While Miniature Jersey steers don’t produce a freezer full of meat, what they do yield is mighty fine eating indeed. Therefore, Jerseys have been and are still being used to create new miniature beef and dairy breeds. Belfairs are Jersey and Dexter derivatives, as are IMCBSR trademarked Belmonts (both are sometimes called Irish Jerseys). Wherever they’re used, wee Jerseys sweeten the mix.

Other Popular Miniature Cattle Breeds

Although there are now 30 or more recognized breeds of miniature cattle in the United States, also among the most popular are the following…

  • American Beltie (similar to Belted Galloway; also referred to as a “Cookie”)
  • Black Baldie (mini Hereford-American Aberdeen Angus cross)
  • Miniature Scottish Highland
  • Panda
  • White Park (aka British Park)
two miniature cattle standing in snow
Mini Cows

How to Get Started with Miniature Cattle

Miniature cattle are generally in short supply. They’re available—but expect to conduct a search before you buy.

Registries happily supply breeder lists; and e-mail groups are excellent places to scout for leads. Expect prices to vary widely depending on breed and bloodlines, quality, age and sex, and in which part of the country you do your shopping.

A few progressive miniature cattle raisers market full-blood embryos. The implant success rate runs 50 to 60 percent, but it’s a start for those with access to a good reproductive vet and a sense of adventure.

Sometimes you can start with the cattle you have and breed toward purebred miniatures.

While mechanics vary from registry to registry, the basics are much the same. For example: You own a full-size Jersey cow. Breed her to your choice of miniature bulls. Her calf will be recorded (not registered) as a half-blood miniature. If the calf is a heifer that eventually gets bred to another miniature of the same breed, her calf will be recorded as three-quarters miniature. And on and on until your calf is 15¼-16 target breed, at which time it’s considered purebred.

However, not all organizations allow “up-breeding” (the Lowline and Hereford registries do not) and most don’t record upgrade-produced purebreds in the same herd book as bona fide full-bloods.

When to Buy Mini Cows

Some breeders sell mini cows as very young calves. Other breeders only sell weaned calves, believing babies get a better start in life being nursed by their dams (mothers) those first months.

There’s no doubt young calves are adorable. Just realize that their care will be more intensive than if you buy an older, already-weaned calf. These “bottle babies” must be fed milk replacer twice a day until the calf is at least 2 1/2 to 3 months old.

Young babies may also be more vulnerable to illness, although reputable breeders only sell healthy calves.

Mini Cow Bloodlines  

Reputable breeders are careful to use bloodlines that avoid negative influences the dwarfism gene can cause.

“Chondrodysplasia (‘chondro’) is a dwarfism gene that can be found in certain breeds of cattle,” says Ben Yoder, whose Cyrus Ridge Farm raises micro and miniature Scottish Highland Cattle. 

“Some of the world’s leading experts in the production of miniature cattle have successfully used this gene, in combination with genetically small cows, to produce some of the smallest micro cows in existence,” he says. “Breeders need to do extensive research and education before properly introducing this gene to their herd. Irresponsible use of the gene can cause health issues.” 

Feeding Mini Cows

There’s no such thing as “miniature cattle” food. These small cows eat the same hay and feed as full-size cattle, just less of it—typically 1⁄3 as much. Mini cows eat approximately 2 percent of their body weight in grass hay per day.

Depending on the breed, mature cattle may not need any grain in addition to hay.

Calves, however, should be fed a 16 to 20 percent protein “starter feed” from weaning until about 6 to 8 months of age. This helps ensure they receive adequate nutrition for proper growth. If you’re raising an animal for slaughter, you may opt to feed grain during the “finishing” phase. 

miniature cow standing by a feed bucket
ellenm1/Flickr

Fencing & Shelter

Before bringing cattle home, ask what type of fencing they’ve been in. For example, some may be accustomed to single-strand, electric-rope fencing and respect that. 

For safety’s sake, you can’t go wrong with 48- to 60-inch-tall woven-wire or field fence for perimeter fencing. Then use single-strand electric fencing to portion off interior sections so you can do rotational grazing and keep your pastures in good condition. You’ll want at least one small corral with sturdy wood or pipe fencing where you can gather cattle when needed, such as for veterinary work.

All livestock need some form of shelter so they can get out of direct sun, wind, rain and snow. Depending on your location and the breed of cattle you buy, trees and a wooded area may be enough shelter. Or you may need a run-in shed.

For example, if you live in the northeast and plan to have Zebus, they’ll definitely need a good shelter for protection from extreme weather. Whereas Scottish Highlands are extremely hardy and rarely choose to use a manmade shelter unless they can’t find other shade.

Do Miniature Cattle Make Good Pets?

Mini cattle fans unanimously agree: These little bovines make marvelous pets. “I started with a trio of Miniature Jerseys,” says K.C. Cowen of Emmett, Idaho, “but I have disabilities and couldn’t milk more than one. So now I have just Margie. She’s the light of my life and the sweetest cow I’ve ever owned. Margie is like a big dog, except she gives the best milk.”

“My most recent purchase was a 5-year-old Lowline bull from Centenary Ranch in Mission, Texas,” adds Linda McKay. “Although I’m his third owner, he’s quiet-natured and friendly.” She chuckles, “Our Lowlines ‘helped’ us with our pen construction by carrying tools. They’re so intelligent and a delight to have around.”

Petting zoo proprietors and animal therapy workers adore miniature cattle; 4-Hers tend to love them too. Their modest stature, winsome looks and engaging personalities render them less intimidating than their full-size cousins, and they are far less bulky to load and pack around.

Small Cows Offer Tasty Meat

Minis do equate with fine beef. Gourmet markets and upscale restaurants clamor for lean and luscious, grass-fed mini steaks and roasts.

Demand for organic edibles increases 20 percent per year claims the Organic Products Association. The good news for organic beef growers: Miniatures convert pricey organic feed into choice cuts more efficiently than standard cattle do.

Texas A&M confirms a 20 to 25 percent higher feed conversion rate for miniature cows. And a single miniature steer neatly packs the average home freezer, so there’s no need to find someone to buy the other half of beef, making the meat popular with home consumers.

And dairy breed and dual-purpose minis give plenty of sumptuous, high-protein milk—enough for today’s smaller household and then some. Mini Jerseys, Belfairs and Dexters all serve well as gentle family milk cows, exactly like their ancestors did not so very long ago.

5 Few Small-Cow Benefits

1. If you want to have a cow, you’ll need less pasture and far less space to house a mini version.

2. If you must pen her and feed cut-and-carry forage, it’s doable.

3. Her wee hooves and bantam-weight equate with far less pasture damage and she’s designed to eat grass, not concentrates.

4. She’ll neatly thrive on one-third the feed of her full-size kin and use it to produce much less waste for you to cart away.

5. Come autumn, you’ll haul less hay. And you’ll tote fewer buckets of water to quench her thirst during the deep, hard winter freeze.

However, minis are like potato chips, you won’t settle for just one. And for the small-scale farmer hoping to qualify land for ag-tax breaks or to turn a profit, this is a very good thing indeed.

Beth Diaz of Seffner, Fla., concurs. “We live outside of Tampa Bay in a small agricultural area,” she says. “We wanted to take advantage of tax cuts and also have cattle to help keep our pastures clean. Essentially, we wanted to become gentleman farmers. We weren’t looking for meat sales, so we decided to stick to one breed and raise babies to sell for 4-H or to others interested in our breed. One day my search led me to a Miniature Zebu website and I was hooked.”

Can You Keep Miniature Cattle & Horses Together?

For the safety of your mini cattle, don’t assume they can be pastured with full-size horses.

“When mixing bovine and equine families, there will be a hierarchy system, and they’ll fight for dominance,” Yoder says. “There’s a large size difference when a horse and mini cow fight. This can lead to injury or turn deadly.

“Cows butt and kick. Horses bite and kick. I’ve seen a horse grab a mini cow by the neck and kill it.”

Keep in mind that even though miniature cattle are smaller than full-size, they’re still livestock and more powerful than a human. “There needs to be a healthy respect between cow and human,” Yoder says. “If this is missing on either side, someone can get hurt.” 

Cute and productive, miniature cattle will mow your lawn, pull a cart, or simply pretty up your pastures. Let your kids show them in 4-H. Drink their milk, pack your freezer with miniature steaks. They’ll earn you tax breaks and turn a profit sold as breeding stock, pets or beef. What more could you ask for?

This story about miniature cattle by Sue Weaver and Cynthia McFarland was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.