Minicows

Very interesting development from Cuba as reported in the Billings Gazette: bq. Rancher Raul Hernandez's cows look just like other breeds - only they are no larger than big dogs. They're a perfect source of milk for Cuban families, he says. bq. Standing about 23 to 28 inches tall, the minicows can be kept in a small area and they feed on simple grasses, Hernandez says. bq. "They give up less meat, but they can deliver four or five liters (quarts) of top quality milk to a family," he says. bq. Hernandez acquired the Santa Isabel Farm in the tobacco-growing region of western Pinar del Rio province, about 125 miles west of Havana. He started out with a tiny bull, which neighbors had ridiculed because of its small size, and began breeding it with the smallest cows he could find. Five years and several generations later, he had a herd of cows that reach no higher than his waist. bq. He says his success has ranchers throughout the area pursuing breeding experiments of their own to come up with their own tiny cows. This is cool - any dairy animal is high maintenence but for people who prefer the taste of bovine milk over caprine, this will be an excellent source for small holdings.