Bigger isn't always better

For 50 years, the motto of the mainstream cattle business has been, Bigger is Better. Bulls often weigh over a ton!

But families living on smaller acreages may not have room for those big bovines. Large cattle can be dangerous, especially for kids, and you might not need that much meat or milk. Big animals are fence-busters.

A movement is on for mini cattle – a small-scale version of traditional cattle breeds. Selective breeding over several generations has led to cattle that are barely half the size of their traditional ancestors. Their mini credentials are defined not by weight, but by their height at the hip. They can’t be more than 48 inches to be called a mini, and many of them are around 40 to 42 inches – just above your waist.