Milk, meat, and mini-cows

by Monika Bartyzel, Posted Aug 19th 2008 @ 9:02AM

These days, we do what we can to rely on local products, but what about bringing the farm right to your back yard?

UK's Sunday Times has published an article on the wonders of mini-cows. That's right -- moo machines that don't need a big farm to thrive. The size of a cuddly German Shepherd, these cows will give you 16 pints of milk a day, chew up that pesky, ever-growing grass, and then become tender, omega3 fats-rich meat at the age of two. It's certainly a way to save costs and get an ever-present supply of milk. Those who have dipped into mini-cow delights will artificially inseminate to produce a new calf per year and get the most for their money.

Now, this sounds great, but I don't think selling people on the temperament of the mini-things is a way to get cows for milk and meals -- "Bessie is not only a 2-year animal friend, but a tasty piece of meat!" Then again, I'm tainted by a childhood experience where I befriended my family's cow before it got slaughtered for meat, and I not only lost a friend, but we couldn't eat her -- the cow had a disease that tainted the meat.

But back to the mini-cows -- is this something you'd add to your backyard?

Filed Under: Ingredients
Tags: beef, cows, mini-cows, small cows, SmallCows

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

8-19-2008 @10:55AM daveybot said... My home village (http://www.stonesfield.com/) in Oxfordshire has borrowed a herd of Dexter mini-cows for a couple of seasons every year for several years, now. We graze them on the village common as it's a Site of Special Scientific Interest and mowers would destroy the orchids that live there. Luckilyt the cows aren't interested!

All in all a pretty win-win-win situation: the natural habitat and special ecosystem of the common is presevred, the cows get some nice wild grass to eat, and the village gets a herd of friendly little cows to visit with!
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8-19-2008 @8:07PM amanda said... I would love this!!! it seems like a really neat idea. I wish you could have them inthe city.

www.organicandnaturalmom.blogspot.com
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8-20-2008 @2:10AM Kitt said... My goat-share farmer has offered to lend me a couple of the smaller does to "mow" my city yard. Except they'd also clear out the flower beds and vegetable garden. And the city bureaucracy would probably have a field day if a neighbor complained.

Kitt
http://www.kittalog.com
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