GENERAL INFORMATION SHEET– For Owning/Breeding Miniature Cattle
WHAT IS THE DISPOSITION OF MINIATURE CATTLE:
- - Just the same as normal sized cattle.
- - It depends on their breeding and how they have been handled. Generally, cattle are trusting and easy to work with if they have been well handled.
CAN I HAVE JUST ONE ANIMAL:
- - To begin with, you need to appreciate that cattle are herd animals, so you need to have at least two.
- - All cattle are best suited to being part of a herd of cattle (even if it is a small herd).
WHAT IS THE LIFESPAN OF MINIATURE CATTLE:
- - The lifespan of well looked after cattle can be 25-30 years or more.
- - Miniature cows can calve well into their teens. Some can have calves at twenty-odd, dependant on their health.
HOW MUCH ROOM WILL MY CATTLE NEED:
- - Miniature cattle eat less than full-size cattle, ½ – 1 acre of pasture for each animal is needed.
- - In small paddock sizes, you will have to remove manure weekly to keep the worm burden down.
WHAT ARE THE SIZES OF CATTLE:
- - Standard Cattle range up to 160cm at the hip.
- - Miniature Cattle should be no higher than 125cm at the hip.
WHAT DO THESE CATTLE TERMS MEAN:
- - Calf: a young domestic cow or bullock, under 8mths of age
- - Cow: female that has had offspring
- - Bull: adult male at 15-18 months, that can service female cattle at up to 10-12 years of age.
- - Heifer: female that has not had offspring yet
- - Yearling: 1 to 2 years
- - Steer: castrated male, from 1 to 3 months onwards
WHAT COLOURS DO MINIATURE CATTLE COME IN:
- - Belted Galloway: Black, Red, Dun with white belts
- - Dexter: Red, Black, Dun (grey)
- - Galloway: Black, White, Red, Dun
- - Hereford: Rust brown to Rich Red
- - Murray Grey: Silver, Grey and Black
- - Speckle Park: Speckled, Leopard, Black and White
WHAT CARE NEEDS DO MINIATURE CATTLE HAVE:
- - Vaccine: annual 7in1 vaccine (5 or 6in1 in some states). This is an immunisation against enterotoxemia, blackleg, malignant oedema, black disease, tetanus and leptospirosis.
- - You may choose to use other vaccines also to solve other problems. Vaccinating valuable cattle against Tick Fever in Queensland is highly recommended.
- - Dentist check up, as needed
WHAT DO I FEED MINIATURE CATTLE:
- - Pasture
- - Clean water. Fresh is best, but they can drink from dams. We personally clean our water troughs weekly for our cattle, and leave trough blocks in them to help keep them clean.
- - Mini cattle eat between 2% and 4% of their body weight everyday.
- - It is important to supply them with a lick in the paddock at all times.
- - When pasture is low, they will need good quality hays and protein pellets.
HOW DO I KEEP BOTH MALE AND FEMALE CATTLE ON MY FARM:
- - They can be kept together at all times
- - Calves should be removed at 5-8 months of age to wean and keep away from bulls.
WHEN WILL MY CATTLE REACH SEXUAL MATURITY:
- - Females/Males reach sexual maturity at 12-24 months.
WHAT IS THE GESTATION PERIOD FOR A MINIATURE COW:
- - 279-287 day, around 283 days is most common.
WHEN SHOULD I MATE MY FEMALE CATTLE:
- - Cows: can be bred by the bull in their paddock with their calves at foot.
- - Heifers: from 12-24 months.
WHEN SHOULD I ULTRASOUND MY FEMALE CATTLE TO CHECK SHE IS PREGNANT:
- - At 3-12 weeks post mating.
WHAT SHOULD MY MINATURE CATTLE WEIGH:
- - Birth: 20-25kg
- - Mature: to 350kg
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT AT BIRTH:
- - Most births take place between 6am and 6pm.
- - There are three stages of cattle birth:
-
- The dilation of the cervix, which can take 3-6 hours in a cow and up to 12 hours in a heifer;
- Birth of the calf which takes an average of 70 minutes; and
- Delivery of the placenta, which can take 2-12 hours.
- - Calves will stand approximately 30 minutes after birth.
- - Calves will start to feed within 2 hours of birth.
HOW DO I BOTTLE FEED A CALF:
- - Feed a bottle 3 times a day initially, dropping down to twice a day as it ages.
- - Watch for scours.
WHEN WILL MY CALVES NEED VACCINATIONS:
- - 4-6 weeks of age, then 4-6 weeks later, then annually with the rest of the herd.
WHEN DO I WEAN MY CALVES:
- - 5-8 months
HOW DO I HALTER TRAIN MY CATTLE:
- - Buy miniature cattle halters and leads: www.cattleclobber.com.au.
- - Patience first!
- - Use treats that they like ptrotein pellets to get them to allow you to touch them whilst they eat.
- - Put the halter on and wear it for a few minutes. Then remove.
- - Next getting them to stand with you with the halter and lead on, rubbing them all over the face, ears, legs, mouth, etc – giving them treats.
- - Finally taking steps with you in a controlled space.
- - Only spend 10 minutes each time working with them, or they will lose their heads and not be able to concentrate.
- - It takes us around 14 days working daily with them to get them to respond to commands and walk on a halter/lead around our farm.
WHEN SHOULD I CASTRATE MY MALE CATTLE:
- - From 1-3 months of age onward, we recommend using a cattle ring.
HOW DO I REGISTER MY CATTLE:
- - NLIS tags are required.
WHAT IS THE NORMAL TEMPERATURE OF CATTLE:
- - Adults: 38.0-39.0
- - Calves: 38.5-39.5
WHAT ILLNESS ARE MOST COMMON TO CATTLE & HOW DO I PREVENT THEM:
- - Cattle Tick & Parasite: In the hotter months, if you live in a tick zone, keep an eye out for the appearance of ticks on your cattle. If ticks become a problem, you will need to use a pour-on, injectable or spray product to control the ticks. Most of these products also treat internal parasites at the same time. So, even if you don't have ticks, the cattle will still need a product like Ivermectin, Cydectin or something similar periodically to treat internal parasites. You can purchase smaller bottles (smaller than cattle stations use) of these products at Livestock Supply stores.
- - Paralysis Tick: These are most common in Queensland and the northern parts of NSW. If you have very young, small miniature calves (younger than three months old) check them for paralysis ticks, just like you would a dog. Miniature calves are only the size of the medium and large dog breeds until they are 4-5months old. You could rinse the calves in Fido Tick Rinse or Permoxin regularly to protect them from paralysis ticks until they are bigger. Paralysis ticks won't kill larger calves generally, but you still need to keep an eye on them and remove ticks when you find them, or drench with a product that will.
- - Buffalo Fly: Again, usually in Queensland and the northern parts of New South Wales. In the hotter months of the year, look out for buffalo fly. These small flies hang around and irritate the cattle's eyes, in particular - sometimes making them bleed. Miniature cows are usually protected by their coat on the rest of the body. If they become a problem, a product like Brute, a pour on works well for people with small numbers of cattle. You can also use fly tags that go in the ear of the cattle.
- - Bovine Ephemeral Fever: 3 Day. If you notice your cattle are moving stiffly or laying down and not getting up, then Bovine Ephemeral Fever, or Three-Day Sickness as it is commonly called, might be the problem. An annual Bovine Ephemeral Fever (BEF) injection will immunise your cattle against this viral disease of cattle and buffalo. Typically, affected animals are only sick for a few days, hence the alternative name - Three Day Sickness. Three Day does not usually kill cattle and some people only immunise their most valuable herd members. If your cattle do come down with Three Day Sickness, you will need to make sure they are in the shade and have plenty of water while they recover. You may have to take this to them if they are not moving (although they may not be able to drink as BEF can affect their ability to swallow).
- - Tick Fever: In Queensland, breeders 'blood' their cattle (vaccinate them) against Tick Fever. Tick Fever is a disease of cattle acutely infected with one of three blood-borne parasites that are carried by cattle ticks. The vaccine is inexpensive and can be sourced from the Tick Fever Centre Street address: 280 Grindle Rd, Wacol QLD 4076. As a preventative measure, a dose of Imizol (from the Tick Fever Centre or your local Vet) at 2.5 mL per 100kg live body weight given by subcutaneous injection will protect cattle from Tick Fever for a four week period (when introducing to, or transporting through tick areas).
CATTLE - Size Guide
CATTLE - Bodyscore
