ABOUT MINI HEREFORDS
History: It all started almost 250 years ago when a dedicated family set out to develop a beef animal. Another dedicated family started the early dominance of Herefords in America when they imported “Anxiety 4th” from England in 1882. The present day Miniature Herefords are descendants of these early Hereford cattle. From the turn of the century to the mid 1960’s, by coming down in size and improving quality, generations of Hereford breeders developed an extremely efficient beef animal. At one time, 70% of all registered cattle in America were Herefords. The Miniature Herefords of today are registered with the American Hereford Association or Hereford Societies in various countries.
Characteristics: The Miniature Hereford is small, thick, deep bodied, short legged and muscular. They are early maturing, fertile, efficient feed converters, easy keepers and gentle in nature. The offspring of a mating is predictable as to type and conformation due to a strong genetic base that has been firmly established. Miniature Herefords are hardy and adaptable to various environments including the extreme cold of Canada, the high humidity of the East, the heat of the South and the dry deserts of the Southwest. They are now found in more than 40 states, Canada, Denmark, and Australia.
Purpose: The original purpose of breeders was to develop a small and efficient beef animal. That goal has been accomplished by improving the cow/calf weaning ratio, the rib eye hundred weight, the dressing percentage and the tenderness due to genetics and early maturity. Miniature Herefords are ideal for people with limited acreage. They may be used to gain agricultural exemption status, a full-time business, a secondary source of income, group investment ventures or even tax shelters. The smaller cattle are easy to handle and make excellent show animals for 4-H, FFA, or national shows.