Miniature cattle growing in popularity; more efficient, easier for young and old to handle

"Lots of things are getting downsized in this economy -- even cattle," Jennifer Levits reports for The Wall Street Journal about miniature bovines: "They're half as big as full-size cows, and have even littler appetites: They eat only a third as much." Some researchers say they produce proportionately more beef for the amount of feed they eat. There are dairy breeds, too. (WSJ photo by Christina Jeng)

"Across the country, minicattle are catching on at farms, livestock shows and 4-H clubs, as feed costs drive up the price of keeping cows," Levitz writes. And she notes that the smaller animals are easier for children, and aging farmers, to handle. "They appeal to families who want to raise their own food, but have little farm land or experience tussling with a cow. One mini requires about a half-acre." The number of miniature cattle in the U.S. is increasing 20 percent a year, according to a paper published in April in the Journal of Agricultural & Food Information.

Levitz's story is wide-ranging; it begins with a Louisburg, N.C., dateline, but has information from South Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma, Montana and the University of Nebraska. Read it and watch a four-minute video here; subscription may be required.