FAQ Database

That really depends on you.  Do you want show quality?  Are you looking for cute lawnmowers?  Something for the grandkids?  Beef for your family?  These questions need to be carefully considered, and the answers will help you determine what kind of animals will best suit your needs.How many animals you get depends greatly on how much you're willing to invest, and how much pasture you have available.  One bull with two heifers is a popular starting point.  Smaller animals will cost more than the larger Miniatures, simply because there are so few of them.  Breeders producing the smallest Miniature Herefords are likely to want to keep them in their own herds for breeding purposes.  However, when the small cow has nearly reached the end of her productive life, she can most likely be purchased for far less than if she were in her prime.  If she's purchased bred, the chances of obtaining one or two very tiny, high quality calves are pretty good, and that can jump-start your breeding program.

Most breeders will list either a Mature Frame Score or current height along with an animal's sale statistics.  Frame Score charts should be easily available to convert the Frame Score into inches, and then you should probably get out your tape measure.  45 inches tall may not sound like much, but when you add two feet of width, almost 1000 pounds of beef all wrapped in a hairy hide, they can be larger than you thought.  Miniature Herefords are roughly half the size of their Modern counterparts, but they are still cattle.  For information on Frame Scores, see How do I measure my Mini?

Miniature Herefords do extremely well in just about any environment.  So long as the pasture has a decent fence, and ample feed inside, the cattle should stay where they belong.  The quality necessary for the fence depends on your location and terrain.  If your pasture is alongside a busy interstate highway, you probably want to have a really high quality fence between your grass-eating investment and the oncoming traffic.  In general, Miniature Herefords will respect a fence that just about any other breed of cattle would march right through.

Miniature Hereford Bulls are extremely docile.  Yes, every other beef breed says the same thing about their bulls.  Everything is relative, and the Miniature Hereford bull is on the extremely gentle side of the relative scale.  Especially a bull that has been halter broken, treated kindly or fitted for show.

This depends greatly on how many head of Miniature Herefords you are planning to raise.  If you have two or three pets, chances are you won't need much more than a good halter and a couple panels for restricting movement.  On the other hand, if you plan to grow your breeding operation to substantial numbers, you will probably want to invest in a good handling facility for safety.

Miniature Herefords eat roughly one-half the amount as Modern Herefords.  This is logical, since they are roughly one-half the size.  A general rule of thumb is that a cow will eat her weight's worth of feed every month.  An 800 pound cow will eat 800 pounds of feed per month.

Miniature Herefords do not require overly rich feed.  Simple pasture is best for them, with occasional supplementation as needed according to your location, climate and acreage.  Grass hay is best.  Alfalfa cubes or hay should be fed sparingly, as too much rich feed can result in decreased fertility due to over fatness.  Clean water should be available at all times, as well as a good salt lick and mineral block.

Minis are measured across their hip, at the highest point.  The idea being that a 43 inch tall Miniature Hereford should be able to just barely walk under a 43 inch high bar.  Measuring at the hip has proven to be more accurate than shoulder or wither measurements.

A measuring stick can be purchased, or built from PVC pipe.  This measuring stick should have an "arm" that can be gently lowered over the back of a Mini, while the foot of the stick is set firmly on level ground. The frame chart shown below was created by the Miniature Hereford Breeders Association and the American Hereford Association by continuing the AHA chart downward. There are some discrepancies however, as some of the Miniature Hereford cattle mature at an earlier age, and thus their growth is not consistent with the chart during the growth period, but should mature at the designated point.

COWS					Age/months	BULLS
0000	000	00	0	1		0000	000	00	0	1
26.5	28.5	30.5	32.5	34.5	6	27	29	31	33	35
27.25	29.25	31.25	33.25	35.25	7	28	30	32	34	36
28	30	32	34	36	8	29	31	33	35	37
28.75	30.75	32.75	34.75	36.75	9	30	32	34	36	38
29.5	31.5	33.5	35.5	37.5	10	31	33	35	37	39
30.25	32.25	34.25	36.25	38.25	11	32	34	36	38	40
31	33	35	37	39	12	33	35	37	39	41
31.5	33.5	35.5	37.5	39.5	13	33.75	35.75	37.75	39.75	41.75
32.25	34.25	36.25	38.25	40.25	14	34.5	36.5	38.5	40.5	42.5
32.75	34.75	36.75	38.75	40.75	15	35	37	39	41	43
33.25	35.25	37.25	39.25	41.25	16	35.5	37.5	39.5	41.5	43.5
33.75	35.75	37.75	39.75	41.75	17	35.75	37.75	39.75	41.75	43.75
34	36	38	40	42	18	36	38	40	42	44
34.25	36.25	38.25	40.25	42.25	19	36.25	38.25	40.25	42.25	44.25
34.5	36.5	38.5	40.5	42.5	20	36.5	38.5	40.5	42.5	44.5
34.75	36.75	38.75	40.75	42.75	21	36.75	38.75	40.75	42.75	44.75
35	37	39	41	43	22	37	39	41	43	45
35.25	37.25	39.25	41.25	43.25	23	37.25	39.25	41.25	43.25	45.25
35.5	37.5	39.5	41.5	43.5	24	37.5	39.5	41.5	43.5	45.5
36	38	40	42	44	2 years	39	41	43	45	47
37	39	41	43	45	3 years	40	42	44	46	48

For starters, experience is something that is acquired over a period of time. General knowledge of cattle and their anatomical make up is helpful, but that too will come with time. If you can find a book on birthing cattle, this would be a wise choice of information to add to your library. Read & reread the chapters on the correct position of the calf prior to delivery so you know what to expect & can detect any deviance from that. In the case of any abnormal position, call your vet & let him know what the situation is. If you can find a video tape of calving, that too could be helpful, you will want to watch it several times and again each year prior to calving just so you remember when to do what.


A list of supplies to have on hand (even for the most experienced or inexperienced) includes:

Your Vet's phone # and your mobile phone - The MOST important thing to have on hand, especially for breeders with little or no experience. Do not hesitate, call your vet if you have a question or it appears the cow is having trouble. It is better to have a vet bill to pay than not have a live calf, or lose your cow.

Patience - This is the second most important thing to have on hand. Cows will calve when THEY are ready, often times at times most inconvenient for the cowman. Be patient, especially with the laboring cow, and all will work much better.

Latex gloves/vet sleeves - Always put gloves on before working inside the cow (putting straps or chains on the calf's feet). Use them only once & dispose of them, reuse can cause contamination & infection.

KY or Lubricating jelly - Clean the back end of the cow with a mild soap and warm water before assisting with a delivery. Use a generous amount of lubricating jelly on latex glove/vet sleeve prior to entering the birthing canal of the cow.

OB calving straps or chains - Used to assist in the delivery of calves. Hooked to the front legs above the joint for best results.

Gentle iodine - In a spray bottle, to spray the navel cord after birth to reduce the possibility of infection & speed the drying of the cord.

Towels - Old bath towels, clean & dry (no fabric softener) to wipe off calves or hands after helping with the delivery if needed.

Powdered colostrum - A dry powder form of colostrum to give to the calf if the mom won't let it nurse or if the calf is not strong enough to get up & nurse. Mix as directed, but remember your calf is probably 1/2 the size of standard calves at birth, so they will not require a large amount (about a pint will usually be enough for the first time). The old timers recommend the calf have colostrum within the first 2 hours of life for best immunity against possible disease.

Bottle & nipple - For miniature cattle, a pop bottle and a sheep nipple work really well. A regular calf nipple is good to have also & a bottle it will fit. I have improvised & used small juice bottles and calf nipples for calves.

Blanket/quilt - During early calving (Feb/Mar) sometimes calves need a little extra warmth, if not the calf, the cowman sometimes needs the blanket /quilt to keep warm while waiting for the calf to arrive. Coffee and/or hot chocolate are good too @ 2 a.m. when the thermometer is reading about +20 and the water bag is visible, or possibly even the feet, but no rapid progress is being made.

Clean Straw - To bed the calving area (Kansas straw is especially good), a few bales to sit on are handy too.

Help - If by chance your spouse, child or significant other can be convinced to sit with you & wait, a helping hand is often welcome at critical moments, but remember the patience here too. Especially if you have more than one calf expected during your calving season, loss of patience could leave you alone in the calving barn for the next time.

Calving is a major part of the cow business, and being as well prepared for it as you can will make it much more pleasant and successful. Read, study, ask questions, call the vet, do what ever you have to do to make yourself comfortable with the process. Each birth is a new experience, here's wishing each of you a successful calving season!

By Jeffery S. Claborn DVM

How long do we wait on this cow Doc? A question I have heard many times from new people entering the cattle business & experienced cattlemen. A basic knowledge of the physiologic steps occurring within the cow at calving time aids in determining the time to assist.

There are 3 stages of parturition. The first stage involves the initiation of uterine contractions that result in dilation of the cervix. The calf has not entered the pelvis at this point and is relatively free from harm. Stage 1 usually lasts a few hours, but can last up to 24 hours.

Stage 2 begins as the calf enters the pelvis (birth canal). The chorioallantoic membrane (water-bag) breaks and the calf is generally delivered within a few hours.

Stage 3 involves the expulsion of afterbirth. Cows that have not passed the afterbirth by 72 hours post-calving need to be cleaned and medicated. If the cow appears to be sick, removal of afterbirth and medicating is done sooner. It is during Stage 2 that the calf is most vulnerable to hypoxia (low oxygen) and pressures resulting in facial/throat swelling. With this in mind, the following guidelines can be applied to determine when to assist with delivery:

1) The water-bag has just started to protrude from the cow- If the cow is not pushing or showing any signs of labor, a 5 hour waiting period is generally acceptable. However, the 5 hour wait period is over if the cow proceeds to pushing and straining.

2) If no progress occurs within 30 minutes of active labor, it is time to assist. Always clean the vulva of the cow with soap & water or a disinfectant, and wear disposable plastic sleeves that have been lubricated prior to reaching into the birth canal.

3) If the toes are turned downward, it is time to assist. The calf is either in a posterior presentation (backwards) or it is turned upside down. A backwards calf does not survive very long in the birth canal as pressure is put on the umbilical cord early in the delivery process.

4) Breech presentations (backwards calf that is sitting on hind legs) can pose problems. The calf may not reach far enough into the birth canal to initiate stage 2 of parturition. Hence, the cow does not go into labor and the calf may die before the problem is realized. So often times if a cow is standing off alone, tail elevated and we are not sure if a problem exists, we will perform a pelvic exam after 10 - 12 hours.

These are basic guidelines and individual variations may occur. Consult with your local Veterinarian as questions develop.

Good luck & here's hoping you each have a successful calving season!

Calves must be permanently marked with a tattoo before they are eligible to be registered with the American Hereford Association. 

Tattoos are usually placed in the ear.  The tattooing equipment can be found at your local livestock supply and feed store, or you can purchase them online. 

For some of the smaller, younger Mini calves, the 3/8" tattoo digits are too large for their ear, so you might consider purchasing a smaller set, either the 5/16" or the #300 sizes for goats or small animals.  Differing theories on tattooing calves indicate to rub ink in the ear before applying the tattoo, or after.  So long as the ink is well rubbed into the small punctures, the tattoo should be legible throughout the animal's life.

Registered animals will always be more valuable than unregistered stock, simply because of their known pedigree and genetic make-up.  Miniature Herefords are registered with the American Hereford Association (AHA), just like regular Hereford cattle.  You must be a member of the AHA in order to register calves.  For for more information, visit the American Hereford Association website.

Generally, the Miniature Hereford cow is a very capable mother and can raise her calf without much interference.  The calf should be properly identified and marked early on, and watched closely as he grows.  Vaccinations should be administered as recommended by a trusted veterinarian, keeping your local requirements in mind.  Calves are weaned from 4-6 months of age, depending on breeding practices and the theories of the individual breeder.  Weaning can be a stressful time, so use it to treat the calf well with good hay, mineral, and extra supplementation as he learns to survive without milk.