Miniature cattle are found in various parts of the world. Some, such as the Dexter of Ireland and the Vechur of Kerala, India, are traditional breeds; others have been created by selective breeding. The Australian Lowline was the unexpected result of a scientific experiment.[1]: 3 Some, but not all, miniature breeds display achondroplasia, or dwarfism.[2]: xxvi
Compared to larger cattle, miniature cattle require less space and less feed,[3] and may be easier to handle.[4] They do less damage to pasture land, do not need such high or strong fencing,[5] and do not produce as much methane.[3]
Breeds
| Breed | Origin | Height/weight | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achham | zebu, Achham District of Nepal[2]: 259 |
| ||
| Australian Lowline | derived from Aberdeen Angus in Australia[6] |
|  | |
| Dexter | traditional Irish breed | 92–107 cm[7] |  | |
| Kasagarod | traditional breed, Kerala, India | 80–90 cm[2]: 322 |  | |
| Lagune or Dahomey | Benin, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Togo |
|  | |
| Miniature Texas Longhorn | United States | not over 115 cm[9] | ||
| Miniature Zebu | modern breed register, United States |
|  | |
| Minivaca | Mexico | about 100 cm[10]: 105 | developed from the 1970s at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City by selective breeding of Indu-Brasil for small size.[10]: 105 | |
| Niata | Uruguay, Argentina; now extinct[2]: xxvi |  | ||
| Panda cow | United States |  | rare type of black-and-white belted miniature; in 2011 the total number world-wide was estimated at 24 head.[11] | |
| Punganur | Andhra Pradesh, India |
|  | |
| Somba | Benin, Togo |
| ||
| Vechur | traditional breed, Kerala, India[2]: xxvi |  |
An American breeder, Richard Gradwohl, has developed eighteen different strains of miniature cattle.[3] Miniature Galloway, Hereford and Holstein have been bred.[2]: 245 [3] In the United States, small zebuine cattle deriving from stock imported from Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Sweden may be registered as "Miniature Zebu";[2]: 245 Similar cattle are known as "Nadudana" in Australia.[14] In the United States, Jersey cattle of the original island type may be known as "Miniature Jersey"; Jersey cows stand about 115–120 cm and weigh some 350 kg.[2]: 212
The Ethiopian Goffa and Guraghe breeds in the Abyssinian Shorthorned Zebu group are also small.[2]: 99