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Good question…..here are some answers. Hope these help!
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Advantages of Lowline Angus Cattle - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • Developed from a dwarf free herd of 100% Registered Angus cattle. Lowline are not miniature cattle. They are true beef cattle in a compact smaller frame size. • Lowlines are naturally polled and docile animals. • Average mature cows weigh between 650-950lbs. and stand from 36 to 42 inches at the shoulder. Mature bulls weigh between 950-1350lbs. and stand from 39-46 inches at the shoulder. Average birthweight of calves is 42-52 lbs. • Lowlines thrive on smaller amounts of feed, whether grass or hay because of their efficient conversion of grass to meat. Lowlines require limited amount of feed and this makes them ideal for smaller acreage and allows for more Lowlines to be stocked in the same area that would support traditional cattle. Rotational grazing more numbers of smaller animals on a property creates more hoof action that is beneficial to implanting seeds to reestablish grasses and legumes in sensitive areas. This makes Lowlines a better choice for riparian areas as well as arid or sandy soils. Being of true Angus, they adapt well to all weather conditions and climates as is demonstrated by the wide variety of Lowline members located in different areas of the country. • Given their feed requirements for a commercial operation there are fewer inputs, higher stocking rates and more rib eye area per 100 pounds of carcass weight. A 3 year study, where Lowline bulls were used on commercial heifers, that ended in 2006 by North Dakota State University, Dickinson Research Extension Center came to this conclusion for the commercial industry “The halfblood Lowline steers average weight for the three year study was 1221 lbs., 51-52 inches at the hip, and brought 92 cents per pound average. "These bulls produce small calves that grow." • Lowline cattle are easy calving, good natured cattle that are very feed efficient and maintain themselves on grass. They have excellent taste, texture and tenderness beef characteristics and exceptional ribeye area per hundred pounds of body weight which translates to very high yielding, high quality, and high value beef carcasses. • Lowlines answer the challenges of both the large scale rancher and the small acreage farmers. For the large scale ranch operation, Lowlines lower labor and veterinary costs and provide many economic advantages. Commercial heifers bred to fullblood Lowline bulls calve easily and breed back quickly, reducing the calving interval. Halfblood Lowline cows maintain themselves on about half the feed that is required by a full size crossbred cow and wean more pounds of calf per acre. Lowlines are also a perfect choice for small acreage farmers. Their small size makes them easy to handle and minimizes equipment requirements. Their feed efficiency improves the carrying capacity of a farm. They produce exceptional quality beef. • Lowline cross cattle are extremely well suited to grass-fed beef production as they are easy fleshing and will finish on a high roughage ration, producing high value carcasses with a minimum of input costs. • The American Lowline Registry, headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri requires that all Fullblood Lowlines have DNA parentage verification to assure their genetic purity providing a breed integrity that is unmatched among other small breeds. The national registry has also established the tradition of an Annual National Show and Sale and Convention at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, providing a prestigious showplace for the top bloodlines in the breed as well as an ideal setting to share thoughts, ideas and mingle with other Lowline breeders as well as the nation's top cattlemen of all breeds. |
Advantage of Miniature Herefords - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • Easier to handle than the larger breeds. With the manageability of these cattle, the maintenance cost on equipment, fences etc. may be less expensive. • The feeding requirements are the same as standard cattle, attention towards your minerals/supplements, as well as your vaccination program should ensure that you have healthy animals. Miniature Herefords have a high rate of feed conversion. They can maintain excellent body condition on low quality roughage, although this is not recommended if you are planning on showing your animals. You will have lighter feed requirements as you are feeding a smaller animal. • Birth weights for the Miniature Herefords can range up 60 pounds depending on your bull selection and condition of your heifer/cow at calving time. Heifers are able to be bred at 15 months old, in order to have the heifer calve at the age of 2yrs, although, it is recommended breeding the heifers at about 18 months of age to allow for more maturity. Breeding heifers earlier than 15 months of age is not advisable. Bulls can begin to breed as early as a year, but use them sparingly as they too are still maturing and injuries may result. • Miniature Herefords produce smaller carcasses and smaller cuts of quality meat. Early maturing, natural, and hormone free will produce the quality meat that today's health conscientious family is looking for. Dress-out weights of full size animals are approximately 45% of the live body weight. Miniature Herefords typically dress out at 65% of live body weight resulting in more beef for less feed. The average rib eye area in larger cattle is one square inch per one hundred pounds of live body weight. In Miniature Herefords the rib eye area typically runs 1½ inch per one hundred pounds of live body weight – a 50% increase of higher priced cuts. • Cattle are measured by "frame score" which is the measurement in inches from the top of the hip to the ground. The table for scoring miniature cattle starts at 1 and goes down to 0000. Where as the table for the average sized bovine starts at 1 and goes up. With this in mind your measurements should not exceed 45” measured at the hip for a mature 3 year old female and not to exceed 48” measured at the hip for a mature 3 year old bull. • The original purpose was to develop a small, efficient beef animal. That goal has been accomplished by improving the cow/calf weaning ratio, the rib eye area per hundred weights, the dressing percentage and the tenderness due to genetics and early maturity. The Miniature Herefords are an ideal way to fill the need for the person who desires to have animals on small acreages, to be self sufficient by raising their own beef. Miniature Hereford cattle may be stocked at a higher rate and may produce up to 40% more beef per year on the same pasture. • There is a growing demand for healthy, organically raised beef. Our ever changing society has realized that people are becoming increasingly overweight and that adopting healthier eating habits are a must. Enjoying a steak from one of the miniature beef is an excellent way to start improving on your eating habits; they are smaller cuts but are still enough for the average person without consuming too much. • The Miniature Hereford is continually gaining national and worldwide attention with the price of food continually rising and the farmland decreasing in size daily, the public is beginning to educate themselves more on the benefits to raising their own beef. The Miniature Herefords have been featured on ABC World News Tonight as well as having an article printed in the Wall Street Journal. Keeping these facts in mind, our future is unlimited with the Miniature Herefords Cattle. |