[Homesteadingfamily] Farmstead animals

I don't know anything about sheep, since I don't have time to learn
about weaving or making yarns....but I would be interested in mini dairy
cattle....particularly mini Jerseys. Most that we see on the internet
are way overpriced and no guarantee that we won't get something which
has been crossbred only to get smaller sizes and are genetically
defective sometimes. I like them about 38" - 42" for milking. We have 5
standards which are smaller and a bull and have purchased a reg mini
bull to begin breeding smaller farmstead type dairy cattle for small
acreage, but not have to pay those huge prices for them. I don't
necessarily care about registries, either. I know that these
should/could show the animals heritage, but if DNA is not done before
registering, it is a person's word and that's all you have. And the mini
assn allows all kinds of "percentage" cows to be entered, so who knows
what has been crossed with what and how much, just to get smaller
sizes?? The more they are messed with genetically, the more chances for
breeding problems and defects, like stillbirths and not breeding at all
(or the Bulldog gene).
Why is it that when one has something like this, they charge thousands
of dollars per animal? Don't they know that who they are
designed/marketed for cannot pay such prices?? LOL Smaller farmsteaders
usually don't have money like that for a single cow that one doesn't
even know if it will breed successfully?
We want to raise AFFORDABLE mini cattle to help people....it is not
always about $$$. I want to not only raise them, but teach buyers how to
care for a cow as well as how to milk...teach good husbandry. And we try
to match personalities of the buyer with the animals, so both will be
happy in their lives. Most nowadays are only in it for the big
dollars..and that is sad for the animals.
So, if anyone knows of any mini's for sale, we'd be in the market. And
we appreciate anyone who takes the time to learn and raise animals for
the farmstead to do it "right"....thanks!~deb

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]