The “back to the land” movement that is sweeping this nation has micro farms popping up on the grid left and right. These micro-farmers are getting back to the basics and their goal is to live a more simplified lifestyle. They live primarily in a self-sufficient manner by growing their own food, caring for smaller plots of land, and raising livestock.
The breeds that are typically chosen for homesteads and micro-farms are the heritage breeds because they have a better survival rate. However, those homesteaders that live on smaller acreage or in urban settings who cannot provide the larger areas for animals to graze have chosen micro versions of these domesticated animals. These micro breeds are bred to not only for their stature, but how much meat is butchered; and are also raised based upon their temperament, cost of raising the animal vs. it’s the price in meat, and how much land the animal will need to graze.
The Pros and Cons
Advantages of raising micro-livestock
- For those of us who are unable to keep up with constant price increases at the grocery store, raising livestock that can provide you with meat, milk, cheese and eggs will help you cut your grocery budget down significantly.
- Raising micro breeds teaches us to be more self-reliant.
- Is a good bartering product.
- Smaller species tend to use less of the resources from the land.
- Microlivestock grows faster and reaches sexual maturity faster than regularly sized livestock.
- Their greatest advantage is their compact size which is a result of living in harsh environments where they had to adapt. Therefore, they are highly adaptive to unconventional environments.
- Some breeds of micro cattle have unusually high tolerances to disease, internal and external parasites.
- Goats need less attention compared to other livestock breeds.
- Breeds such as goats, chickens, and ducks startle easily and can alert you to dangers in the area.
- Micro-livestock can help do work on the micro-farm. They are good foragers and can clear parts of land that are riddled with roots and weeds, and naturally fertilize the land.
Disadvantages of raising micro-livestock
- Depending on the animal, space could be an issue.
- The smaller the animal, the easier the prey.
- Typically, micro-livestock have a higher energy level and may require more food.
- Smaller breeds may not match the overall productivity of the larger breeds.
- Like all livestock, animals can succumb to diseases if proper conditions are not met.
- Some animals do not thrive well in hot conditions so other living areas need to be built.
List of Microlivestock Breeds
- Cattle – Zebu Cattle, Miniature Herefords, Mini Holstein, Red Panda Cow, White Dexter, Lowline, Miniature Longhorns, Miniature Galloways, Jerseys, Ayrshires
- Birds -turkeys, chickens, ducks, pigeons, quail and guinea fowl.
- Goats – Terai, Nigerian dwarf, West African dwarf, Pygmy, Nubian
- Pigs – American Guinea hog, West African dwarf, Chinese dwarf, Criollo
- Rabbits – Cinnamons, Californias, American Chincilla, Creme D’Argents, Blanc D’Hotot, New Zealand, Palomino, Rex, Sables, Satins, Silver fox (Source)
- Guinea Pigs – Long haired, Shorthairs, all different color variations
- Miniature Deer – mouse deer, musk deer, blue duiker antelope
What kind of micro-livestock do you have on your micro-farm?
For more information on starting a homestead with animals, self-sustaining micro-farms, and micro-livestock.
This article was originally published at Ready Nutrition™ on April 8th, 2011
I started looking at the pigs listed, it looks like the ‘Pigmy Hog’ is highly endangered? I’m not sure it’s even legal or where you would import one from??? LOL Anyway, I don’t know that I could find any of them besides a pot-belly from the list with any sort of availability … maybe I’m just not looking the right places online?
Regardless, the American Guinea Hog needs to be added to the list. They are a fine little pig that thrives on grazing and forage. You do NOT want to feed them grain, or they will get too fat. They are a terrific little pig (200-300# tops) that deserve to be mentioned.
Thank you! 🙂
KuneKune should be on there too, and they graze as 90% of their diet.
Mrs. J —
Thank you so much for letting me know. I removed that type of pig and replaced with the American Guinea hog you suggested. Seriously people, don’t go out and kill the endangered species!
One of the BEST ways to save a breed is to raise them, even for meat. It’s HOW you do it is what makes the difference. Get a few females and one male. Breed them, raise babies, and sell the male to another breeder, better yet, trade males, to keep both herd’s from inbreeding.
Butcher one or two per your needs of the CULLS. You don’t WANT CULLS to breed, it harms the breed. Bad confirmation, disposition, difficulty to keep healthy, too small, or in this case too large, whatever is detrimental for the breed or does not conform to breed standards HARMS the breed.
Then either breed all the new and old females to grow your herd, or sell to others interested in doing what you are doing for breed preservation and profit. The main reason some animal breeds become endangered is because people aren’t wanting to raise them for a useful purpose. If everyone just avoids that breed rather than use them like I described, they will indeed likely go away.
Ask yourself why is there so many Black Angus cattle? They are one of the most popular breeds for meat. They aren’t getting eaten to extinction, they are being bred in abundance, even though they are used massively for meat. Their popularity for meat is why there is so many of them.
The same will happen to these pigs if they become noticed as somehow special, useful, or just plain cute. So, if you want to save them, use them, promote them for whatever their unique qualities they have, grow a herd, runs ads for how great they are, maybe how RARE they are, and maybe even put a premium PRICE for them because they are Sooooooo SPECIAL and RARE! You might find you not only save them, but you may do live well and prosper!
God bless.
Hi Tess,
Nubian goats are not a small breed. They are quite large and often bred with Boers for meat goats. Kinders are a cross between Nubians and Pygmies and would be more appropriate for small holdings.
Sherry
I keep both chickens and geese. For preparedness, I now look at geese as being the best choice for several reasons:
• Unlike chickens (and to a lesser extent, ducks), geese can live and thrive entirely by grazing on grass and weeds. When the commercial feed runs out, my chickens may still survive, but their egg production will drop to almost nothing.
• Geese have a very well-deserved reputation for being excellent “watch dogs”. They quickly learn what and who is routine, and make a racket when something changes.
• They are far more resilient than chickens – fewer diseases, parasites, or predators.
• Geese can live up to thirty years, they reach eating size in less than a year, and produce large eggs in the Spring.
• Geese have been used in commercial agriculture for weeding crops – especially crops with sensitive root structures like cotton (there is even a breed called “Cotton Goose” that excels at weeding cotton).
For “normal times”, a flock of chickens can’t be beat for providing fresh eggs, but when life changes – radically – you’ll want geese.
Rabbits are excellent. Honestly though we’ve had much better luck with meat mutts than purbreeds. If you have just five females and one male: average litter is 8. 8×5=40×5(breedings)=200 kits. Let the 200 kits grow out to around adult size at 10 lbs each divided by half for boneless meat mass…200×5=1000lbs of meat/year! Without using pellets grow out will take about 8 months. many butcher at weaning, but it seems wasteful to me especially if you are forage feeding. The main issues are predation and housing. I feel colony housing the females and young kits cuts down on chores, allows free grazing, especially if you rotate pastures and keeps one from having to constantly make/upgrade/clean cages. In winter keeping thawed water is trouble with cages…if the colony has access to a stream it cuts that right out.
You forgot babydoll sheep! Honestly, anyone having a bad day should look up babydoll sheep just for fun.