According to a recent U.K Guardian article, American beef farmers who are losing acres of land, and, by extension, sources of revenue, are opting to replace their unusually large beasts with miniature ones.
Professor Richard Gradwohl takes credit for 18 new breeds of miniature cattle that graze on his Seattle farm. Gradwohl made the switch from great to small when he lost 60 acres of farmland. He discovered that it is possible to raise 10 miniature cows on five acres, which could yield up to three times as much beef and reduce other costs, such as feed, the Guardian reports. Another added benefit? The tiny cows apparently produce more tender meat.
“When I started frittering around with miniature cattle, everyone thought I was nuts,” Gradwold told the Guardian. Now, he ships semen, embryos and cattle all around the world.
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