Adorable Mini-Farm Animals Are Growing in Demand
They're adorable. They require less food and space. And they might help cut the grass!
Americans are showing more interest in owning miniature cows, goats, donkeys and other diminutive farm animals, a trend driven by hobby farmers looking for easy-to-manage animals and others looking for unusual pets. Breeders say sales of such animals have grown since the coronavirus pandemic.
Experts say a one-acre plot is enough space for a miniature cow or some miniature goats. Some owners of mini farm animals give visitor tours, breed animals, and blog about their experiences.
However, as these animals become more popular, buying prices are increasing too.
Allie Sine breeds and sells mini cows in Missouri. Her miniature cows can be 105 centimeters tall, while the smallest "micro-miniature" cows are around 90 centimeters tall. TikTok videos of her mini cows have gotten millions of views and last year, she sold about 190 cows at prices ranging from $2,000 to $30,000.
While miniature farm animals are a business for some, for others they are just unusual pets.
This year, Jeff and Jamie Campion bought two Southdown Babydoll sheep for their home in Tennessee for $800 each. For Jamie, the animals — which stand 50 centimeters high — are pets like a dog or a cat.
"They eat the grass, so we don't even have to buy food [for the sheep] on a weekly basis," said Campion.
Spending time with miniature animals can also be good for older people or people who are ill.
Lisa Moad operates a therapy farm in Ohio with 13 miniature horses and three regular size horses. Her miniature horses weigh 80 to 90 kilograms — much less than regular horses, which can weigh 680 kilograms.
Before the pandemic, she took the miniature horses to local nursing homes and hospitals. That meant teaching horses how to maneuver around wheelchairs and into elevators.
"You just can't walk into a hospital with a horse," she said.
