Hi! We have a 5 acre homestead, on which we run 3 miniature cattle, to girls and a boy. My understanding is that as herd animals, they are not at all happy when alone. They may bond better to humans in this case, but it isn’t what’s best for them. I’ve heard of people keeping them with other herd animals, such as donkeys or a couple of goats, but other cattle is certainly best for them.
In terms of breed, there are certainly better breeds than others based on climate and intended use. We are in Florida so we have miniature Zebu. They are well suited to our climate based on their evolution; they have a short coat and a lot of subcutaneous fast-twitch muscle, which helps with pests. If we lived up north, perhaps we would consider highland cattle or something like that.
Our primary use here is soil building, as we live on a sugarsand ridge and can’t grow much without a lot of amendment. And cows do one thing very well ;) if you wanted one for
milk production you might look at
dairy breeds. Same for meat. Grade of milk is a consideration if you want dairy cows, based on buttermilk content. Zebu have very high quality milk, although they are a little headstrong. Ours would NOT tolerate milking. But that’s as much nurture as nature.
Finally, consider whether you have infrastructure in place for cows;
shelter,
water, adequate fencing (multiple paddocks are better to allow the fields to rest - called rotational grazing or intensive pasture management). And, do you have access to veterinary care? Large animal vets are a different breed than regular vets (pun intended). Will they come to you or do you have to transport your cattle to them? What kind of setup will they require to care for your cattle if they come to you? We use a Temple Grandin design of a sweep, chute with a 180 degree turn, and a squeeze.
Some food for thought, anyway. Good luck!
3
