American mini cattle - another website

[Louisa Gidney]

Have a look at the prices on www.tomtownsend-toyland.com on the miniature cattle page. This time they are Highland x Dexter crosses with some typical short-leg/dwarf calves.
How are we going to contemplate eradicating the Dexter dwarfism if there is apparently an ongoing demand for these little things? The point has previously been made with regard to poorer quality stock that market forces will prevail & if they don't sell they won't be bred. However if pedigree herds eradicate the short-leg dwarf are we not going to leave the market wide open to unscrupulous breeders of non-pedigree or cross-bred stock to clean up?
Maybe it can only happen in America, but at $3000 a calf I'd start looking at the export market!
Personally, I think I'd rather breed these little cuties for sale at those sort of prices than go to all the hassle of growing and marketing beef.
Devil's advocate now hands over.

[marion]

Yes, Breed any little thing including dwarfs (maybe especially dwarfs), fix a distinctive colour pattern (belted, lineback, speckled), patent the names and set up an impressive website and convince people to get in on the "ground floor" and spend thousands for "breeding stock". Isn't it just like ostriches, emu's, alpaca's (at least they haven't been altered to fit a market) hedgehogs, potbellied pigs etc. Spend huge amounts of money for a few trios, and the trick is to talk someone else into the same, quickly, before the prices end up in the toilet.
Didn't someone say there's a sucker born every day?
Quite a few people are figuring out, they had better start raising the odd litter of puppies, in order to be able to afford to keep their Dexters
Really sad..marion