Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
NEW YORK — They're adorable. They require less food and space. And without much coaxing, 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 livestock and homesteaders who like the idea of having a petite pig or a scaled-down sheep as a pet.
Animal breeders say sales of pint-sized farm animals have grown since the COVID-19 pandemic, when more people started raising backyard chickens for fun and fresh eggs.
"A lot of people don't have access to several acres, but if they have a one-acre plot, they can keep a miniature cow or a few miniature goats," said Brian Gazda, who has a small farm in eastern Idaho and with two friends runs a YouTube channel called "Hobby Farm Guys."
Platforms like YouTube and TikTok have played an important part in raising the profile of mini farm animals, said Martin Fysh, a vice president and divisional merchandising manager for rural lifestyle retailer Tractor Supply. On any given day, TikTok users put cuteness on parade with videos of tiny blue-eyed goats and two-foot-tall horses that have received millions of views.
But Fysh thinks the trend also reflects a natural progression among customers who started out with a backyard hen coop. In response, Tractor Supply has increased its selection of treats for both mini and regular sized pigs, and goats.
"They're seen as part of the extended family, " Fysh said.
While some people buy small farm animals as a stepping stone to owning larger ones, others don't have a desire to expand. Some owners of mini farm animals turn their hobbies into side hustles by giving visitor tours, breeding animals, and blogging about their pastoral experiences.
Among the challenges: the volatile nature of prices for each of the types of miniature farm animals. And while they're cute, they can also be aggressive.
Mini goats are one of the most popular entry-level mini animals. In the past year, animal breeders have registered roughly 8,330 mini goats with the Miniature Dairy Goat Association. That's a 73% jump from the 12 months before July 2021, when registrations — mostly for newborn females sought after by breeders — totaled just under 4,800, said Angelia Alden, a business operations manager for the North Carolina-based organization.
Many folks who favor mini goats, however, tend to sell them after a few years because it can be challenging — and expensive — to take care of them, Alden said. Rising animal feed costs can be a headache, as is finding adequate medical care due to a shortage of farm veterinarians.
A farm animal can be both mini and mighty. Some of the four-legged stars on social media are furry cows that can weigh 500 to 600 pounds. The smallest, which stand under three feet in height, are known as micro-miniatures. The slightly bigger miniatures can be as tall as 42 inches, according to Allie Sine, a TikTok creator with more than 737,000 followers on the platform. Videos showcasing some of her mini cows have gotten millions of views.
Kim Furches, who owns a farm with her husband, Ken Furches, in West Jefferson, North Carolina, said the couple bred mini donkeys for about 20 years and currently own dozens of Mediterranean miniature donkeys, which stand 3 feet high or less.
Before the pandemic, they would typically sell about eight donkeys per year and count themselves lucky if they received a couple thousand dollars for one. They now sell about 20 per year. The last mini donkey sold for $7,500, Furches said. There are some she's only willing to sell for $9,000 or more.
Though some of their customers plan to breed and sell mini animals, too, many say they are just looking for "exotic" pets, Gazda said.
Earlier this year, Jamie Campion, 41, and her husband, Jeff Campion, bought two Southdown Babydoll sheep from a local breeder near their home in Thompson's Station, Tennessee, for $800 each. The couple moved from Chicago in March 2022 after the pandemic made them rethink their lifestyle. They now live in a modern-style farmhouse built on an acre of land.
While Biscuit and Buttermilk have become excellent lawn trimmers, Jamie Campion said she considers the animals — which weigh about 70 pounds and stand 20 inches high — similar to 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 who discovered the breed on Instagram.
But it can be challenging.
One time, Jeff Campion tried to inject one of sheep with oral medication to treat parasites, and it tore his bicep.
But more often, the sheep give her joy. Jamie Campion recalls taking them out on a snowy day for a walk in the neighborhood, without a leash.
"They just followed right behind," she said. "There's a whole sheep and shepherd relationship. "
Others see therapeutic benefits.
Lisa Moad, who is the owner of Seven Oaks Farm in Hamilton, Ohio, and has 13 miniature horses and three regular size horses, operates a therapy farm for older people and others. She also used to take the miniature horses to local nursing homes and hospitals. But since the pandemic, she has spent most of her time conducting online training for those looking to embrace the same mission.
That includes teaching horses how to maneuver around wheelchairs and into elevators of hospitals. She said her miniature versions still weigh 175 to 200 pounds, though much less than her regular horses, which range from 1,200 to 1,500 pounds.
"They're docile, but they can get frightened easily, " she said. "You just can't walk into a hospital with a horse."
