The Miniature Hereford is a young breed whose origins (to date) only span around 30 years. Its development was initially carried out in the US by the Largent family, who enforced a selective breeding program using stock that had been imported from England in the 1800's. Evidently, size reduction was the primary focus, however efficiency was also a major concern. It was not until 1991 that Miniature Herefords became available to the open market.
The only thing that distinguishes Miniature Herefords from Herefords is size, specifically height. In terms of proportion, conformation should be similar. Miniature Herefords typically stand at 107 cm in height, and weigh around 450 kilograms on average. Other than size, Miniature Herefords and full sized Hereford share the same characteristics such as efficient feed conversion, quality beef and early maturity. Their size makes the breed particularly easy to manage.
Today, Miniature Herfords are found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
