When Tracy and Dara Halydier moved to Hillsboro from Texas five years ago, they had no idea that they would have a herd of miniature cattle in just a few short years.
Tracy said, “We saw the breed in Texas while visiting. We had never seen them before. I have a son who does ag and I called him and asked about them. He explained that they were Highland cattle and spoke highly of them so we started looking for that breed and trying to figure out how we could do it here. One thing led to another, and then we got involved with somebody who could sell us some.”
The couple had moved to Hillsboro for Tracy to begin his job at the MB Foundation. His parents, Jim and Bess Halydier, moved in with them in their house on eight and a half acres on the edge of town near Dollar General. The two couples decided to get the cattle three years ago and have been raising them together ever since on their place they have named Lil’ Bits Ranchette.
“My mother-in-law is five foot one and a half. Her nickname when she was younger was Lil’ Bits. When my grandchildren are itty bitty, I tend to say they are a lil’ bit of this or a lil’ bit of that. So with the cows being miniatures, we’ve decided “Lil’ Bit” so it’s kind of a family thing,” said Dara.
The couple now have nine cattle in their small herd. They have a steer named Hamburger, a bull named Newt and seven females: Licorice, a dwarf, Hershey, Buttercup, Cinnamon, Rosemary, Nutmeg and Poppy.They plan to add a few more in number as the ladies have babies. They also will be adding another bull in the next few months.
“We are limited on the amount of cattle we can have due to the size of our property. It used to be covered in trees so we had to clear a bunch out to make room for the cattle. The city worked with us as well as the zoning board,” said Dara.
Tracy added, “USDA came in and helped us work through a plan and get it cleared out. We’ve been able to plant and grow grass since that is mostly what the cattle eat.”
They started off with Standard Highland cattle which are around 62 inches tall.
“They are very docile. Very friendly. But we have 12 grandchildren age 10 and under, and they were intimidated by them. So we have moved down to the mid-size miniature and miniature,” said Dara.
Mid size Highlands are 42-48 inches tall while miniatures are 36-42 inches tall. There is also a micro miniatures Highland which is 36 inches and under.
“We may try and breed down to that size, but we’re totally happy with our mid to miniatures,” said Dara.
“The micros are like the size of a dog. They’re really tiny and very expensive. At a recent auction, micros were selling for around $16,000 each,” said Tracy.
“One of the other reasons we went to the smaller cows is because we can feed more on this small parcel than we can with the bigger because they eat less,” Dara said.
“Size wise they’re easier to move around. When they’re 36 inches, it’s a whole lot easier to push behind than when they’re 60 inches and you’re looking eye to eye at them,” said Tracy. “And it’s just been a lot more fun. We’ve just enjoyed them. They’re not as intimidating.”
When Tracy was in high school, his family had cattle and he showed them at stock shows so he had a rudimentary understanding of what needed to be done. But he was still very new to much of what needed to be done with raising cattle in general and Highland cattle specifically. But the family quickly found help.
“We didn’t do all this alone. The co-op and the feed store have come out and they’ve looked at them and said, ‘Hey, you know, here’s what you need to do’. And USDA has come out and said, ‘Hey, here’s what you need to do for grass. Here’s what we’re going to do for that’. And the Hillsboro vet here has been tremendous. We’re not an island out here doing it. There’s been a lot of resources,” said Tracy.
The Halydiers have been enjoying their cattle and are attached to them. 
“We’ve been able to bottle feed quite a few of them, and they’ll come up and want us to love on their necks. They’re more like pets,” said Dara.
But even though the cattle have become pets, the family still raises some of them for the meat.
Highland marble naturally on low input forage and produces lean, low-fat, high-quality and flavorful beef that is lower in fat and cholesterol and higher in protein.
According to a 2016 Highland Beef Study at the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO, Highland beef rises to the top for its tenderness. Highland beef is lower in cholesterol than turkey, salmon, pork and shrimp, and lower in fat than chicken, pork loin and all cuts of commercial beef. Highland beef is higher in protein than other beef and even chicken breast.
“They say the quality of the beef is exceptional because they’re a slow-growing breed. They don’t breed really until at least two or two and a half so their marbling is great,” said Dara.
According to the Heartland Highland Cattle Association, the breed originated in the harsh conditions of Scotland. The long horns, shaggy coats, short legs and longevity are all traits of the Highland breed. The females are excellent mothers and are noted for problem-free calving. They are very protective of their offspring and can breed from around the age of two until 20 years of age producing a calf every year.
Highland cattle have long outer hair that sheds rain and snow and a soft undercoat and thicker hide to keep them warm. This reduces the need to put on a fat layer to stay warm.
The Halydiers have enjoyed their journey with Highland cattle so far and love sharing them with others. They are continuing to learn more every day.
“I’m a city girl, but I’m learning, and I’m loving it. We’re having a good time doing it,” said Dara.
For more information go to lilbitsranchette.com.
