Dean Shocker’s cow is only about two feet tall
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
A farmer from New Liberty, Iowa says one of the cows on his farm could be the smallest of its breed, or any breed, in the United States.
Dean Shocker’s farm consists of 14 Zebu cows, an Indian breed recognized by its horns and humps. They can be sold for meat or for breeding purposes.
The price per zebu has gone up from $150 per cow. That price has risen to about $1,500 per cow, according to Shocker.
But Lucy, who measures in at 24 inches tall (or short!) from her shoulders to the ground, is staying on the farm.
“There’s a guy in Florida that wants to buy her,” Shocker told WHOtv. “I’m afraid to put a price on her, I can’t sell her.”
“She’s the smallest one I know of in the United States,” he said, adding there may be one in India that’s of a similar size.
NEW LIBERTY, Iowa -- We all know what Old McDonald had on his farm. But when it comes to cows, farmer Dean Schocker gives McDonald a run for his money. His herd of 14 are called Zebu. They're originally from India, and they're known for their horns, hump, and size.
Shocker said he’s always been interested in exotic animals. And the Zebu are easier to raise, he said.
Regular-sized cows require almost an acre of land each, but five or six Zebu can be raised on one acre, he told WHOtv.
About half of his herd is expecting to give birth in May. He is going to continue selling the cows to educate people about the breed, he said.
The Zebu:
- Can appear red or grey in color, are horned, have loose skin, large ears and a hump above their shoulders.
- Can be used for its milk and meat. In India, they are considered sacred and only used as draft animals.
- Are considered heat tolerant, and parasite and disease resistant.
- Brazil has the largest commercial Zebu herd in the world with 155 million head.
- India has over 270 million Zebu and the U.S. has more than 2 million.