As Donna and Hugh Anthony began pursuing their dream of breeding small ‘coloured’ cattle in North Queensland, many years ago,  there was also a movement in popularity towards small acreage farms.  Large holdings were being sub-divided into smaller lots, which were still big enough for people to run livestock.

While beef producers were increasing the size of their cattle for obvious reasons, there was also an ever-increasing demand for more compact cattle, suitable for the smaller farms. From a distance, the cattle look the same, but the size comes as quite a shock when standing beside these miniature cattle compared with our larger Australian breeds.

Suddenly a hobby evolved into a business! Hugh was delivering cattle the width and breadth of Australia, with interest from overseas miniature cattle breeders as well.

The interest in miniature cattle world-wide led to the development of the International Miniature Cattle Breeds Society in America, which set down standards for these breeds, with Hugh being one of the charter members of this organisation.

Meanwhile, the miniature cattle breeding program was well developed, with consistently smaller calves being born each year. Family and livestock then all moved to a property on the Sunshine Coast in 1995.

The results of all these years of selective breeding have produced an amazing little animal. Bos Indicus blood was introduced for tolerance to tropical conditions and external parasites. The introduction of Friesian and Hereford foundation cows brought in variation of colour which added appeal to the Kyrhet Australian Miniature Cattle.

Kyrhet Australian Miniature Cattle are enjoyed for their pet qualities as well as for their practical uses, for those wishing to attain a high level of self-sufficiency in their lifestyle. These cattle have a lovely docile temperament, which allows great enjoyment from the ‘house cows’,  with all the bonus’  that come with them. Good healthy milk and butter are the basics, and there are always new recipes to try with ice-cream, cheese, yoghurt etc.

They are advertised as an "affordable alternative" and they are just that, with costs depending on factors such as age and sex. How much do you spend on milk per year?

To produce these Kyrhet Australian Miniature Cattle, every facet has been investigated, from looks to temperament to productivity. Even though they may be so small they are animals with individual character and appeal. The patience over the years has paid off and the end result is an adorable, productive little animal!