Mini Cow Breeding Begins at Running Springs, A New Chapter!

If you've been around for a while, you already know my love for mini cows runs deep. These tiny, adorable, full-of-personality girls have been part of my life for years now. They're not new to the farm, but something is new this season. For the very first time, I'm officially stepping into the world of cow breeding with my mini herd, and I couldn't be more excited to share the process with y'all.

Mini Cows, Major Love

Mini cows have been one of the absolute highlights of my animal family. They're charming, smart, and every bit as sassy as they are sweet. I've raised them, spoiled them, and learned so much from them, but until now, I hadn't taken the next step: breeding them myself, right here at Running Springs.

This year, that changes. After plenty of research, planning, and prep, I'm diving into mini cow breeding on my own farm for the first time, and I'm taking you along for every step of the journey.

Meet the Girls: Poppy, Petunia, and Pippa

Poppy, Petunia, and Pippa are the stars of this season. These three are my oldest mini cows and longtime residents of the farm. Pippa is the newest girl, Poppy and Petunia have grown up here, and I've been waiting for just the right moment to begin breeding. That time has finally come.

Before heading out on a recent trip, I inserted CIDRs (Controlled Internal Drug Release devices) into each of them. These are hormone-releasing inserts that help synchronize their cycles by mimicking pregnancy through progesterone. When the CIDRs are removed, it signals their bodies to come back into heat, and that's when the breeding window opens.

The Watch and Wait Game

While I was traveling, Kyle helped by pulling the CIDRs to keep everything on track timing-wise. Now that they're out, I'm keeping a very close eye on all three girls to watch for signs of heat. I use ride patches on their booties. When those patches change color, it means one of the other girls has been riding her, which is one of the best signs that she's in standing heat and ready to breed.

These patches usually go from silver to green or orange when activated. Right now, there are just a few spots showing, probably from a bit of extra rubbing, but I'm watching closely for a full color change. When that happens, it’s go time.

The Breeding Plan

Since this is my first time managing mini cow breeding solo, I'm sticking with a tried-and-true protocol. If the girls don't show obvious signs of heat, I'll proceed with artificial insemination at the 66-hour mark after removing the CIDRs. That timing helps increase the odds of success, especially in heifers. If any of them come into heat earlier, I'll adjust the timing as needed. And if I see signs of heat several days later and I've got extra straws on hand, I may try again.

One of the perks of preparing for this ahead of time is having a few different semen straws ready to go. That gives me the flexibility to respond to what the cows are actually doing, because let's be real, they don't always stick to the plan.

My AI Dream Team

I might be new to breeding mini cows at my farm, but I've got amazing help. My best friend Rebecca is AI-certified and will be performing the inseminations. Not only does she have the training, she's got the perfect skinny little AI arm (and if you know, you know). I'm beyond thankful to have her here for this milestone.

Using artificial insemination allows me to choose the best possible genetics without bringing a bull onto the property. That's especially important with mini cows, where size and temperament matter so much. I've done my homework and selected bulls that I'm really excited about.

Sharing the Journey

This whole process has been a huge learning curve, and an exciting one. I'll be sharing updates often, especially as I keep checking patches, prepping for insemination, and (hopefully!) confirming pregnancies in the next few months.