Homestead Cattle Association (HCA)

a homestead cattle registry
a heritage cattle registry

a miniature cattle registry

a resource for all

What are Homestead Cattle?

Homestead and Miniature cattle are friendly, gentle, hardy, efficient cattle with grassfed genetics. Most homestead cattle are midsize, and miniature cattle range in height from frame score 1 down to -6. Homestead and miniature cattle work well for families with children, for new cattle owners starting out on small acreages, and for people who want to raise healthier beef. Due to their quieter nature and smaller size, they are easier on the land. Some homestead and miniature breeds of cattle (called browsers) can help clear scrub land, much like goats do. Miniature breeds may eat only about half as much as standard breeds of cattle. Most require simpler facilities and equipment, and less expensive fencing. Homestead cattle are often dual purpose, providing both beef and dairy for a family. Cattle with grass fed genetics tend to be smaller, with shorter legs, well-sprung ribs and great depth of body, and often trace to old breeds or bloodlines, descended from centuries of selection to fatten on grass & hay alone, without grain. (Feeding grain to cattle didn't become popular until around the 1950s.) Today many homestead and miniature cattle are crossbred, so they can range all the way from old heritage breeds to newly developing composites. They are typically healthy little cattle, that live longer than modern breeds, producing for many years. They are bred for optimum family production, not for maximum commercial production. Compared to more common commercial breeds of cattle, Homestead & Miniature cattle can produce more pounds of healthier food per dollar of input per acre, for more years.

The Homestead Cattle Association was formed in 2013 to provide herd books for breeds or unique populations of homestead or miniature cattle that are not specifically or well represented elsewhere. HCA issues registration certificates that are more widely accepted, with internationally recognized breed codes, providing cattle owners an advantage when collecting frozen genetics, entering shows, or exporting across borders or overseas. HCA provides free resources for all owners & breeders, especially for those new to the cattle industry.

the Homestead Cattle Association (HCA)

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

Use to register hardship, mis-marked, off-colored, purebred cattle or composite or crossbred animals. For any cattle that have a pedigree, that provide genetic diversity, and do not have a legitimate herd book elsewhere.

Miniature Cattle registration - all breeds Frame Scores 1—(-6)

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

Check out the HCA

Homestead Herd Books: Irish Jersey & Belfair Cattle Registry

US Normande Organization (USNO)

See BREEDS page for list of all Homestead & Miniature breed herd books in the HCA.

Heritage Certification: available on registration papers for qualifying (100% pure) cattle

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

Heritage Certification: available on registration papers for qualifying (100% pure) cattle

Unrecognized Heritage bloodline cattle exist but are rare, in several popular breeds. Without awareness, these rare heritage bloodlines in Angus, Ayrshire, Guernsey, Hereford, Jersey breeds, etc., are actually becoming endangered. To help preserve these irreplaceable genetics in these now hard-to-find cattle, HCA maintains a free Heritage Cattle Breeder Directory at (heritage-cattle.com).

Homestead & Miniature Cattle Resource Directory

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

Heritage Certification: available on registration papers for qualifying (100% pure) cattle

A free, public service, cattle industry reference website since 2014.

Breeder Directories
Sire Directory
Globally-quoted articles, reports, charts & graphs.
Resources for All Homestead & Miniature Cattle Owners: miniature-cattle.com.

Homestead & Miniature Cattle

Homestead Cattle Association (HCA)

What are Homestead Cattle?

the Homestead Cattle Association (HCA)

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

Use to register hardship, mis-marked, off-colored, purebred cattle or composite or crossbred animals. For any cattle that have a pedigree, that provide genetic diversity, and do not have a legitimate herd book elsewhere.

Miniature Cattle registration - all breeds Frame Scores 1—(-6)

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

Heritage Certification: available on registration papers for qualifying (100% pure) cattle

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

Heritage Certification: available on registration papers for qualifying (100% pure) cattle

Homestead & Miniature Cattle Resource Directory

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

Heritage Certification: available on registration papers for qualifying (100% pure) cattle

You are welcome to add any HCA chart or graph to your website, w/ credit & link.

Homestead & Miniature Cattle industry charts

Frame Score Chart Females

Frame Scores infographic

Frame Score Chart Bulls

Breed Purity Chart

Frame Score Chart LIGHT

Pedigree Generation Chart

Contact Us

We'd love to hear from you.

Homestead Cattle Association (HCA)

Drop us a line!

Homestead Cattle Association (HCA)

What are Homestead Cattle?

the Homestead Cattle Association (HCA)

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

Use to register hardship, mis-marked, off-colored, purebred cattle or composite or crossbred animals. For any cattle that have a pedigree, that provide genetic diversity, and do not have a legitimate herd book elsewhere.

Miniature Cattle registration - all breeds Frame Scores 1—(-6)

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

Heritage Certification: available on registration papers for qualifying (100% pure) cattle

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

Heritage Certification: available on registration papers for qualifying (100% pure) cattle

Homestead & Miniature Cattle Resource Directory

The HCA general herd book is open to register any cattle that need their pedigree recorded.

Heritage Certification: available on registration papers for qualifying (100% pure) cattle

You are welcome to add any HCA chart or graph to your website, w/ credit & link.

Homestead & Miniature Cattle industry charts

Frame Score Chart Females

Frame Scores infographic

Frame Score Chart Bulls

Breed Purity Chart

Frame Score Chart LIGHT

Pedigree Generation Chart

Contact Us

We'd love to hear from you.

Homestead Cattle Association (HCA)

Drop us a line!

This website uses cookies.