Near Seattle, Washington, Richard and Arlene Gradwohl were seeing the effects of urban sprawl, as housing developments started
to sprout up around their property. Arlene, having grown up on a farm, wished to maintain a rural lifestyle. Richard, a community college business professor, investigated the possibilities with an entrepreneurial eye. He soon saw the potential smaller cattle could have on their smaller property. Always stressing new product development, Richard soon was educating himself on miniature and small cattle breeds, acquiring breeding stock, and utilizing linebreeding techniques. Beginning with Dexter cattle and keeping some of their smallest Herefords, his new product focus became developing new breeds of miniature cattle. To date he has developed 18—yes 18—new breeds of miniature cattle and is enjoying his working retirement as a Professor Emeritus (Gradwohl interview 2007).
Miniature Cattle: For Real, For Pets, For Production
