Hannah and Knut
Two Dahomey Dwarf Cattle
Dahomey cattle are what ponies are to horses - the smallest of their kind. The Dahomey dwarf cattle is an original dwarf breed and is not crossed with others. This beautiful breed of cattle has developed in West Africa without human intervention. The animals are only 80 to 105 cm high, but their temperament should not be underestimated.
Robust dwarfs as a hobby breed and landscape maintainer
The Dahomeys have few demands on their environment and are neither sensitive to heat nor cold. Their milk is only enough for rearing calves, and the meat yield does not bring in much money either. The cattle breed is available with a grey or black coat. Sometimes the coat on the legs or belly is spotted with brown or white. The tongue is also not pink, but blue. They do not call "moo", but make a sound as if a locomotive is about to start its journey.
Dahomeys are an alternative to sheep
The small cattle are very sure-footed and do not cause any trampling damage on the meadows and pastures due to their low weight. They are ideal for grazing steeper slopes and are content with low-value fodder such as old hay or grass.
Hannah and Knut - an interesting couple in the Henndorf cattle shed
A few weeks ago, we received an email from a young, desperate student from Carinthia. Her parents wanted to have the Dahomey cattle slaughtered because looking after the animals had become burdensome for the people. With Knut only 7 years old and Hannah 6 years old, it broke the young woman's heart to slaughter these two spirited, fun-loving animals.
"...they have a right to be allowed to grow old...!" - she is probably right.
The spectacle of Hannah, Knut and the other cattle on the farm
It sounds as if the cattle on the farm in Henndorf are just learning a foreign language: one is African and the other Austrian. The "moo" is a totally foreign one. Sometimes our mini zebu comes around the bend with her donkey Tobi, then it becomes international, because our little zebu doesn't say "moo" at all, but roars like our stag Batzi in the rutting season.
The famous Bandit and his herd stand diagonally opposite the stable of the Dahomey cattle. Every day, there are several "cattle concerts": the Dahomeys call their peculiar "moo" into the large herd and Bandit, Sky, Lieni, Ludmilla and all their names turn exactly in the direction of the Dahomey "moo" and listen to who is calling them.
Maybe you would like to take part in an Aiderbichl cattle concert one day? It pays off in any case. Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf is open daily from 09:00 to 18:00.