Here's a new mini cattle breed that joins other popular mini breeds that have caught on in recent years -- Herefords, Brahmas and Dexters.

The first Loala miniature Anguses from Australia began arriving in North America last summer. At this point, only a handful of the cattle have entered the U.S. and Canada.

Neil Effertz showed off his cow, Pippa, at the recent Farm Progress Show at Amana, Iowa. At the time, she was the only miniature Angus in the U.S.

The breed was developed through a public research project by animal scientists at the Trangie Agricultural Research Center in Australia," Effertz told FARM SHOW. "Once the cattle reached private hands, the way was cleared for exportation. There are only seven Loala's in all of North America, but we expect to increase numbers rapidly through an aggressive embryo transfer program.

We think Loala's are the breed of the future. For example, they thrive on limited feed intake and produce half-size cuts of lean, flavorful, well-marbled beef, the same as regular Anguses. Cows wean a 250 to 300-lb. calf and steers reach market weight of 750 lbs. at 15 months on about 1/3 the feed costs of regular Anguses, and with very lean (1/4-in. backfat) carcasses.

They're fast-maturing, with three-year-old cows consistently averaging 700 lbs. in weight and equivalent age bulls weighing 900 lbs. Height at the shoulder is 36 to 41 in. and 38 to 45 in., respectively.

"Loala cows calve easily and losses are extremely rare. Birthweight of the vigorous, healthy calves is usually around 40 lbs."

Effertz's company, American Loala Management (ALM), plans to market embryos from the first calves born in the U.S. Females flushed in Australia and New Zealand have been producing 6 to 10 embryos per flush and can be flushed as often as every six weeks.

The company says it has already established a market for Loala meat, as has a Canadian importer of mini Angus embryos, Blue Ridge Lowlines of Mayerthorpe, Alta.