Purebred Jersey and Minature Jersey Cattle are the right fit for their farm
KOSHKONONG, MO. – Becky Bradley and her husband, Aaron, are high school sweethearts, both born and raised in Missouri. They started their farm, Mini Mosaic Acre, on less than two acres and a dream.
With hard work, that dream blossomed into a 27-acre operation, providing dairy products from their A2A2 Jersey cows and breeding outstanding Miniature Jersey cows. Their large family – six biological children and eight adopted children – is the “mosaic” nature behind their name. “Our family is composed of many broken pieces put together by God to make a beautiful picture of redemption,” Becky said.
While Mini Mosaic Acre has many farm critters running around, they focus on purebred Jersey and Miniature Jersey cattle due to the breed’s small size, high butterfat content, and docile personality.
The demand for Miniature Jerseys is on the rise. To meet the need and add to the small genetic pool, Becky said they seek to bring down the size of their Jerseys through breeding without compromising conformation and appropriate milk production.
They also seek to breed cows that will excel on a mostly-grass diet, A2A2, and are not prone to metabolic issues.
“My goals are to produce disease-free, A2A2, hearty, easy-to-maintain, correct, docile Jerseys, that are on the smaller side yet produce an adequate high-fat milk supply ideal for a family milk cow,” Becky said.
They expect their cows to produce at least 17.5 pounds of milk a day as a first-time freshener. Becky’s hope is that their cattle will be a blessing to families who want a milk cow but don’t have the foreknowledge to care for a standard Jersey. Currently, there’s a waitlist for their A2A2 Miniature Jerseys available for sale.
The Bradley family is also very passionate about the Raw Milk Movement and are the first Raw Milk Institute Listed dairy farm in the state of Missouri.
Becky said her family milks eight cows right now, and they continuously struggle to meet the explosive demand for raw milk. They currently sell around 500 gallons of disease free, rich, raw, A2A2, milk each month.
Raw milk such as theirs, that is Raw Milk Institute listed, and tested for SPC, SCC and Coliform, is especially desired. “We go through disease testing before integrating a new cow into our herd and that takes time,” Becky said.
A strict biosecurity program is followed to keep cattle safe. Because of this, their herd has grown slower than they would like, but their product is of the highest quality.
Becky said she advises folks to be extra cautious when buying stock, especially when looking at Miniature Jerseys and to confirm it is indeed a purebred before paying the undoubtedly hefty price tag.
“I would also advise disease testing before purchase. It can just be too big of a loss to risk bringing home an animal with a common disease, which would make it impossible to sell responsible raw milk from.”
In the way of sustainability, Becky said they practice rotational grazing, which has already improved their pasture soil. They also strive to use as little water as possible while keeping sanitation a top priority.
Furthermore, Becky said they purchase hay from local farmers who do not spray their fields with any chemicals. It’s more work but results in healthier livestock and higher-quality products.
Getting out in the community – or letting the community come to them – has been instrumental in their farm’s success, Becky said.
“Within this dairy industry, we have met some of the most incredible humans ever and their excellence drives me to want to be better,” Becky said.
Aside from breeding and selling trained Miniature Jersey cows and pure, raw A2A2 milk, Mini Mosaic Acre hosts educational farm tours and participates in speaking engagements for homesteaders to promote the Raw Milk Movement.
They are members of the Raw Milk Institute and collaborate with other producers around the U.S. to strive to meet the high standards of the RAMI-listed dairies.
Becky said the biggest challenge facing the industry right now has been education at the government level regarding raw milk and finding a solution to get the product to customers. “We are currently working with representatives to get a ’raw milk in retail’ bill passed in Missouri,” Becky said. “This would enable raw milk dairies like ours to have the ability to go above and beyond, producing a safe, clean product while being given the motivation to have an outlet in retail with the legal ability to resale it.”
Becky said this would allow small dairy farmers to actually earn a living wage through their dairies without having to get an outside job off the farm to make ends meet.
“We believe there is enough room in the raw milk industry to support many more raw milk dairies in individual communities which is better for the product, the environment, and the community.”
Overall, collaboration with other partners in the industry has been a big reason for their business’ success.
“Other breeders, our veterinarian, our community, and other farmers have been our greatest cheerleaders,” Becky said. “I am telling you, this agriculture journey we have embarked on, has grown within us a love for our fellow Americans and the deep, beautiful roots of agriculture.”
