Mini Farm Cattle Co.

We are Diego and Gaizkane De Carvalho, a husband-and-wife team raising miniature & midsize Scottish Highland and HighPark cattle in North Texas. We focus on producing cattle with calm temperament, balanced conformation, and beautiful, fluffy faces.

Diego

Raised ranching alongside his father in Brazil, Diego developed a deep connection to livestock from a young age. After moving to the United States at just 19 years old, Diego worked as a ranch hand and feedlot worker before becoming a farrier - a role he has proudly served in North Texas for over 23 years.

Over the years, Diego has built his own Angus herd, growing it to 40 head, and caring for them in his spare time is what he enjoys most. He brings a lifetime of experience, patience, and steady leadership to the farm - serving as the strong, solid ground that anchors everything we do.

Gaizkane

I was born and raised in the Basque Country of Spain, to parents who grew up on farms. After living in multiple countries, I made Texas my home in 2007, where I met the love of my life, Diego. I became a nurse shortly after and have proudly served our community as a cardiac nurse for 13 years.

A lifelong animal lover, I have always been passionate about horses and have recently discovered the joy of working with cattle. When the chance arose to build our own herd of Scottish Highlands, we jumped in! Today, I am the passion, visionary, and driving force behind our program and we are excited to see where this journey will take us.

We raise healthy, well-balanced miniature cattle through ethical breeding, thoughtful genetics, and calm, hands-on care. We do not include the chondro gene in our program and focus on selecting naturally shorter cattle to produce smaller, sound animals. While it might take us longer to reach our ultimate goal, we believe this approach produces healthier, more balanced animals in the long run. 

We believe nature knows best, so we prioritize dam-raised calves to ensure healthy social development, safety, and lifelong health. When calves reach 5-6 months of age, we separate them by following the fence-weaning method to make the transition less stressful. Once everyone settles down, we start the socialization process, introduce them to halter training, and get them ready for their new homes. 

Our vaccination and health care protocols are driven by the recommendations of our local vet, birthing experience, and the individual needs of each calf. Our protocol includes the following:

• Oral paste at birth for immune health & prevent scours (Tri-Shield/Calf Pruf)
• Oral paste to promote digestive health and energy, when needed (DuraZyme, DuraLift, DuraLyte)
• Nasalgen 3-PMH intranasal
• KSX Boost for transition/stressful periods (weaning, sickness, travel)
• Core vaccinations pre-weaning (Vira Shield 6 + VL5HB & Calvary 9)
• Brucellosis vaccination (heifers only 4-12mo)