Polled Dexter?

De-horned or polled, I dont much care either way, as long as it doesn't have horns.

The add I answered on Craigslist hasn't gotten back to me on prices so does anyone know of a breeder down in Florida that has cows NOT covered in gold and diamonds?

Not covered in gold and diamonds? Nah, but when you get info on one, I'd like their info too! Since a surgical removal of horns only costs about 100$ I don't see how they can justify a good 1k more for polled stock than horned myself.

I too want de-horned or polled stock... not just in my cattle but my goats too. if it's done early and well I just don't see not taking that step for my own peace of mind--- and body parts! Accidents happen, even the nicest animal tosses it's head to knock a fly you didn't see and horns, to me, are just an unnecessary risk.

My opinion of course!

Where in FL are you? I bought my Dexter heifer, heavy bred, from a guy in GA. He's near the FL/AL borders. His ARE horned, but you can band them off, takes a month or two for them to fall off. His prices are very reasonable, last time I talked to him he still had another bred heifer, 2 open heifers, a cow, and a bull. (All are well under $1000, and he really wants to move them because he is getting into beef cattle for 4H with his kids and doesn't have pasture for two herds, so you may be able to dicker if you buy more than one.)

The heifer I got from him is a doll, somewhat tame, and I put kongs on her horns until the calf is born and we can band them off. I've had her since Saturday and she's eating of out of our hands. Just had her in the stanchion to put a harness on her, and now I've got her dragging a lead rope to work on lead training.

If you want his info, PM me.

Pics are my girl are here: http://s1090.photobucket.com/albums/...20baby%20girl/

And here's a crappy phone pic of her with the Kongs on her horns:

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Love my polled Dexter's. They go thru chutes easy, hay feeders are not a problem, halters go on and off easy and I do not have to worry about them gouging other cows or me.

What do you think your dexter thinks when she sees those Kongs out of the corners of her eyes?

Tim B.

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Probably the same thing as when she sees the tag. used to it after a while.

Its a good idea, as long as they stay on! They do make black kongs BTW might be a little more pleasing to the eye

LOL, she doesn't realize she doesn't hurt anymore, she was totally trying to get after hubby tonight (he was aggravating her, she wasn't randomly being a brat). She obviously tries to rub them off on the poles in the barn, because they are brown rub marks on them.

Hey now, her Kongs are gorgeous! You can't tell in the pic, but they're a swirled blue, very pretty I wanted the swirled pink ones, but the line at Jeffers was too long and I didn't feel like waiting for them to get them from the back. It's only been 24 hours, but so far the glue is holding well. I used Gorilla Super Glue, and it was dry in less than 30 seconds. Even if I have to put them back on every other day, it'll be worth it.

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OK the kongs do look like a good solve for the points. But, My experience with a horned cow had to do with the whole horn. And I believe she knew what she was doing. I scratched her on her head and she turned her head and horns in such a way that had i not been paying close attention, she would have broken my arm.
If "I" could not find polled, I would disbud, or have the vet dehorn. JMHO.

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My girl knows what she is doing too, she very purposefully tries to get you with them when she is aggravated. (It isn't random, it's when we are in her space, she hasn't tried to charge us or anything, we're usually trying to scratch her nose/head when she does it) That's why I wanted the Kongs on ASAP, because the first time I was moving my arm away when she was trying to get me to leave her be and drug it across her horn. The second time she got me, she was trying to, and I have a nice bruise from elbow to wrist on the inside of my arm. I managed to get my arm moved in time to avoid the horn impaling my hand. Anyway, after those two incidents, I decided come hell or high water, the Kongs were going on the next day. Today we got the harness and lead rope on her, too.

ETA: We will disbud the calves and once she has her calf, we will be banding her horns off. I don't have a problem with horned in general, but my critters won't have them, goats or cows.

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We have been injured by horned cattle, just becaue we got between them and the feed. I won't have horns on them, at all. I use a polled bull, and only keep back polled heifers. they are still Dexters, still milk and get beef, I just don't have to deal with horns. Did you check the website I gave you, with the corrected address (thank you, Boldviolet) You will just have to keep looking, there are very reasonablely priced animals out there.
P.J.

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given the oppurtunity, a cow will always take the wrong gate...Baxter Black
www.newdaydexters.com
Irish Dexter Cattle for sale..............

Cattle are prey animals. They have adapted by having their eyes set on the sides of their head so they can see what's coming up behind them. That leaves them with a blind spot from between their eyes to their nose.

If you try to pet a cow on her face, your hand will disappear to her. She will react by quickly turning her head to bring your hand back into view. If she has horns, this will make her horns swing sideways.

If you get hurt by a horn from trying to pet a cow on the face, it's not the cow's fault. It's her nature.

The Zebu bull at the petting zoo likes to catch your hand between his horn and the top rail of the pen.............

Hurts!

Not going to have horns on me cows or goats.

Ever!

Am really enjoying the thread, getting lots of good info and ideas

We haven't had any injuries from our Dexter's horns. Occasionally she'll go into a "defensive" position with her horns, for lack of a better term, but I've never felt too threatened by it, so I just brush her aside. I like the looks of the horns, but sometimes I wonder if I'm playing with fire by keeping them. Certainly understandable why some folks go polled.

Perhaps if I had years of experience with cattle under my belt, I'd feel more comfortable with them. unfortunately, our girl is pretty much the first time anyone in the family has been around cattle, and I have some kids that are really prone to idiot moments (we won't even talk about the husband...), so for us, it is better that we not have horns to deal with. (Yes, I'm well aware there are other ways cattle can hurt a person, but the horns are what worry me the most)

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