 |
05/23/06, 11:18 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Spruce Grove, Alberta
Posts: 445
|
|
|
Thinking Dexter - new to cattle?
We have the opportunity to trade some pork for a young heifer calf. We would like to raise our own beef and milk products. The Dexters seem perfect due to their small size. Anybody out there with some real Dexter experience that can speak to their good and bad traits. Any other tips for a cow newbee? Thanks
|
05/23/06, 12:35 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: wisconsin
Posts: 4,293
|
|
|
dexters are great. ill get the site for you
__________________
I'm so done here.
|
05/23/06, 12:36 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: wisconsin
Posts: 4,293
|
|
|
__________________
I'm so done here.
|
05/23/06, 04:06 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Spruce Grove, Alberta
Posts: 445
|
|
|
Well thanks...that's enough info to keep me goin for quite some time!
|
05/23/06, 11:00 PM
|
 |
KS dairy farmers
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: KS
Posts: 3,841
|
|
|
John with your skills concerning fencing, rotational grazing, and feeding, I expect the Venture will go splendidly for you.
|
05/24/06, 08:33 AM
|
|
Banned
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: TN
Posts: 1,104
|
|
|
John, we have a Dexter herd. Some of the great things about them off the top of my head - Good temperament (I've never been afraid of any of our bulls) easy to keep fenced, great meat, keep weight on easily (great carcass on grass only) best milk we've ever had (milked Jerseys previously.)
Our cows are in a free-ranging herd situation on a couple hundred acres right now. We've taught them to eat alfalfa cubes, and we walk amongst them and hand feed them once in awhile just to keep their attention. They're really greedy and easy to tame with food. My sister taught a 7 yr old cow who had never been handled to milk easily. The cow loves alfalfa cubes so much she stands still for milking as long as there're cubes in front of her. She won't be haltered or led by a rope but she'd follow you to the moon for some feed, even walks up on the trailer for it. In fact we need to go get her in the next couple days to bring her back to sis's house, she just had a calf last week.
Anything else you'd like to know?
|
05/24/06, 12:54 PM
|
 |
Banned
|
|
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ouachitas, AR
Posts: 6,049
|
|
I agree with Paula, they really are all around great cows and probably the perfect starter cow.  Good luck with yours!
|
05/25/06, 04:09 AM
|
|
garden guy
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: AR (ozarks)
Posts: 3,516
|
|
|
I plan on getting a bull and heifer Dexter when I get back from Kosovo. I know foxfire farm in Fayetteville an hour from me has plenty though they are a bit expensive $500 for a 2 month old cow.
__________________
marching to the beat of a different drummer
|
05/25/06, 04:42 AM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Illinois
Posts: 1,537
|
|
|
I want to be reincarnated as a Dexter cow! I think being milked might be fun!
...well, ok, that might be too far. But I do like my little Dexter
__________________
A good dog may be hard to find, ...but a hard dog usually means it's been dead for a while
|
05/25/06, 06:03 AM
|
|
garden guy
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: AR (ozarks)
Posts: 3,516
|
|
|
I dunno Slev DW complained about it especially after the kids started getting teeth.
__________________
marching to the beat of a different drummer
|
05/25/06, 08:44 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: wisconsin
Posts: 4,293
|
|
|
the 500 per baby cow seem normal to me. A fresh new baby here costs 600.
__________________
I'm so done here.
|
05/25/06, 08:58 AM
|
|
Banned
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: TN
Posts: 1,104
|
|
|
$800 - $1000 is the average price for a weaned Dexter heifer. I wouldn't want them at 8 weeks old though, I'd rather they stay on their mom till at least 4 months.
|
05/25/06, 09:01 AM
|
|
Banned
|
|
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ouachitas, AR
Posts: 6,049
|
|
That's a really good price for a registered Dexter heifer with good bloodlines. bull calves are usually around $500-600 but I've seen heifers at $1000-$1200.
The one thing you need to look out for is the genetis since there is a problem with the dwarf gene if you get the wrong bull/cow combo. They are working at culling it out of the genetics though. Be sure adn talk it over with the breeder you buy from!
|
05/25/06, 11:15 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,040
|
|
How much would it cost (on average) for AI if you didn't want to keep a bull?
|
05/25/06, 02:08 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Rockwood, Pa.
Posts: 43
|
|
|
We love our dexters. Paid AI Tech $8 for service and $20 per straw for seamen. Moma cow just calved within the hour!
|
05/25/06, 03:10 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Missouri Ozarks
Posts: 63
|
|
We love our Dexter's . I run them in a hot wire with our goats . You can take a look at them here Sugar mountain dexter's
There is also some links and other info there .
|
06/01/06, 08:12 AM
|
 |
Max
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Near Traverse City Michigan
Posts: 6,560
|
|
|
any dexters in Michigan? Im thinking about a family milk cow. I really dont need the production that a holstein will give.
|
06/02/06, 03:29 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Spruce Grove, Alberta
Posts: 445
|
|
|
Well thanks for all the advice and comments. I have traded some pork meat for a heifer calf. I am going to pick her up this weekend and we'll see how it goes. She is going to half to hang out with the llamas until I can get a few more cows! By the sounds of it, that should work out fine.
|
| Thread Tools |
|
|
| Rate This Thread |
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:15 PM.
|
|
