Dexters - good, bad, or indifferent

oakspring · #1 01/18/08, 10:36 AM

We have a small place and have been thinking about raising some beef and looking around it seems like a Dexter would fit the bill. Has anyone here had any experience with this breed? Good - Bad - or - Indifferent?

ebook · #2 01/18/08, 10:45 AM

Well ... I have 13 Dexters at the moment (9 cows/heifers and 4 bull calves) so I am pretty biased. What size is your pace exactly? My experience has been that the do very well on forages as I have seen on our farm and at other Dexter owners. I have not had a chance to eat one of my own steers, but have had Dexter beef from others and I found it very flavorful. Also, they are generally a very docile breed. Just yesterday I had a bull calf eating out of my hand that had never been handled before!

So, I say good! You can check out my blog for some pictures of the herd and be sure to check out www.dextercattle.org if you are looking for breeders in your area (I really suggest you talk with someone in person and see them in the flesh). Also, there are plenty of Dexter owners here so I'm sure you will hear more ... One more thing, how big is your family? Are you looking to raise beef for just yourself or for direct marketing?

oakspring · #3 01/18/08, 12:21 PM

REALLY DINKY...just under two acres and considered "horse property" but we're looking hard for a much larger place in the foothills near us (too many yuppies moving into the area). A good friend has 35-40 acres nearby and is willing to pasture some "meat on the hoof" for us until we get a larger place. Our family is trimming down in numbers as the kids all fly the coop. We're down to our last young-in (10y/o) and she's interested in joining 4H but we're going to start her off slow, chickens, maybe goats which we can house at our place. With all the garbage going on in the commercial food chain there are several of my friends that are very interested in raising our own and Dexter's looked like a good way to go. I personally wouldn't mind a small (4-6 head) herd on our next place. I've raised chickens, ducks, geese, and hogs, but never cattle. I like the smaller size and the more appropriate amount of meat for a small family (I'm a big meat eater!) and the docile nature.

linn · #4 01/18/08, 12:28 PM

For more information on Dexters try this forum:

http://dextercattle.proboards84.com/index.cgi

OregonGuys · #5 01/18/08, 01:59 PM

The best decision we ever made on our farm was to get Dexters. We're surprised at how easy they are to raise and how much fun it is to keep a complete herd including bulls. The very cool thing about these animals is how intelligent and personable they are. Each one has a very different personality from the next. We have 25, soon to be 38 and never really think of them as a herd because they all have very distinct personalities.

Unlike many other breeds, the Dexter bulls are very easy to manage and it's practical to keep them in a low-tech and self-sustaining way - No need for bull-pens, or liquid nitrogen, or AI technicians. Dexter bulls can be very friendly. Because ours are so friendly, I have to keep reminding myself to not completely trust them due to stories I've heard about bulls in other breeds - even though I do trust ours. All of our cows are friendly too and even moms at calving are reasonably trustworthy even as we tag and weigh newborns (some other breeds will kill you at at calving).

Another practicality is that since the Dexter bulls are half the size of large-breed bulls, they are economical to keep. At half the feed (and half the maintenance cost), a Dexter bull provides just as much breeding capability as a large-breed bull. Also, with Dexters, you can keep a steady supply of beef and milk (if you want to milk). This is because on the same piece of land, you can have more Dexters (because they are compact). At slaughter time you will have the perfect amount of meat and when that's gone you'll be ready for another. With the larger breeds, you will have fewer cattle and at slaughter time you'll have too much beef and because you'll have fewer head of cattle, it will be a long while before your next animal is ready for slaughter. One more advantage is that it is half as hard (for do-it-yourselfers) to slaughter, cut, and wrap a Dexter as it is to process a larger breed. Once you've had Dexter beef, you'll be spoiled. The flavor and texture is amazing.

Dexters are incredibly easy on fences and pastures as compared to the larger breeds and are very hardy. Ours are incredibly healthy all of the time and amazingly injury free. Calving is uneventful. One more nice thing about Dexters is that if you love horns, beautifully horned Dexters are available but if you're intimidated by horns then very nice polled Dexters are available (naturally hornless). You also have three major color choices - black, red, or dun (brown).

Hope this helps,

Kirk

http://www.cascademeadowsfarm.com

francismilker · #6 01/18/08, 02:07 PM

The only thing I would say about them is shear spectulation as I've never owned one. I think they would be great for the hobby farmer or homesteader for meat and milk purposes. However, if you didn't have a market in your area for exotics or specialty breeds, you'd take a beatin on one of them if you had to run them through the regular beef livestock auction as they'd be smaller and beef sales by weight.

OregonGuys · #7 01/18/08, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by francismilker

The only thing I would say about them is shear spectulation as I've never owned one. I think they would be great for the hobby farmer or homesteader for meat and milk purposes. However, if you didn't have a market in your area for exotics or specialty breeds, you'd take a beatin on one of them if you had to run them through the regular beef livestock auction as they'd be smaller and beef sales by weight.

I agree, it would be a terrible waste to send these premium animals with premium gourmet beef through the commercial meat process at commercial grade prices. It would be like raising premium pasture-raised roasting chickens and then selling them for 20 cents a pound to a soup company for chicken noodle soup. With the right marketing, and in the right market, you can get premium prices for pasture-raised, grass fed beef if you want to raise more than just enough for family and friends.

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ebook · #8 01/18/08, 03:56 PM

I think you have received some good advice. I would say that depending on how your 2 acres are set up that it is possible to keep a couple on your place letting them graze a little bit and buying in most of your feed (hay or whatever you would like).

Just go for it!

Timberline · #9 01/18/08, 06:51 PM

We've raised Dexters since 1999 and no regrets. We milk and put a beef in the freezer every year. Wonderful breed for small acreages.

Ralph in N.E.Oh · #10 01/18/08, 09:02 PM

Ditto .. We really like our Dexters!

DJ in WA · #11 01/18/08, 10:40 PM

If beef is all you want, there are other options. I had a Dexter cow and her steer calf wasn't very beefy. I now have mostly lowline angus heifers who are much thicker than he was. Just depends on the line of Dexters. Some are better for meat, some are better for milk, some for neither.

There are other miniature breeds - hereford, lowline angus, etc. Sometimes they are pricey, so you can get crossbreeds to get into them cheaper, then use AI to breed up.

Sher · #12 01/18/08, 11:33 PM

LOL..we would have to say those little Dexter critters are great! Just look around on people's websites at pics and read up on them. Then you will be able to pick the "model" of Dexter that best fits you.

Tiffin · #13 01/19/08, 03:19 PM

I agree with everyone else's responses regarding Dexters. I have 6 registered, a steer and 3 crosses. We are hoping for 5 calves this spring. The Dexters are a delight. My DH calls them designer cows. They would not do well at auction. I will be looking for buyers to make a few "bucks" once the calves are born but actually I will hate to part with any of them. We sent one steer so far and so good. In fact, we have people who have tried the meat and come back for more. I won't be milking them; too much trouble for me. We do AI as I am not comfortable with a bull but maybe someday I'll even try that route. Good luck.

ginny63 · #14 01/19/08, 06:36 PM

We also have Dexters. #50 yesterday, new heifer. 9 new on the ground. We got them because of their size. My husband is 80 yrs old and we needed something we could handle. They have the best temperment. But the best thing about them is their meat. It is the best beef I have ever eaten. The only thing, once you have them, you don't want to sell them, just keep all of them. My husband keeps asking, "What are you going to do with all those cows?"

Donna from Mo · #15 01/19/08, 07:50 PM

We bought a Dexter bull (and made him into a steer) just so my Jersey heifer would have a bovine companion. What I've noticed is that the Dexter steer is about twice as intelligent as the Jersey. And I LOVE my Jersey!

Even my husband, who isn't a Dexter fan at all, admits that the Dexter is smart.

genebo · #16 01/19/08, 08:47 PM

My Dexter bull, Brenn, is such a gentleman. He calmly stands and waits while I fill the water tub. He will stand for minutes on end waiting for me to put hay in the hay rick. I love feeding him a slice of bread and watch it disappear like a dollar bill in a Coke machine.

He's cool.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

whinnyninny · #17 01/20/08, 09:27 AM

Can you breed a Dexter cow to a miniature Hereford bull to get a meat-quality calf?

GANGGREEN · #18 01/20/08, 10:20 AM

Hey Tiffin, I'm not sure if there's a private message function on the board or not but I'm curious about your calves that you may sell in the spring. Would you call these "beef type" Dexters or more of a milking type? I realize that they're dual breed animals of course.

I'm also curious if you'll be selling all of them regardless of sex or if you'll be keeping heifers, etc.. Also, I'd be interested in what you think you may ask for them. I live in north central PA and might want a few for myself and I have a brother just south of Syracuse that may be looking for some animals as well. You could email me at ragosta@frontiernet.net if you'd rather not answer on the board. Thank you.

genebo · #19 01/20/08, 11:26 AM

whinnyninny,

You can cross-breed a Dexter cow to a mini Hereford bull, but I doubt that it would improve the quality of the beef. Dexter beef wins awards for it's taste already. In England, a TV network ran a contest involving top chefs cooking different kinds of beef. Dexter beef won, Angus beef was second and Kobe beef was third.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

oakspring · #20 01/24/08, 02:32 PM

Some great responses - THANKS. I've been thinking about Dexters from some time now. I like the idea of the mild temperament because I'd like my daughter (10y/o) to get into 4H and my wife is a city girl. The idea of the "right amount of meat" is also valuable to us and the ability to start on our place right now.

QUESTION: How well to they handle weather extremes? I'm in Southern Colorado along the Front Range and it can get down right hot during the summer here 110+, not to mention the winters can get pretty cool as well, especially with the wind chill.

What are we talking about in feed per month per head? Bales, grain, etc? I figure it would be best to start off with at least a pair. Do they mix will with goats? I'd like to start off with a couple of calves and learn as they grow.

Again thanks...guess I've got to get the back fencing finished off.