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10/28/08, 11:24 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 600
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Not registered Dexter heifers
I have been offered three non-registered purebreed Dexter heifers for about $200 each. They were born 12/07, 1/08 and 3/08. The current owner is attempting to train them to halters right now. In a few weeks they will be "ready" for us. They have been de-horned.
My wife and I are just starting to build a small herd of Dexters, maybe 6 to 8 cows in the long term. We plan to raise the calves for meat and sell some heifers. We would prefer to raise polled cattle so no need to dehorn. The three above are not from a polled herd.
Questions:
Should we pass on this offer and spend our money only on registered polled Dexters?
Is there a market for non-registered purebreed Dexters?
At what age can I breed these heifers?
I figure at the asking price, I could always just fatten these girls up and then sell them as meat. We have the feed.
What are your thoughts?
Last edited by FreeRanger; 10/28/08 at 11:59 AM.
Reason: added polled information
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10/28/08, 12:26 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Posts: 5,492
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They can be bred at 15-18 months of age, depending of course on their development. If they turn out to be decent milkers you could probably sell them even unregistered without much trouble at all. In my neck of the woods decent family milk cows on Craigslist are usually sold with 48 hours.
If you use a homozygous polled bull on them, your should get polled calves, and really it isn't that hard to dehorn if you do it when they are little.
__________________
Wags Ranch Nigerians
"The Constitution says to promote the general welfare, not to provide welfare!" ~ Lt. Col Allen West
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10/28/08, 01:04 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,441
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I would love to have a chance at those heifers at that price. Registered does not always equal quality. My little cows are purebred Dexters without papers because the lady didn't keep up the registration. I am AIing them to quality Dexter bulls, so even if my Dexters aren't registered they will be out of good stock.
If you are going in for show stock and a pedigree, then raise them and sell them as family cows, if you can bear to let go of them. I warn you, Dexters grab hold of your heart in a way no other breed does.
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10/28/08, 01:38 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: SE Texas
Posts: 155
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Man, if I were closer!! I can't give you advice, but for me, that would be PERFECT!
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Year 2 of Homesteading. 9 Longhorn/Corrientes, 7 hens, 30 chicks, 3 meat rabbits, 2 horses, 1 mini, 1 English Shepherd and 2 barn cats.
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10/28/08, 01:38 PM
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Metal melter
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Jeromesville, Ohio (northcentral)
Posts: 7,152
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I would most certainly buy them, but I'm just getting started and don't know anything. I'm afraid I won't be able to find unregistered Dexters and will have to pay big bucks, when all I want to do is eat 'em.
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10/28/08, 02:42 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: wisconsin
Posts: 4,293
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If you dont want them let me know. I want them. Im in west central wi.
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I'm so done here.
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10/28/08, 03:01 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: WI-extreme NW
Posts: 732
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i would buy them if your not looking for show stock ( papers ). I know i'd surely be interested in at least one of them for that price :+) shoot, if you pass on them and they are in NW WI let me know - DH would love that - hehe.
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10/28/08, 08:37 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 600
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Well, I think if I can sell some more horse hay in the next few weeks I will have enough money to buy them. I called a guy with 5 registered Dexter heifers in Northern IL today. He wants $1,000 each for 1 year old horned heifers. He does have one black polled heifer that I will just have to dream about.
Anyway, given everyone's response, I will try to buy all three since I have the feed in the barn and on the ground.
Thanks for the quick answers. I will let you know in a few weeks if the deal go thru.
Stay Free
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10/28/08, 08:46 PM
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Cedar Cove Farm
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: MO
Posts: 1,706
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Honestly, this is our goal. To provide un-registered animals to small homesteaders who can't afford nor want to pay for the pedigree. I think there is a market for that, and I would buy them if they were closer.
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"Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens. Let us not forget the religious character of our origin."- Daniel Webster(1782-1852) 
Cedar Cove Farm
Cedar Cove Farm On Etsy
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10/29/08, 06:36 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: VA
Posts: 1,554
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FreeRanger,
You are presented with the evidence that unregistered stock sells for less than registered stock. You can get them cheaper, but they bring less when you sell them, also.
If you're buying them for meat, then this is a great deal. Those prices are about the lowest I've ever heard.
Near me in central Virginia is a herd of five Dexter/Shorthorn crosses: a tiny pet bull, a milk cow, a young cow and two weanling bull calves for $2200. If registerable, they would sell for double that.
Genebo
Paradise Farm
Dinwiddie County, VA
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10/30/08, 09:48 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Missouri
Posts: 295
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Gene,
I was reading in an OLD book on google books about Dexters and it talked about Shorthorn / Dexters being a great beef cross that was used in Ireland. It said that a number of farms bred this cross to sell to butchers. I think this book was from about 1911 or so.
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10/30/08, 09:45 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: VA
Posts: 1,554
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Very interesting. Could you direct me to the book?
Genebo
Paradise Farm
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