Feedback on this Dexter

Creamers · #1 04/05/11, 12:07 AM

She is not registered - she is bred to Dexter - due to calve in June. Obviously a short legged. . . 7 years old. Has been milked - doesn't mix well with other cows without horns in a barn setting. . . very dominant cow.

Is the short legged part going to be a problem if she is bred to another short legged? I haven't found out if she was bred to a short or long legged yet.

What would be a good price for her?
Her grand dam and I guess her grandsire were A2/A2 - I have no idea what bearing that would have on her

genebo · #2 04/05/11, 07:16 AM

Dominance doesn't reside completely in the horns. I had one polled cow in a herd of horned cows. Guess who was the dominant one? Yep!

Will she be in a barn situation with other cows? Is she mean or just dominant? Are you uncomfortable around her?

If she's bred to another short legged, you may have a problem. In 25% of such matings, either the cow will abort early (not likely now) or the calf will be born dead. The other 75% of pregnancies will be OK.

It's best not to breed two short leggeds together.

If you find out she was bred to a short legged, you could have her lutalysed and start over, but it's a little late for that.

I love the short legged Dexters. I wish I could have a bunch of short legged cows, but I have a short legged bull that I love, so I keep long legged cows, so I won't be breeding two shorties together.

If both her grand dam and grad sire were A2/A2, it means that her parent that came from them was also A2/A2 and therefore that parent gave her one A2 gene. You won't know whether her other parent gave her an A2 gene unless you have her tested. So she could be A2/A2 or A2/A1, but not A1/A1.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

linn · #3 04/05/11, 08:01 AM

We have two Dexters with horns and one heifer that is polled. The two horned Dexters are the bosses of the herd and they know it. We have larger beef cows and a couple of Jerseys at this farm also. We have been tempted to dehorn the Dexters because of it, but the time never seems right. As far as breeding is concerned, you can breed the cow to a Non-Carrier of Chondrodysplasia. If she is already bred, I would probably take my chances.

jneail · #4 04/05/11, 08:33 AM

I'm pretty sure this is the same cow that's listed over at the Keeping a Family Cow forum. Some questions have been asked about her there, but no answers yet...
http://familycow.proboards.com/index...y&thread=41692

Carol K · #5 04/05/11, 06:59 PM

She has nice long teats if you wanted to milk her, she looks somewhat beefy if you wanted to butcher her.
She has big horns and they could be an issue for you, but you don't say what you want her for? The horns may not be an issue with people, she just may use them on her herd mates.
Yes you could have an issue with her calf, due to her being a Chondro carrier, and being bred to a Chondro carrier.
Price, well what do you want to do with her? She's at least worth meat prices, whatever they are now. If you paid 600 for her would she be worth it to you? I'd say about 600 +.
Of course if you can't get within 50 feet of her, she's not worth 600, well not to me.

Carol K

Creamers · #6 04/07/11, 08:34 PM

Yes, she is on Family Cow's board and I've asked questions on there and via email - but she already has a sale pending now.