I think this will be my new Dexter heifer

BarbadosSheep · #1 03/06/12, 07:58 AM

The breeder just sent me a few pics. I think I like this little heifer a lot. She was born 9/7/11, not sure how old she is in this pic. That's her mom behind her. Good choice?

I think this will be my new Dexter heifer - Cattle

I think this will be my new Dexter heifer - Cattle

goodhors · #2 03/06/12, 10:28 AM

She is an odd color in the photo. Could just be the photo. The only registered Dexter colors are Dun, Red and Black. She appears pretty brown, not a dun. Photo is a bit small to pick details out.

Does the mother cow have a good udder, up high? One Dexter, 36" cow I looked at had a beautiful udder, looked like a 2yr old cow would have with a calf. That cow was 14, had raised a calf every year. So pretty good quality there.

BarbadosSheep · #3 03/06/12, 10:34 AM

She's dun. She looks more red to me though. Her sire is red and dam is black, both are registered. The breeder is sending off the DNA, chondro and pha this weekend so we will know for sure which one of the bulls is her father. I have not seen the mother...I sent the breeder an email asking about the udder though because the udder is everything. I do intend to milk her once she's old enough to breed.

farmgirl6 · #4 03/06/12, 11:28 AM

cute!

G. Seddon · #5 03/06/12, 01:22 PM

The registry requires a color test to register an animal as dun if the parents are not dun. You may get away with testing just for red. The last time I did this, I tested the calf for dun and results were inconclusive, so I had to send in additional hair (and money) to test for red. Results were dun, carries red.

I have one very similar in color to the one you're getting; I'm waiting on the color results so I can register her:

I think this will be my new Dexter heifer - Cattle

BarbadosSheep · #6 03/06/12, 02:17 PM

Thank you.....that is very good to know. I'll make sure she asks for a color test when she tests for parentage and the other things. There is a dun bull in her pasture that possibly sired this heifer...the DNA test will tell the whole story.

Sherry in Iowa · #7 03/06/12, 05:23 PM

She sure looks dun to me and what a little cutie!

goodhors · #8 03/07/12, 04:01 PM

Sorry, the duns I have seen are the same color as Werther's candy! Kind of a taupe color, not even close to brownish. Guess the testing will tell for sure on the color. It is always nice to have all the information so you can make choices when you decide to breed her later. Lots of AI bulls in the Dexter Assoc. magazine that comes out quarterly.

copperhead46 · #9 03/07/12, 07:45 PM

I have duns that range from light tan to dark almost auburn red, I have one now that is almost a chocolate, there is a lot of variance in the dun.
I would like to say that I would be a little leary if the cow was running with two bulls, and the owner doesn't know which bull is the sire.

goodhors · #10 03/07/12, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by copperhead46

I have duns that range from light tan to dark almost auburn red, I have one now that is almost a chocolate, there is a lot of variance in the dun.

That is interesting to hear. All the duns I have seen were not the least brown or reddish! Thanks for expanding my knowledge.

BarbadosSheep · #11 03/08/12, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by copperhead46

I have duns that range from light tan to dark almost auburn red, I have one now that is almost a chocolate, there is a lot of variance in the dun.
I would like to say that I would be a little leary if the cow was running with two bulls, and the owner doesn't know which bull is the sire.

That's why the DNA testing is being done. It's required for registration anyway, so running the cows with two bulls is not an issue.

G. Seddon · #12 03/08/12, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarbadosSheep

That's why the DNA testing is being done. It's required for registration anyway, so running the cows with two bulls is not an issue.

....unless the bulls are closely related, which I think can complicate the determination.

I should have specified in my earlier post that registration of a dun calf from non-dun parents referred to the ADCA registration requirements. Which registry are you speaking of?

AverageJo · #13 03/08/12, 09:17 AM

Don't know anything about the Dexters as DH and I chose Jerseys. Didn't realize that you had to DNA test them for color classification. Learned something new today. Thanks!

G. Seddon · #14 03/08/12, 01:56 PM

Avergejo, you don't always have to test them for color; it depends on the situation. I had a previous situation where the calf's sire was black and the dam was red; then I have the current situation where the sire and dam are black (so both must carry a hidden dun gene). Here's some info about it if you're interested:

http://www.dextercattle.org/gencolorinfo.htm

Personally, I think it's more important to test for PHA, and certainly for parentage if there's a concern about that issue.

BarbadosSheep · #15 03/08/12, 01:59 PM

I probably won't bother testing for color, unless I decide to test for A2. Then I'll get the tests done at the same time. Parentage, pha and Chondro is going to be done by the breeder. They will be registered through Legacy.