Quite the Dexter bull!

[DJ in WA]

Saw this elsewhere posted by a guy from Australia. I haven't liked most Dexter bulls, but this guy is something.

http://www.dexterbeef.com.au/semen-shares-for-sale.html

[gone-a-milkin]

Well, he is looong.
They say he improves legs and feet but you cannot see his hooves in the pic.
If he ws born in '06 then he is quite mature, obviously.



What is it exactly that you like about him, DJ?
To me he seems rather fat and the tail set is high.
He looks really Angusy, actually.

I am just curious what it is you like so much.
I guess he is balanced looking, like his weight is spread around and not all on his shoulders.

Please share your perspective. I am trying to learn!

[lakeportfarms]

Due to the scarcity of "pure" Dexters in Australia over the years and the difficulty of getting new genetics into the breed, I believe that the association has allowed "upgrading" of the breed, which may in fact mean Angus. The fact that this bull is polled and likely not a descendant of Godstone Esmeralda (who's pedigree is also questioned by some) is due to recent introduction of polled genetics.

He is a nice bull, but really not very representative of the more "traditional" Dexter bulls that are available here in the U.S. Dexters have a unique place in the bovine world, and the push to "improve" them to have phenotypes more typical of the Angus breed is not an improvement, IMHO. If you are looking for Angus, buy an Angus. Don't try to make the Dexter into an Angus.

[genebo]

Very well said!

[Gabriel]

What advantages does the Dexter phenotype have over the Angus phenotype? Serious question, not trying to pick a fight.

[dlskidmore]

Originally Posted by Gabriel

What advantages does the Dexter phenotype have over the Angus phenotype? Serious question, not trying to pick a fight.

The dexter has been bred as dual purpose so it has good flavored milk that separates less than the high cream varieties. Some people also claim Dexter meat tastes superior.

[DJ in WA]

I guess I just liked him because he has meat on him and is deep chested and looks like a bull. He is not fat.

Maybe Dexter breeders don't want meat, I don't know. The Dexter cow I had produced little meat or milk. Seems like it would be nice to get one or the other.

Compare him to this other Dexter bull.

[gone-a-milkin]

Okay he isnt fat, but he is very mature and a completely different type of animal from the 2nd bull.

My personal experience has been that 'dual purpose' breeds are never very efficient at either of their purposes-
not when compared to animals bred for fewer purposes.


There is still value in maintaining those older genetics though.
And the hobbyist/homesteader/smaller operations are a great venue for keeping that connection to history.

There is something for everyone.

[goodhors]

Wow DJ, guess you need to look at a wider bunch of bulls in the Dexter breed! Just looking at the available AI bulls on the American Dexter Cattle Assoc., there is a LOT of much better quality than the two bulls pictured. That second bull you showed should have been turned into hamburger quite a while ago, instead of wasting your cow's time carrying his calves. YUCK! Maybe he is an old bull, not of modern breeding to be a better specimen. I don't like his frame, though his weight issue could be the ground he is kept on that makes him travel to get enough to eat. I also think your first bull is overweight, needs to be trimmer to travel well getting his cows bred on big acrage fields. Of course his weight COULD be part of his "easy keeping" ability to utilize his feed very well! Ha Ha

With AI so available, there is no reason to use poorly built bulls! On the Dexter Breed Association site,
there is a whole list of AI bulls available with photos:

http://www.dextercattle.org/adca/adca_ai_bulls.html

My favorite of the AI bulls is Wieringa's Ned EJ
ADCA# 13701, whom I have met in person. He is a lovely example of
a GREAT Dexter bull, throws wonderful calves and his youngsters are
also animals of extremely good quality. His advertisement is about
2/3 of the way down. Not sure it is up to date, I am sure he has a lot
more than 29 calves on the ground by now. His lovely heifers are quite feminine,
while the bulls are very masculine, both in correct bodies. Mrs. Wieringa
was very proud of some of their older cows, with LOVELY udders even after
10 or more calves. No sagging at all, up close to her belly, with a fine looking
calf on her side. So stock from there has that good udder feature in the
background as well. I met Ned about 4 yrs ago, and they had at least 20 cows
out in his herd then, all bred to him.

Spruce Grove Farms, owned by John Potter, produces a lot of polled bulls, various colors. Though most of what he has standing is young stock, so the photos are not of mature animals. Had quite a variety of breeding lines, with pretty reasonable prices for AI straws so you will use his bulls.

You need to look at more good photos of good bulls, to train your eyes for seeing the "Dexter" look in the cattle. Breeds should look like themselves, not other breeds. The breed style was made for certain desirable features and those special features should be maintained as time passes.

[dbarjacres]

DJ I love that bull! Wish I could get semen from him for next year.

Being new in Dexters, what I've seen and experienced from a potential buyer is a HUGE amount of hostility for people that want the IMHO better looking Dexter that is truly more dual purpose. I've seen many of the old type Dexter, that I honestly think the people look at the pedigree and say "oooh, look, we have a legacy Dexter" and forget about udder attachment, 5 extra teats (saw that in person!) on the udder, legs, topline, etc. I personally like my cows to look more correct, even if the other breeders say I have pedigreed mutts.

[Gabriel]

So really my question should be: what's the difference between milking and beef phenotypes? Beyond the udder, obviously.

[MO_cows]

Oh, my, that 2nd bull pictured should have been a steer!

The bull DJ posted looks like a well proportioned, well built small bull but he doesn't look like a Dexter. Looks like a Red Angus head/face. Go look at some red Lowline pictures, that's his type. Nothing wrong with a well blended composite but does he breed true? That's the risk of a composite, he might not pass along his own type to his offspring.

[genebo]

Due to problems importing outside stock, there have not been many, if any, true Dexters available in Australia. The result is the composite animals like you see.

Angus are often used for their polled trait, and the Aussie bull is an excellent example of Angus genetics.

Mo cows nailed it.

[TraciInTexas]

I've a friend in Missouri who has lovely Dexters...

[dlskidmore]

Originally Posted by Gabriel

So really my question should be: what's the difference between milking and beef phenotypes? Beyond the udder, obviously.

For one thing, beef breeds should gain weight quickly, while a diary bred should be "thrifty" and save her calories for milk.