Dexture cow1/10/2024 They are most commonly used for both dairy and beef. Calf sharing is a wonderful way of keeping the cow and her calf together but still being able to utilize the cow as a dairy cow.ĭexters are one of the last surviving tri-purpose cattle breeds in the world. This leaves plenty of milk for the growing calf yet the farmer still gets a great return for his or her family. In the morning, the cow is milked partially out then the calf and the cow are reunited the rest of the day. The cow and the calf can still be near each other but the calf cannot nurse over night. Calf sharing is when the cow and her calf are separated during the night usually by a fence line. Calf sharing is a common practice amongst Dexter owners. This amount is perfect for people that are just wanting fresh milk for their family or don’t want the commitment of milking a cow everyday. A well bred mature Dexter cow can produce on average 1-2 gallons of milk a day all while still feeding her calf. If you are wanting a family milk cow a Dexter is a great option. Although controversial, many people that claim to have been diagnosed with lactose intolerance say they have no problems with dairy products from Dexter cows. The high butterfat ratio of their milk makes for wonderful gourmet cheese. The milk from Dexter cows is notably rich and creamy with high butterfat content. Dexter beef recently received a lot of well deserved publicity and recognition by winning the top steak competition in the US, The American Royal! The Dexter steaks were the only Dexter beef submitted into the grass-fed category and they beat out all the other competition from Angus, Angus cross, Jersey, Murray Grey, Beefalo and even the Wagyu steaks submitted. It does not have that grassy or gamey taste that most people associate with grass-finished. It is well marbled, tender and full of flavor. Grass-fed, grass-finished Dexter beef is nothing like the typical grass-finished beef found in the supermarket. We have mostly horned genetics in our herd although some were disbudded early on.ĭexter beef is highly sought after by many artisan chefs and butchers all over the world. Some breeders elect to have their horned cattle disbudded at a young age so their horns will not grow but their offspring can still have the horned genes. In recent years, polled genes were introduced to the pool and now you can get them in horned or polled (naturally no horns). The original Dexters boasted beautiful horns that are an off-white color with black tips. Excessive amounts of white is discouraged but small amounts are permitted and normal behind the umbilicus or on the udder area. Black is the most common while red is the least. Dexters are very efficient grazers and not nearly as hard on the land and infrastructure as the massive, industrial sized modern breeds of today.ĭexter cattle can come in three colors, Black, Dun and Red. Our Dexter cattle are not fed any grain or commercially produced feeds. They fatten extremely well on good pasture alone and have extremely low birthing difficulties. Due to their size and thriftiness they are highly sought after by many small land holders and homesteaders but they also make sense for larger farms and ranches too. Between 1905-1915, the first recorded Dexter cattle were imported into the United States but by the late 1960’s, the breed was in serious decline and considered rare and endangered with very few small purebred herds left in the world.ĭexters are a small to mid-sized breed of cattle but they are not considered “miniatures” like many people claim. This early adaption to this less than ideal environment is what developed their reputation for being the hardy, easy keepers that many know and love today. The living conditions were harsh, rugged and unforgiving with sparse forage. The original Irish Dexter Cattle hail from the mountainous region of Kerry located in Southwestern Ireland.
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