Short necks - necks

harrypage · Post by **harrypage** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 3:25 pm

We have a Dexter heifer calf born 4th July 2004 which seems to have a very short neck. Does this preclude her as a breeding heifer? Is she more likely to throw a buldog nose calf?
She is very cuddly and it would be a shame to send her to the butcher!!

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 4:00 pm

Hello Harry,

A difficult question to answer without seeing her. If she is just a short legged dexter with a particulrly chunky and beefy neck then her chances of producing a bulldog calf are just the same as any other short legged dexter - ie 1 in 4 if you use a short legged bull and zero if you use a long legged bull. However if you are used to looking at dexter calves and feel there is some abnormality why not get your nearest field officer or your vet if he or she knows what a normal dexter looks like to have a look.

Duncan

Penny · Post by **Penny** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:26 pm

Harry,

I had a heifer who's neck seemed abnormally short when she was young. I sold her ( not for this reason), and she is now a very pretty young cow who has been successfully shown, and she does not look out of proprtion at all. Hopefully you will find that yours develops similarly.

Penny