Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

Our yearling and 2 year old Dexter bulls are way less trouble than some of our heifers. At least the bulls can be tied up. They go through the cattle race with a lot more decorum as well. And why do calves always feel the need to kneecap you, when you're trying to give them and injection? I'll take...

In NZ, a number of dairy farms have built covered standing pads were their herd can be fed hay, silage etc. This saves the pastures from being pugged badly, thus delaying grass growth in the Spring. Over fine periods during Winter (don't often this year I'm afraid), the cows are let out onto a padd...

Broomfield, I can give you a list of weights for some of our heifers up to 2 yrs of age (3 yrs for some). Our steers usually get sold as yearlings, (although this season, the steers will have to be sold as weaners, as we have too many calves to over-Winter). So I only have weights of steers up to a...

Our Dexter calves are weaned at 6 months and are 180 - 200kgs in weight by then. After going through their first Winter, we now have weights of 229 - 250 for the long legged yearlings. A short leg steer went from 149.5 at 6 months to 183 kg at 12 months. The steers are fed grass and hay over Winter...

You don't see veal here in NZ much anymore. The bull calves are sold at 4 days old and then reared through to weaning by some people. Sold again to others, who rear them as steers for the beef market or as bull beef for the American burger trade. There aren't many calves left over from this system....

I'm sure the pictures would be lovely - if we could see them. ;) I'm working on getting a polled Dun bull. The deal is still up in the air, but you never know. :) I've got a heifer that I know carries Dun and another who had a relative which was Dun, 3 generations back in the pedigree. So you never...

She's full of beans isn't she. :) At least its only 4 bull calves Kelvin. Last year we got 11 bull calves. This year, we have 8 heifer calves and 7 bull calves so far. Thanks goodness. There's 1 more cow to calve this month. Then another 4 heifers to calve in January. Imagine 20 bull calves! I'm so...

We do not trim our cows' feet. Our 9 year old bull (Salty) still has excellant feet. I have had two female lines - usually the short-legged members, that have longer toes. But what causes them to be culled, is the arthritis that they were prone to. Hopefully by crossing the long-legged members of t...

We have heavier rubber rings available here in NZ that can cope with older calves. If you are getting the vet in to dehorn your calves, you might as well get them to do the castrations at the same time. I time these jobs with getting the vet to pregnancy test our cows. Its cheaper, getting everythi...

We make sure that all our future steers are ringed before 4 months of age. Some bull calves have very well developed testicles by 4 months. So I wouldn't take the chance after then. If fact, if you want to keep any bull calves entire, I would split the cow herd up into those with bull calves and th...

If the animals have been on your property for years, then they will, along with the property, become organic as the years go by. According to your Organic method of farming them. I think your Landlord has his facts all wrong. There is no point in bringing new stock onto a property, as they will hav...

The average height of a herd can be altered over the generations by consistantly using non-carrier bulls that fit within the breed standard for height. The thing is, you have to locate those bulls and hope you can keep the gene pool as wide as possible. A.I certainly makes that easier. As long as t...