Dexter cow - How to achieve sustainable food production for increased profit and well-being

American Dexter Cattle Association: https://dextercattle.org/

Dexter Cattle Society (United Kingdom): https://www.dextercattle.co.uk/

Dexter cattle have a rich history that can be traced back thousands of years. This tough little breed thrived in the harsh conditions of Irish mountaintops, became the prize show cattle of British gentry, and made their way west with American settlers. Their fortunes declined in the latter half of the twentieth century as cattle breeding favored beef and dairy specialization, and they made a spectacular comeback with the resurgence of small farming and modern homesteading. This video is the product of much research into Dexter history, but my knowledge of this history is still a work in progress. I welcome your comments, feedback, and corrections.

Overview

Dexter cattle are a breed of cattle originating in Ireland. The smallest of the European cattle breeds, they are about half the size of traditional Hereford and about one-third the size of a Holstein Friesian milking cow. A rare breed until recently, they are now considered a recovering breed by the Livestock Conservancy.

The growing popularity of the breed

Once very rare in both the UK and the US, Dexters have been having a resurgence in both countries, with over 4,100 Dexter cows registered in 2007 by the Dexter Cattle Society in the UK – double the figure for 2000.”With high food prices, they are actually quite an attractive option if you like producing your own food,” said Sue Farrant, owner of four Dexters. “Both my husband and I have full-time jobs, so we’re keeping them on the side as an interest. They do largely look after themselves and they’ve been hugely popular with the children.”

The popularity of Dexters has been fueled by a desire for organic food, health concerns over factory farming, and food prices. “The government has no interest in where our food comes from or how it tastes, so it’s nice to set your own welfare and quality standards,” said poet and songwriter Pam Ayres, who has a small herd of Dexters on her 20-acre (81,000 m²) Cotswolds property. “If you’ve got a bit of land, a breed like the Dexter can work out a lot cheaper than the supermarket, plus they do a pretty good job of mowing the lawn

History

Dexter cattle make good homestead cows, known for both both its milk and meat production that is well-suited to a family. This heritage livestock breed are known for their small stature, but shouldn’t be counted out just because they aren’t the biggest body in the herd! The remains of Dexter-sized cattle have been found at Stonehenge and may represent the common size and type of Iron Age cattle in Britain and Ireland. In more recent times, some farmers may have purposefully chosen the smaller Kerry stock, just as choices were made between a dairy or beefy type. A visitor to County Cork in 1810 noted that the local farmers preferred “small beasts” because they were hardier and better suited to the land. The first recorded description of the Dexter breed appeared in 1845. Lord Hawarden’s estate agent, or manager, on Valentia Island in County Kerry, a Mr. Dexter, had developed a strain based on the local mountain cattle. As a breeder, Dexter’s goal was a small, dual-purpose household cow. There have been suggestions that Devon cattle were also used in the breed’s development. One observer of the time described these new Dexter cattle as “curious”. The Dexter soon established a foothold in southern Ireland.

In 1882, Dexter cattle were brought to England, mainly as a “curiosity”. Because the Dexter was believed to be a smaller version of the Kerry, they were included together in the Kerry and Dexter cattle societies and their respective herd books in Ireland, England, and North America. The two breeds would not have separate registries until 1919 in Ireland. Meanwhile, little distinction was made between the two breeds, and Kerry cows were frequently mated to Dexter bulls.

The Irish government never supported Dexter breeding efforts as it did the Kerry, but the Dexter was an attractive and practical cow that found favor in the country and abroad. By 1925 in Britain, there were more than 1,100 registered cows in almost 70 herds. The breed suffered setbacks in the 1930s and 1940s but has made a comeback. The British population is now about 2,800. An official upgrading procedure is allowed in the registry. In recent years, some breeders used outside blood from the Aberdeen Angus and Jersey, and Welsh Black may have been introduced in the past.

The Dexter breed originated in southwestern Ireland, from where it was brought to England in 1882. The breed virtually disappeared in Ireland, but was still maintained as a pure breed in a number of small herds in England and the US. The Dexter is a small breed with mature cows weighing between 600 and 700 lb and mature bulls weighing about 1,000 lb (450 kg). Considering their small size, their bodies are wide and deep with well-rounded hindquarters. Dexters have three coat colors – black, red, and dun (brown). Dexters should have no white markings except for some minor white markings on the belly/udder behind the navel and some white hairs in the tail switch. While many Dexters are naturally hornless (polled), many have horns that are rather small and thick and grow outward with a forward curve on the male and upward on the female. The breed is suitable for beef or milk production, although individual herd owners often concentrate on growing either one or the other.

Traits

Dexters are classified as a small, friendly, dual-purpose breed, used for milk and beef, but they are often listed as a triple-purpose breed, since they are also used as oxen. Management practices vary by breeder and country. Their versatility is one of their greatest assets, and probably has something to do with the number of countries where Dexter cattle are found, including North America, South Africa, Australia, and much of Europe.

Beef animals in the US are expected to mature in 18–24 months and result in small cuts of high-quality, lean meat, graded US Choice, with little waste. The expected average dress out is 50 to 70%. The beef produced by Dexters is well marbled and tends to be dark.

Dexters produce a rich milk, relatively high in butterfat (4%) and the quality of the milk overall is similar to that of Jersey cattle. Dexters can reasonably be expected to produce 1.5 to 2.5 gal (7.6 to 9.5 l) per day.

The cows are exceptionally good mothers, hiding their calves almost from birth if they have cover for them to hide. Some produce enough milk to feed two or three calves, and often willingly nurse calves from other cows. They are known for easy calving. This trait, along with the smaller size of the calf, has produced a small but growing market in the United States for Dexter bulls to breed to first-calf heifers among the larger beef breeds to eliminate problems at calving.

Problems affecting the breed

Some Dexter cattle carry a gene for chondrodysplasia (a semilethal gene), which is a form of dwarfism that results in shorter legs than unaffected cattle. Chondrodysplasia-affected Dexters are typically 6–8 in shorter in height than unaffected ones. Breeding two chondrodysplasia-affected Dexters together results in a 25% chance that the fetus can abort prematurely. A DNA test is available to test for the chondrodysplasia gene, using tail hairs from the animal.

The aborted fetus is commonly called a bulldog, a stillborn calf that has a bulging head, compressed nose, protruding lower jaw, and swollen tongue, as well as extremely short limbs. The occurrence of bulldog fetuses is higher in calves born with a black coat than a red coat, because black coat colour is more common^. Short-legged Dexter cattle are considered to be heterozygous, while bulldog fetuses are homozygous for chondrodysplasia genes.

Dexters can also be affected with pulmonary hypoplasia with anasarca (PHA), which is an incomplete formation of the lungs with accumulation of a serum fluid in various parts of the tissue of the fetus. Unlike chondrodysplasia, which has many physical signs, PHA shows no outward signs and is only detectable through DNA testing. As with Chondrodysplasia, PHA-affected Dexters should not be bred together.

Originally, Dexters were typically horned, but a naturally polled strain was developed in the 1990s. Dexter cattle have short legs compared to other breeds; increased shortness is displayed from the knee to the fetlock. They are very hardy, efficient grazers and are able to thrive on poor land.

Short history of Dexter cattle in the USA, Canada and ROW

The first recorded American imports of Dexter cattle, numbering about 200, were made from 1905 to 1915. Because the Kerry had made its way to North America much earlier, it is possible that the Dexter came as well, especially since the conveniently sized Dexter was also used as a milk-producer aboard oceangoing ships. Three large Dexter herds were established in New York, Minnesota, and Kentucky early in the twentieth century. Two modern herds can trace their roots directly back to two of these foundation herds. When the Kerry no longer recorded new registrations after 1920, the registry name was changed to the American Dexter Cattle Association. Additional Dexters were imported after 1950. Although only 75 Dexters were registered in 1970, numbers have steadily grown since then. There were 500 registrations in 1990, and the United States population may be as high as 3,000 today. The American registry does not allow upgrading, but registers by pedigree only.

The first 55 Dexters were brought into Canada after 1960. Doris Crowe of Canada made another significant import in 1982, and these cattle made important contributions to the breed in North America. The Canadian Dexter Cattle Association was founded in 1986, quickly registering 400 cattle. The Canadian registry now receives about 110 to 120 animals a year. The population is estimated at 600 to 700.

Dexters have also been exported to Australia, Argentina, Europe, New Zealand, and South Africa. South African breeders favor the taller dairy-type animal and they nowhave a population of about 1,200 dun or black Dexters.

Source: https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/raising-cattle/dexter-heritage-livestock-zeylaf

Description

Dexters are hardy, sturdy cattle that are sure-footed on almost any terrain. They thrive on quality pasture or hay, but are also efficient foragers and aggressive browsers, helping to clear brushy, weedy areas when given access to them. Because of their small size and thriftiness, they require less pasture space than large breed cattle and are easier on the land and fences. With so many benefits, Dexters make good sense for the small family farm as well as large ranching operations.

Source: https://dextercattle.org/