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HAVE A QUESTION? ASK A FARMER.

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Introducing the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Forums

There is an enormous amount of knowledge in the farming and ranching community. Much of it doesn’t come from a textbook. It comes from years of raising cattle, fixing fences, improving pastures, treating sick animals, milking cows, repairing equipment, surviving droughts, making mistakes—and figuring out what works.

The Irish Dexter Cattlemen Forums are designed to bring that knowledge together.

WHAT CAN YOU USE THE FORUMS FOR?

Have a cow doing something you have never seen before?

Trying to decide how to subdivide a pasture?

Wondering how somebody else handles rotational grazing?

Need ideas for halter training a calf?

Considering milking a Dexter for the first time?

Trying to improve your fencing, reduce feed costs, market your beef, or figure out how to sell an animal?

Ask the community.

The Forums include discussions covering subjects such as Irish Dexter cattle, herd health, farm management, grazing, rotational grazing, milking and dairy, regenerative agriculture, homesteading, selling and branding, technology, and other everyday farming and ranching topics.

And don’t feel that you have to be an expert to participate.

Questions from people just getting started can be every bit as important as answers from people who have been farming for 30 years.

FARMERS LEARN FROM FARMERS

Agriculture has always depended upon people sharing knowledge.

A neighbor showed another neighbor how to repair something. A breeder explained what worked with a difficult calving. Someone discovered a better grazing method and showed another farmer. Experienced cattlemen helped younger cattlemen avoid mistakes they had already made.

The Internet allows us to expand that neighborhood.

Someone raising Dexters in California may discover a pasture-management technique from a farmer in Missouri. A new homesteader in Tennessee might receive advice from an experienced dairy farmer in Wisconsin. A breeder dealing with an unusual problem may discover that someone hundreds of miles away has already dealt with exactly the same thing.

That exchange of practical experience can be incredibly valuable.

DON'T JUST SEARCH FOR INFORMATION—START A CONVERSATION

The Internet contains an almost unlimited amount of information, but sometimes what you really need isn’t another article.

You need to be able to say:

“Here’s my situation. What would you do?”

That’s where the Forums are different.

You can describe your circumstances, ask follow-up questions, compare different approaches, and learn how other farmers have handled similar situations.

And sometimes there isn’t one correct answer.

Different climates, soils, herd sizes, facilities, budgets, and management philosophies can produce very different solutions. A good discussion lets everyone see those different approaches and decide what makes sense for their own operation.

YOUR EXPERIENCE MATTERS TOO

The Forums aren’t only a place to get answers.

They’re also a place to give them.

Something that seems routine to you may be exactly what another farmer is struggling to learn.

Maybe you have discovered an inexpensive fencing solution. Maybe you’ve developed a good system for working cattle alone. Perhaps you’ve learned something about grazing, milking, breeding, marketing beef, handling calves, or maintaining equipment.

Share it.

A five-minute post describing something that worked on your farm could save another farmer hours of work, hundreds of dollars, or an avoidable mistake.

That is how a community becomes valuable.

PART OF SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER

The Forums are also an important part of what we are building at IrishDexterCattlemen.com.

Our goal isn’t simply to build another cattle website.

We are developing an interconnected collection of resources designed to help farmers and ranchers learn, manage, produce, market, sell, and improve their operations.

The Tips & Tricks Guide brings useful information to you each month.

The Farmer’s Gazette builds a searchable library of articles, podcasts, videos, guides, publications, and other agricultural knowledge.

The Marketplace helps farmers market animals, farm products, equipment, and services and connect directly with buyers.

Our Dashboards and farm-management tools are being developed to help farmers organize and use the information generated by their own farms.

And the Forums connect the people behind all of it.

That connection is important.

Technology can organize information. Software can calculate numbers. A database can store records. Artificial intelligence can help analyze information.

But farmers have something those systems don’t have:

Experience.

The Forums provide a place where that experience can be shared.

BUILDING A FARMING KNOWLEDGE COMMUNITY

Over time, thousands of individual conversations can become something much more valuable—a growing body of practical agricultural knowledge created by the people actually doing the work.

That fits directly into the larger mission of Irish Dexter Cattlemen:

Helping Farmers & Ranchers Grow, Innovate, Build, Manage, Regenerate, Produce, Market & Sell.

Irish Dexter Cattlemen isn’t intended to simply be a website you occasionally visit.

We’re working toward something much larger:

A community and a collection of practical tools that help you operate your farm or ranch.

The Forums are the conversation around that effort.

So ask a question.

Answer somebody else’s question.

Tell us what worked.

Tell us what didn’t.

Share an idea.

Start a discussion.

You never know when something you learned the hard way might be exactly what another farmer needs to know today.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Access to the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Forums is FREE. Simply register or log in to IrishDexterCattlemen.com and open the Forums Dashboard.

Bring your questions. Bring your experience. Help us build a stronger farming community—one conversation at a time.

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The Steer Who Thought Rules Were Suggestions

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Every farm has that one animal…

The one that makes you question your sanity, double-check every gate, and wonder if they’re secretly plotting against you. For us, that steer was Sir Loin. He wasn’t mean. He wasn’t aggressive. He was just creatively naughty. If there was trouble to be found, he’d find it. If there wasn’t any trouble, he’d invent some.

Somehow, he learned that the little chains hanging from the barn fans actually did something. More than once I’d walk into the barn wondering why it felt like a wind tunnel in the middle of January, only to find every fan happily spinning while Sir Loin stood nearby chewing his cud with the innocent expression of a five year old caught with cookie crumbs on his face. “Who, me?”

Then there were the lights. On. Off. On again. Off. I’m still not convinced he wasn’t doing it simply because he knew it drove me crazy. Sir Loin had an uncanny ability to figure out exactly what would get under my skin. He’d walk over to something sitting perfectly where it belonged, give it a deliberate shove with his nose, and knock it onto the ground. Then he’d immediately look at me, not at the object, at me waiting to see what I’d do. I’d roll my eyes, let out a dramatic sigh, walk over, and put it back where it belonged. The moment I turned my back over it went again. Then he’d just stand there with his ears perked forward, staring at me as if he were waiting for the next round of our little game. I’m convinced he wasn’t trying to be destructive. He simply found my exasperation entertaining. Like a small child learning from cause and effect. That steer was equal parts lovable and rotten at the same time.

He also had an uncanny talent for finding things he absolutely should not eat. Plastic bags were apparently a delicacy. Leave one unattended for thirty seconds and suddenly you’d hear that unmistakable crinkling sound, followed by me sprinting across the barn yelling, “Sir Loin! Drop it!” He never dropped it. He simply chewed faster. I swear he only wanted it because he wasn’t supposed to have it.

He loved banana peels. That bovine could smell a banana from three counties away. The second someone started peeling one, he’d appear out of nowhere like he’d been summoned by magic. He’d stretch his nose as far as physics would allow and stare at you with those big brown eyes until you surrendered the peel. Then, with that ridiculous go-go-gadget tongue, he’d slurp it up and savor every bite. Mission accomplished.

While he loved banana’s, pizza was his true love. Once a month, on a Friday our homeschool group met at Pizza Hut for the all you can eat buffet. The kids all knew Sir Loin and had heard plenty of stories about his garbage disposal approach to eating, so they happily saved their pizza crusts for their favorite steer.

I’d collect everyone’s leftovers in one of those giant plastic cheese ball tubs, the kind big enough to feed a small army, and by the end of lunch, it would be filled to the brim with pizza crusts and uneaten pizza slices. Back at the farm, Sir Loin knew exactly what that tub meant. I’d set it down, grab my phone, and record him happily devouring his pizza feast while the rest of the Dexter herd stood nearby watching him like he’d completely lost his mind. Most cattle get excited over fresh hay or a bucket of grain. Sir Loin? He’d choose cold Pizza Hut crusts every single time. Those videos never failed to make people laugh.

Despite all the headaches and his endless antics, everyone loved Sir Loin. He made even the most ordinary chores memorable. You never knew what you’d find when you walked into the barn. Fans running? Lights on? Feed buckets knocked over? Missing lunch? If Sir Loin was around, anything was possible. Looking back, I don’t think he was trying to make life difficult. I think he honestly believed the farm existed solely for his entertainment. And judging by all the stories he left us with he might have been right.

About the Author

Kimberly Jepsen is the heart behind MooShine Ridge in Vinita, Oklahoma, where she and her husband, Kevin, have been raising dual-purpose Dexter cows since 2015. Their little farm store is a labor of love, offering Dexter beef, raw milk, and artisan cheeses made from their own cows. Kimberly has a deep passion for the Dexter breed and loves nothing more than sharing what she’s learned over the years whether it’s guiding fellow farmers, helping newcomers discover the joys of small-scale farming, or simply introducing people to the rich, creamy flavors of her handcrafted cheeses. For her, farming isn’t just a business, it’s a way to nurture animals, the land, and the community she cares about. https://mooshineridge.com/

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Hats Off – 100% Tenet Herd

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Hats Off - 100% Tenet Herd

I didn’t know about white cowboy hats. How could I?  I’m from Silicon Valley and not raised to be a farmer. Mr. Faith, Vice President of Mellonics Systems Development, in Mountain View, before there was a Silicon Valley, called me into his corner office, he was upset and I didn’t know why. Evidently, I worked for him. He said, “Isn’t it your job to make sure every file cabinet in this building is filled with pencils and paper?” Of course, I replied. “Well, then go down the end of this hall, through those double Dutch doors, and see that that file cabinet is always full!” I had never been through those big double Dutch doors and certainly didn’t know there was a file cabinet there that needed filling. Mellonics did top secret work, that I did know because it took months before my top secret clearance came through. I was in charge of file cabinets, pencils, paper, graph lined paper, paper tablets, but then five file cabinets were labeled Top Secret. Those cabinets were full of folders, one for each employee that contained their top secret security clearance information. I was to keep these files organized. What did all these people do? I didn’t know. That was Top Secret! So, off I go, down the hall with my roll cart full of my usual supplies, until I reach the end where there are two really big double Dutch doors. As I opened one of the doors, what I didn’t know was that this was going to change the rest of my life.

Years later, Laura Christofk, then President of the Purebred Dexter Cattle Association, asked me to come over to show me what she had designed to be the framework for a new online application that would make PDCA the premier Irish Dexter cattle registry in the United States. I was appointed Director and board member of PDCA in charge of technology.  It was a challenge I was up to do. Thirty years ago, I had opened a door and walked into a massive data center containing an IBM 360 mainframe computer. Seeing it for the very first time turned on a switch in my being that changed my not knowing into needing to know and a lifetime career in the Silicon Valley computer industry. I was always aware that what we were all doing was changing the world. Every day, there was something new. We were learning not to question if it could be done, but rather question how it could be done. This was the core culture of Silicon Valley, although it did not include white cowboy hats.

I made a huge mistake as an Irish Dexter cattle rancher and farmer. When selling some calves to Lainey, she asked me if they could be registered with the American Dexter Cattle Association. Of course they can, I replied. My bull, Gunner, was registered with ADCA, PDCA, and the Legacy Cattle Registry. What could go wrong? As Lainey loaded her new halter trained heifer calves, overwhelmed at how easy it was to put a halter on and simply walk them into the trailer, she thanked me and then asked me to send their ADCA registration certificates. Easy, peezy! I called Joel Dowty, Gunner’s prior owner and board member of the American Dexter Cattle Association (ADCA), who proceeded to explain that the calves’ dams’ sire and grandsire needed to have genetic markers on file with the ADCA What? Well, how hard can this be? My cows were were all registerd with the Purebred Dexter Cattle Association (PDCA), a different registry. I called the prior owner of the dam who still owned the sire and soon had tail hairs to send to the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory. Notification of completed tests would be sent to the ADCA. After getting the sire’s tail hairs sent, off I went to find the grandsire. During the phone call to Dr. Wes Patton, owner of Glenn Land Farms and last owner of the grandsire, I was informed that the grandsire fell into a pond and died. Well, no real problem, Dr. Patton was an expert on genetics so I asked for the grandsire’s genetic records or stored tail hairs. None! In disbelief I asked why and Dr. Patten explained this was right before genetic testing was even being done. Well, now it’s time to meet personally with Stephanie, the UC Davis VGL cattle genetic specialist to find out how the grandsire’s genetics could be done

As a PDCA director, I was frequently confronted with something new going on. Robin Pittack kept pestering PDCA about some cattle show in Denver that happened to be the largest, premier cattle show in the United States and they are asking for Irish Dexter owners to bring their dexters to the show for the very first time in its 75 year history. Laura Christolfk, our President, asks when is the show? Robin says it’s in January! There’s five feet of snow in Denver in January. Laura agrees to help sponsor the show and suggests that if neither she nor I transport our Dexters to the show, we should at least show up to man the booth. I drove over to the local Tractor Supply and bought — a white cowboy hat.

My meeting with Stephanie at VGL was challenging. She explained that the only way to get the genetic profile on the grandsire was to locate ten offspring, get their tail hairs, produce the genetic markers for all ten, then and only then could the grandsire’s genetic marker be derived. How can this be done? There were exactly ten living offspring of the grandsire in the pedigree database. It turned out I already had access to seven: the sire, the calf, the dam, and four more of my cows. Every week, I would meet with Stephanie at UC Davis. At first, I asked Stephanie to simply look up the case numbers for the remaining cows and she stated that was not possible. Why? Because the cows have privacy rights! This is nuts, they are cows! Undeterred, she told me that I could give her the case numbers, and then she could look up their genetic markers. This was no different than those top secret files I managed years ago. Then, I would ask three guards to each use their code to unlock the file cabinets and could pull out the needed file folders. Now I needed three Dexter owners to give me their case number codes to give Stephanie to pull up their genetic markers on file. Genetics can answer a lot of questions.

The booth at the National Western Stock Show in Denver was busy. Next to us was a booth of a commercial Angus cattle ranch in Wyoming. All the hands in the booth wore black cowboy hats. My hat was white and they addressed me as Sir! Several weeks before this, Laura Christolfk had discussed with me the critical need to figure out how to tell if a steer would produce beef that would be tender. She knew we had the most flavorful beef. Most of the time Dexter beef would be exceptionally tender. She questioned if there could be a tenderness test. On one of my breaks, I walked over to one of the cow barns to check out what might be happening there. It was completely empty except for a straight cattle chute that was set up right in the middle, with a computer on a table right in front of it. This got my immediate attention. A half dozen technicians were working the equipment, getting it all set up, checking the connections, checking the accessories. I was wearing my white cowboy hat. Every question I asked, they immediately answered, and didn’t question me.  They explained how they were using a sonogram wand attached to the platform computer to measure a bull’s back fat. The amount of back fat marbling displayed on the sonar wand computer as a graft would be used to produce a number from one to ten as a measure of the meat’s tenderness. At that moment, five, fully groomed, beautiful looking  bulls were led into the barn by five ranch hands, all in a row, one after the other. Following right behind was a tall, older gentlemen, holding a pair of calipers. He respectfully nodded to me. This was the owner. As each bull was led threw the chute for its sonar reading, the owner with the calipers got behind, on his knees to measure the bull’s sack, calling out numbers to be entered into the platform computer. This was all meant to impress. A computer generated piece of paper, accompanied with the bull, to be given to the auctioneer, held high as he got a fortune for a beautiful looking, well groomed, fully computer measured bull. The owner wore a white cowboy hat.

In the computer industry, there’s a saying, “Garbage in, Garbage out!” I knew, from real world experience, that none of this computer generated measurements were going to predict how tender the beef was going to be. I raised Irish Dexter cattle and sold beef to a local high-end restaurant, Watershed at the Owl, in Grass Valley, California. Every month we delivered a steer, in quarters, to the restaurant for the chef to hang, butcher, and serve to the local foodies to taste and enjoy. We were a USDA Certified Organic ranch. The steers were born and raised on our ranch. All the beeves were raised exactly the same. They were 100% grass fed and 100% grass finished. Every steer was fed exactly the same. When delivered, I personally inspected every one of them. They all had the same leanness. They all had the same fat marbling. Every steer hung for the same amount of time. Each one had the distinctive, amazing taste that only Irish Dexters can produce. Only, every once in a while, one would not be as tender as the others and we would hear about it. It was a very perplexing problem for which we did not have an answer. Taste is a funny thing, it’s both flavor and tenderness. Laura Christolfk’s question, how to tell if a steer would produce beef that would be tender, continued to be relevant.

The reputation of our farm, the reputation of Irish Dexter cattle, everything hung on the issue of beef tenderness. After lots of research into juiciness, fat, marbling, cattle feed, the grass cattle eat, leanness, it all produced gobs of words and antidotal tales that ultimately didn’t offer a clear answer. Nothing gave us a direction or path forward that could provide us with the assurance that beef delivered to a restaurant or deli would be consistently tender. Suddenly, only a few months ago, up pops TenetBeef.com. They are a new genetics lab in Washington State, started by a genetics specialist from Washington State University who claims to have found the genetic profile within cattle that will identify if the animal’s beef will have a tenderness of 10 on the tenderness scale of 1 to 10. This genetic profile is inheritable. Jeff Resusser of Royal Fare Farms discovered TenetBeef.com. He told Eliena Bodtke of Stay’n Put Farm who published them in the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Tips & Tricks Guide newsletter. This is a game changer for our farm.  It means that by testing our cows and bulls, if they are Certified Tenet (meaning their beef will have a tenderness of 10, the best), their offspring will be Tenet. It isn’t believed that Tenet is currently a common trait. Still, this offered to be a solution to our beef business, giving us hope. We immediately, one-by-one, took blood samples and sent them in for testing. The result was a complete surprise. 70% of our Irish Dexter cows were Certified Tenet. By culling our non-Tenet cows, we would have a chance for consistently tender beef. Now everything depended on testing our bull. That result was also great. He, too, was Certified Tenet. We had a path forward. The non-Tenet cows explained the occasions when our beef was not as tender as we wanted. Culling was done and now we have a 100% Certified Tenet herd. Hats off to TenetBeef.com! Thank you Jeff, Thank you Eliena. Thank you Irish Dexter Cattlemen Tips & Tricks Guide. Now I can visit our restaurants and delis and tip my white hat to the customers.

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Welcome to the Online Farmer’s Gazette – Orginally Established in 1887

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The original Gazette, published by the Royal Dublin Society, was a “Register of Pure Kerry Cattle and Dexters” in Ireland and three years later became the Kerry and Dexter Herdbook, with volume 1 appearing in 1890.

This new, updated Irish Dexter Cattlemen Gazette, first published in 2024, is not so much about the Dexter cattle. It is more about Irish Dexter Cattlemen, livestock farmers and ranchers throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, England, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.

While Irish Dexters are in some respects superior as a stock, owing to the taste of their meat and milk, the tenderness of their beef, easy calving, mild mannerism, as well as their hardiness. It was stated by His Excellency Lord Eglinton, ‘they are the thoroughbreds of cattle’. That is what we think is true about Irish Dexter Cattlemen farmers and ranchers, they are the thoroughbreds of cattlemen. This is what this Gazette, using modern technology, is all about.

This Gazette is an easy-to-use, multimedia relational database system for members providing a guide for you, the farmer and rancher, using the best technology available to answer to your questions, display information to assist you with your operation, and give you access to a collection of resources not available else-ware. As an online multimedia relational database, the Gazette structures information into areas of interest so that you can focus on topics about which you are most interested. These areas of interest are what we call Community Groups: Farm Management Community, Beef Community, Milking & Dairy Community, Herd Health Community, Historical Community, Selling Community, and Technology Community. These Community Groups are led by Community Directors, experienced farmers and ranchers, who scour the Internet looking for information that is of interest to their specific community group. That information is posted here in the Gazette in the form of:

    • Original posts from content creators, farmers and ranchers like yourself,
    • Posts from industry experts,
    • Online digital magazines,
    • Irish Dexter Registry publications,
    • Independent podcasts
    • Video providers,
    • Farming and Ranching Guides,
    • Historical Herdbooks,
    • Topical books on farming and ranching

This Gazette has taken years to develop by technology experts, who are also farmers and ranchers like you. It takes a lot of time, energy, knowledge, and resources to produce and maintain. If you have a passion for what you do and are looking for ways to make your farm or ranch even better, we would love for you to become a member. Your membership helps use to help you. Join using the links in our free monthly Tips & Tricks Guide, or using the links on our website Home page.

Members automatically gain access to additional functions or tabs of the Gazette:

    • Communities
      • Magazines
        • Guides
          • Herdbooks
            • Journals
              • Cowgirls
                • Cowboys

All the information on the Irish Dexter Cattlemen website is dynamically formatted to fit any device you might have in your pocket, in your hand, on your tractor, in your car, in the cup holder of your ATV, or on your desktop. 

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Part Two ….UPDATE ….Are short leg(Chondro+) registered Dexters in decline? And should we be asking why before it’s too late?

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An update to the last post, started by Matt McCollum about the decline of the foundation of our breed, the dwarf. In case you missed it, it was titled…

Are short leg(Chondro+) registered Dexters in decline? And should we be asking why before it’s too late?

It took a bit to gather all the information and get it all in one spreadsheet, so that we could identify all the duplicates and triplicates.  As many people register with one, two or even three registries.

Results are not a shock.  Dwarf is definitely on a decline and it happened steeply after someone started a breeder group Facebook page and decided to publish a lot of unproven and untrue things about the dwarf, carrier or chondroplasia postive dexters.  All three terms are used interchangeably.  You will note the most were registered in 2017 and his group started in July of 2016.

These results are only the tested and registered animals.  There are sure to be many that have not been tested or not registered as testing for the gene is not compulsory.

Much of the rhetoric, that has been posted about the dwarf is hearsay and can be traced back to one rather opinionated person.  Please do yourself a favor, visit a farm with these wee creatures and understand why so many of us adore them.  Less inputs, more milk, more beef and usually the favorites of the herds.

Part Two ….UPDATE ….Are short leg(Chondro+) registered Dexters in decline? And should we be asking why before it’s too late? Read More »

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DEXTER CATTLE – JOY, LAUGHTER, AND HEARTBREAK – SWEET CAROLINE (Part 2)

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Sweet Caroline was out. Walking free through acres and acres of fields freshly sewn or just sprouted crops. It wasn’t that I couldn’t see her, as I could. The area is flat and wide open. Of course, when you are trying to pen a heifer, that doesn’t help at all.

I felt helpless. My truck was still attached to my trailer. My first thought was to take car and follow her in an effort to push her to a farm near by who happened to have a corral. I was offered to borrow a car of the owner of the farm so that we wouldn’t lose her by taking time to remove the trailer from the truck.

Myself and the sister-in-law of the person who was buying Sweet Caroline jumped in the car and attempted to follow her. It wasn’t hard. She was easily seen. It became more of a game of finding a fence and a corral to get push her towards it. Following the country roads and keeping an eye on Sweet Caroline, we found ourselves near a farm that was fenced and cattle in the pasture. We pulled into the farm and knocked on the door.

A very nice gentleman answered and after explaining the situation, he volunteered to assist. He knew of the local farmers, who had corrals, cattle, and who did not. The idea was to put a halter on her, if possible, and then walk her to a fenced area. If she wouldn’t take a halter, and she is not haltered trained, the plan was to push her to the fenced area.

Great plan, right? Sounds easy, right? It wasn’t. Did I mention it was over 90 and humid? Not ideal conditions for Sweet Caroline or me.

Sweet Caroline was proving to be a lot smarter than I originally gave her credit. We could get close to her, pet her, but she would not take a halter. She learned, quickly, that we were pushing her so she took the approach of walking towards us, and then going in the direction where we previously came. I know you are laughing. I was not.

She followed us to a small farm. The house appeared abandoned as was the cattle barn. Unfortunately there was not an area that was fenced. The cattle ban was wide open. More like a lean to than a barn. A large one at that. She walked into the barn. I suppose it was shade. Spirits were lifted but there was no where to contain her.

Our volunteer farmer had called in a favor and another farmer joined us with his 4 wheeler. I had more hope. We had her against the wall when I started to walk towards the car. I wanted to get the trailer.

I didn’t get 50 yards, when the inevitable happened. She ran right towards the farmers and the sister-in-law and back into the fields. She wasn’t charging them and certainly wasn’t trying to hurt them, but she sure wasn’t worried if they got in the way.

Then an error was committed. As I went back to get the truck and trailer, they followed her. And pushed her. 4 wheeler was right next to her. Following. She kept walking until she came upon a large wooded area. She disappeared in the thick woods and brush. While the effort was valiant, the only thing that was retrieved in the woods that day were scratches and ticks. My iWatch showed that I walked 12 miles that day. At that point, I felt I had no choice. Exhausted and growing dark, I went home. I got home at 1:30AM.

Facebook was active. People were looking. People were talking and spreading the word. The Sheriff had been notified and a report filed. In that little town, Sweet Caroline was somewhat of a celebrity. It was Thursday. I waited for a call. It never came.

On Friday, I was becoming desperate to doing something. Anything. On a whim, I called the County Animal Shelter. A lady answered. I mentioned I lost a heifer. She immediately knew who I was and said it was all over Facebook. Many were anxiously awaiting an update.

I asked for options. She said that there was a drone operator in Illinois who runs a business looking for lost animals. A drone? Would he help with a cow? I called. He answered. My luck was about to change.

Next week, Part 3. Sweet Caroline has been found. How in the heck am I going to catch her? Call in the cowboys.

A little bit about the author. I own and operate a small farm called “Our Yellowstone LLC” in Illinois. I couldn’t do it alone, but will keep my wife’s name out of it to protect her innocence.

DEXTER CATTLE – JOY, LAUGHTER, AND HEARTBREAK – SWEET CAROLINE (Part 2) Read More »

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Upcoming Ohio Event

If you love Dexter cattle as much as we do here at Irish Dexter Cattlemen, you jump at the chance to spend time with them. The American Dexter Cattle Expo is just the place to do that, and is hosted in Ohio this year. The event spans 4 days, July 24-27, and will have workshop speakers, cattle handling facility tours, shows and a live auction! Come to the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Wooster, OH to find out what all the hype is about. For a schedule of events and more info, click the link below.

Event Info Here

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Irish Dexter Cattlemen website

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One site …all the links!

Have you ever wondered what that little blue button thingy is on the home page of our website? For me it is gold! One site and the links to EVERYTHING DEXTER.

If you think we are missing something let us know

Here is the key.,,,,

P = PDCA

L = Legacy

A = ADCA

I = Irish Dexter Cattle Society

The others should be easy…they are our social media links

Facebook

Instagram

TikTok

YouTube

So, I have the Irish Dexter Cattlemen as a favorite and then when I need register, check out a registration from another association or registry…I just click the the button in the semi circle thingy. Sorry, I don’t have more technical term…it is just the best explanation I have for this powerful tool I use. 😂

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Are short leg(Chondro+) registered Dexters in decline? And should we be asking why before it’s too late?

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The article below was written by Matt McCollum, a concerned Dexter breeder. The numbers are a collaboration of a few folks from the three registries. While there maybe duplicates and possibly a few triplicates in the numbers w are working on identifying those animals that were dual or triple registered, but it will take some time to get these all identified.

The point is the numbers are in decline. Another important point is there is only ONE facebook site that does not support or welcome accurate discussions about a foundation trait of the Dexter.

Thank you to Matt McCollum for addressing the concerns of the dwindling numbers and for some photos of your dwarf dexters.

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In 2016 a Dexter Facebook group was created to spread awareness and propaganda about the Dexters that carry Chondrodysplasia. The creator of this group was also banned from many other online Dexter Forums prior to the creation of this group. This Facebook group also promotes the elimination or culling of Dexters that carry this genetic mutation to is 45,000+ followers. This group is also a Public Dexter Facebook group, so Google will scrub this site for data on questions searched about Dexters. Newcomers searching for Google answers are now getting inaccurate information that fits an Anti Chondro narrative. The fear based propaganda is filled with misinformation sprinkled with some 1/2 truths.

Chondro+ dexters carry a genetic mutation which makes leg bones shorter. Many people call Chondro+ dexters their short legged cattle. These short legged dexters fit the dexter breed description and were apart of the original breed in the early 1900’s. Prior to genetic testing breeding two Chondro+ Dexters together created a Bull dog calf that would be delivered pre-term, deformed and deceased 25% of the time. Today we easily test for the gene mutation and can breed a Chondro+ cow with a Non Chondro Bull. This recommended breeding results in a 50% chance of a non Chondro calf and 50% chance of Chondro+ calf. One thing to note is that every living creature carries some sort of a gene mutation other than this specific gene mutation that we are discussing. Sometimes a gene mutation doesn’t show up or isn’t noticed in breedings.

Chondrodysplasia in particular was noticed due to the deformed dead calves being born. They are also commonly identified by visual appearance of being short and stockier.

So back to the original question. Are short legged registered ADCA, Legacy and PDCA Dexters in decline over the last 10 years? And does this 2016 Dexter Facebook group have any influence from its efforts in the elimination of Chondro+ dexters? I’ll let you be the judge.

I’m not sure but it’s definitely time to hit the alarm bells before it’s too late. So we know that Chondro+ Bull calves probably won’t get registered and will end up mostly going to beef. And it’s a 50/50 chance of a boy or girl and this will affect the total number of registered Dexters we see today. Also we know that only 50% of the time when proper or advised breeding is done we can get a Chondro+ calf. We also know that testing for Chondro+ isn’t required for ADCA, Legacy or PDCA registration, only required if you want to have it listed on the animals certificate. Some people will register their Dexter cattle and NOT share the Chondro test data results with ADCA, Legacy and PDCA. This could be for a number of different reasons such as privacy of data. All three registries view all forms of dexters to be deemed of equal value when registering including Chondro+ dexters. The only requirement to register is parental verification of the calfs Sire and Dam. Since the advent of testing I believe more breeders are shying away from using a Chondro+ Bull because they want bigger steer beef carcasses and avoid having to deal with testing each individual offspring. Also the ADCA has software that is currently being updated to provide more accurate information on each registered Dexter. Breeders may also be behind on paperwork or just decided against registration due to higher beef prices and quicker sales. We can definitely make many more possible assumptions as to why we are seeing less Chondro+ dexter being registered with the registries. Feel free to add your thoughts or comments.

Below is a 10 year history of Chondro+ ADCA, Legacy and PDCA registered Dexters calves born.

Screenshot

Are short leg(Chondro+) registered Dexters in decline? And should we be asking why before it’s too late? Read More »

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Don’t Get Scammed

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The internet has become an invaluable tool to ranchers, farmers and homesteaders looking to buy or sell livestock. But, scammers have infiltrated the industry making online sales and/or purchases more difficult to navigate. Here are some great tips to avoid getting scammed. And, as a bonus they can help you develop great contacts and relationships with the people you are buying or selling to.

Awareness and Preparation: Avoiding Potential Scams When Buying or Selling Cattle Online

Don’t Get Scammed Read More »

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THE DEXTER DWARF

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I’m not sure if horns, polled or the dwarf incite more spirited conversations in the Dexter world. I am proud to have all of those in our small homestead farm, truly, experiencing all the Dexter has to offer even on our small acreage.
I have become frustrated and even angered by some of the reactions to all of these traits, that are all part of our amazing breed. Diversity was defined in our breed standards and have existed since the “birth” of our breed.
We have so many things to celebrate… like a unique color mutation in our stunning duns. Our duality, some of the richest milk that is easily digested like the goat. And at the same time some of the best beef, that has found its way into restaurants of the famous Chefs like Ramsay. And a unique BD1 gene, that has given birth to many many other breeds!
BD1 is a treasured genetic report on our farm. Our experience with the dwarf has been purely positive, for both dairy and meat. We never breed a carrier to a carrier. So we have never experienced some of the awful things that one person beats to death on one of the FB pages. I do love our non carriers too, as it takes one of each to make the dwarf!
It’s interesting that most of the folks that speak out about the dwarf negatively , have never experienced the dwarf…they rely on the propaganda of one! And standing up to him on his site…well the comments disappear or they go into forever pending. He must control the narrative!
We have not experienced the arthritis in the Dexters which could occur in both the carrier and the non carrier…or could it be the result of tick borne disease, that affects us humans. There are not good recordings of deaths of all Dexters, so the reports that dwarf pass earlier than non carriers, is only a guess, without documented proof. Again something, that fits a narrative.
And let’s talk about the associations and their responsibilities to protect the dwarf and it’s heritage… both have members and board members that share some or all of the detrimental beliefs about the dwarf, hopefully, a balance will be maintained in beliefs or the dwarf is doomed.
I have changed my opinions on some aspects over the last 14 years, but one thing I have never changed are my feelings about are the dwarf. The dwarf or carrier, it’s all just terminology that describes a Dexter that truly has stolen my heart.

THE DEXTER DWARF Read More »

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DEXTER CATTLE – JOY, LAUGHTER, AND HEARTBREAK – PART 5

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The cattle were enjoyable. Each with their own personality. That seems trite, and I don’t mean it to be, but they are all different. The cattle gathered around the bale ring eating hay was a sight to behold and one that I did not take lightly.

Willow, my beloved heifer, didn’t take too long to climb into the bale ring. Not just once. Not twice. Every single day. There is always one. As a new cattle owner, I was surprised, and somewhat revolted. The cows would crap in their hay. The hay that they are eating, they literally crap in it.

“Honey, what’s for dinner?”

“Steak and baked potato.”

“Mind if I take a deuce on it?” At least I asked. The cattle don’t.

Cattle are different. At first, I would climb into the bale ring everyday to remove the manure as Willow had no manners. The cattle continue to eat it, so I learned to live with it. I was picking the manure out of the hay that the cattle pulled out of the ring and then put the hay back in the ring. A bale of hay is expensive and I was trying to conserve.

The cattle had free access to the unused stables. They took advantage and I was so proud of the fact that the cattle could come in out of the weather or wind at any time. I had plenty of straw and also put hay out. And guess what the cows did? You guessed it. They crapped everywhere. The great news is based on what I was seeing they were taking healthy ones. Some consolation when you are picking it up daily. I didn’t mind.

And here is what I didn’t know but wished I did. Every single cow owner will tell you to have a manure plan. Every single cattle owner starting out who doesn’t have a plan will be sorry if they don’t.

Every morning I would pick up the manure in the stables, put in a bucket, and then take it to a manure bin. Perfect plan right? At the time, it worked. It was a lot of work because every morning I felt as if the number of bucket loads were increasing exponentially. No worries because look at all the fertilizer I was going to have.

Fall and then winter. The cattle were eating, crapping, and seemed genuinely happy. I would not miss a day of petting each one and talking to them. Jubilee was growing by the day and every day I would take a guess as to when the baby was coming. Did the calf drop? Is she puffy on her backside? Have her pins dropped? With the way she is carrying it, it is going to be a heifer. Looking back on it, I had no idea as to what I was looking at but it was so fun to speculate.

A call from my fence guy. I hadn’t purchased a fence yet, but I had a guy. He will start building the fence to the pasture adjoining the horse turnout in the beginning of spring. I had plenty of hay and true to their breed the Dexters were not tearing up the turnout area.

My wife. “Does the hay ring look to be sitting up a lot higher?”

“Optical illusion. All hay. They will eat it.”

Of course it wasn’t. It was an issue that will be dealt with early spring once I move the cattle to the adjoining pasture. It will all work out. Once the fence is secure, I will move the cattle on the 3 acres and keep them there all summer. They will have plenty of grass.

Strike one.

A little bit about the author. I own and operate a small farm called “Our Yellowstone LLC” in Illinois. I couldn’t do it alone, but will keep my wife’s name out of it to protect her innocence.

DEXTER CATTLE – JOY, LAUGHTER, AND HEARTBREAK – PART 5 Read More »

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Chondrodysplasia

Article I

Fact or Fiction

This is the first of our articles on chondrodysplasia in Dexters. Also called chondro-carriers, shorties, or dwarfs. these terms refer to the same cattle, and will be interspersed throughout the article. Keep in mind, they all mean cattle who are carriers of the dwarf gene.

Per Miriam Webster chondro means cartilage & dysplasia is an abnormal growth or development.

It’s a personal decision to breed chondro carrier Dexters. Of course, it’s your decision what to breed on your farm. But, let’s sort out some of the facts on these endearing little cattle.

Some long time breeders have told me that they believe the dwarf Dexters played an instrumental part in the formation of the breed, as the non-chondro, longer legged Dexters got registered in with the Kerry cattle. They also believe that there are two body types in the dwarves. That will be discussed in a later article.

Just a few of the traits and statements that those who own and experience the pleasures of owning a dwarf believe.

  • “Chondros are the breed. If we lose them we lose the breed.”
  • “Maximum beef on minimum forage.”
  • Personalities are one of a kind
  • Great mothers
  • High milk production
  • Great for first time cattle owners
  • Of course, breed responsibly. Never breed two carriers together and you will never get a bulldog calf. (If you did, the chance is only 25%, but why risk it?)

Those that I see exaggerating & spreading the hate for chondro carriers are using human graphics from the internet and applying their own labels. I have found no professional veterinary opinion stating they should be eliminated. Of course, none of those who love them would want or allow them to suffer. Many Dexters I know of are living into their teens. How many commercial breeds do you see living that long?

Some dwarfs will get osteoarthritis later in life. So will some non-chondros. A lot depends on the bloodlines, the terrain they live on and the care they receive. This also applies to the longer legged non-chondros. Humans also tend to get osteoarthritis later in life. They also can get forms of dwarfism. We don’t eradicate them. It can be managed, IF it happens.

So, please…. educate yourself on this genetic mutation, before you make a judgement.

The photo with the article is a 9 year old chondro positive cow, with twins she just had.

The following is a scientific explanation from UC Davis. We choose the BD1 test, when we get any calves from our carriers. The BD2 test is for a specific line from a specific bull.

READ MORE

Chondrodysplasia Read More »

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DEXTER CATTLE – JOY, LAUGHTER, AND HEARTBREAK – PART 4

They are here!  My wife and I watched the cattle huddle around the hay bale located in the horse turnout next to our stables.  The cattle didn’t take long after delivery to settle themselves.  I had let the grass in the turnout grow out and with the red and black of the cattle settled against the green grass the scene was picturesque. 

Months before, while at the vet for my dog, Bear, I once mentioned that we were considering getting a horse.  Our vet said, “get cattle, they are easy.”  Could it be that easy?  Now what do I do.  They pretty much take care of themselves, don’t they?

Yes and no.  Mostly no.  Grass fed?  It was November and hay was needed.  Grain fed?  I wanted to feed a little grain as a training tool and to get them to follow me.  

I had purchased the following equipment and supplies:

  • Tractor.  Don’t need too big, but didn’t want too small.  I elected to buy new and take advantage of zero interest.  Bucket.  Bale fork.  Mower.  Expensive.  But I was in this for long haul.  What the heck?  You only live once.  
  • Hay.  I have come to learn that this is one of the biggest expenses.  I contracted with a local farmer to cut the hay on our pasture.  He took 2/3rds and I got a 1/3.  At the time, I didn’t have any other options.  With 4 head of cattle, and no equipment, the arrangement would iwork, but not for long.  I learned that quickly.  I also started questioning whether or not some folks were looking out for my best interests.  Sneak peak.  They were not. 
  • 100 gallon steel water tank.  I bought one and then quickly learned I was going to need more,.  When the cattle move, the tank does too.  
  • Hay bale ring.  The idea was to minimize hay waste.  See water tank.  I quickly learned I would need more.
  • Grain.  I started with an all natural variety from a local farm store.  Apparently all natural is a heck of a lot more expensive to produce as it was more than 3 times the price more than a product that is not natural per bag,  It adds up.  So does the weight.  50 pound bags.  One bag at the time.  Is it worth?  It might be for you or your customers.  
  • Fencing.  The cattle were fine for the winter.  In fact, they were spoiled.  Complete access to our stables to come in and out as they please.  I heard Jubilee whisper to Liberty, “don’t tell him, but I could get used to this.”  Given it was said in a series of moos, that conversation is subject to interpretation.  I got my first quote on the high tensile fencing.  Prepare yourself for sticker shock. That said, one of the best things that I did.  My advice, don’t go cheap.  Got on the list.  The installer would be here sometime this fall.  That didn’t work out.

Every day I would walk out with the cattle.  I didn’t force myself on them in the beginning and let them come to me.  It didn’t take long at all for Bitsie to come up to me and gently nudge me looking for a scratch.  Jubilee and  Liberty gradually came.  All wanting attention.  Willow, the heifer, was a little slower in her approach.  Younger and more cautious.  Sometimes it works that way.  But once she got used to me, and I got used to her, she never fails, to this day, to give me hugs.    

Everything was great.  The vet was right.  This wasn’t that hard.  

Oh crap.  I say that literally and figuratively.  There was a lot of it.  Cattle loved the stable but they didn’t respect the sanctity of the stable bed.  What am I going to do with all of that manure?  I have a plan.

A little bit about the author.  I own and operate a small farm called “Our Yellowstone LLC” in Illinois.  I couldn’t do it alone, but will keep my wife’s name out of it to protect her innocence.

DEXTER CATTLE – JOY, LAUGHTER, AND HEARTBREAK – PART 4 Read More »

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Zoetis to Acquire Animal Genomics Business from Neogen®

Here are two articles about the recent announcement in the animal testing world. Wonder what these changes will mean for our breed?

https://investors.neogen.com/news/news-details/2026/Neogen-Announces-Sale-of-Genomics-Business-to-Zoetis/default.aspx

https://www.morningstar.com/news/business-wire/20260227496705/zoetis-to-acquire-animal-genomics-business-from-neogen-accelerating-precision-animal-health-innovation

Zoetis to Acquire Animal Genomics Business from Neogen® Read More »

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Introduction to Tenet

Introduction to Tenet Read More »

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IDC Anniversary

Hello to all our IDC Newsletter subscribers and members.
With the February Newsletter release coming up this weekend, we mark two years of providing informative & educational information to our followers.
What started with a genuine love for the breed, a desire to help others & their Dexters, plus a goal to bring more breeders together and promote the breed, IDC has grown beyond our expectations.
Our small team of Eliena Bodtke, Janelle Soja and myself, along with our website & Newsletter producer Bob Curlee have made it our mission. Not to mention our many contributors who have all committed countless hours to researching, writing and providing valuable information for you. All the while building the Gazette, our huge library that stores all of our past Newsletters. These Newsletters can be accessed & searched at any time by our members.

We often mentor and help others with ideas, advice etc. when contacted. If we hear of a concerning topic or a seasonal issue, we try and address those in the Newsletters.
We are grateful that many knowledgeable contributors have chosen to come alongside us in providing valuable informational articles in the Newsletter. Many are Dexter owners from different parts of the Country, with different viewpoints, from different associations, but all coming together for the good of the breed we all love. We cover countless topics like history, health, dairy, beef, farm management, homesteading and more. We often share cheese, soap making or bread making in our homestead section, as well as stories written by new owners. We also have contributors who are not Dexter owners, but they have experience with diary, beef or homesteading. Our team feels that if we can encourage and support new breeders, they stay longer and succeed in the Dexter breed. This not only helps them, it helps the breed.
We hope you will join us as a member of the IDC soon. Members get more perks than just the Newsletter. If you belong to one of the associations or an affiliate then you will receive a discount on your membership with IDC. Please contact the affiliates for your discount membership code or reach out to one of us.
We can even help you set up your own storefront for whatever you may have to sell from the farm. You are not limited to just Dexters.
Thank you for being part of the Irish Dexter Cattlemen community…where we are helping Farmers & Ranchers grow, innovate, build, manage, regenerate, produce and above all promote, market and sell your Dexters.

IDC Anniversary Read More »

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Irish Dexter Cattlemen

We’re on TikTok! 🎉 @idc79807

Come check out our growing TikTok account and join the fun! Our content is a great mix of cute, fun, informative, and everything in between—there’s something for everyone. Be sure to follow us so you don’t miss out.

Want to see your Dexters or your farm featured? We’d love that! Feel free to send photos and/or videos to
📧 ti****@******************en.com

We’ll also be posting new ads on TikTok. I’m currently catching up on existing ads, and once we’re up to date, your ad will be posted as soon as it goes live on the website.

Have content ideas or interesting Dexter facts to share? Photos, videos, and suggestions are always welcome, just send them to the email above.

Let’s show off our Dexter community! 🐄💚

We’re on TikTok! 🎉 @idc79807 Read More »

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The Irish Dexter Cattlemen Marketplace..have you tried a free ad?

Did you know that we have given everyone a free ad to try out the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Marketplace? That’s right! Give it a try!

I have found it a great place to produce a professional looking ad that can be shared anywhere.

Recently, we have tweaked some of the features to make it easier to use. The pictures are automatically resized to work with the system. No pre approval process. We can tweak it later if we need to. And also a team behind you that can help you make it what you want it to be.

Here are some recently posted ads. Check them out!

Red, Bull calf, polled

McCollum’s Moola
Butcher

The Irish Dexter Cattlemen Marketplace..have you tried a free ad? Read More »

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Announcing The Documents Vault

Irish Dexter Cattlemen is about farmers & Ranchers. A critical design feature of the website was to connect farmers & ranchers with each other using the latest technology. For example, whenever you list an item for sale in the MarketPlace, you instantly become connected to the buyers interested in your item. Buyers can directly message you and ask questions about the cow you have just listed. As the seller, you begin to collect the names and email addresses of all your potential buyers. This is one way farmers & ranchers become connected to each other..

Announcing the Documents Vault, a new way farmers & ranchers can share information with other farmers & ranchers, plus a unique way to dramatically simplify the sale and transfer of your Irish Dexter. In fact, you can use the Documents Vault to sell and transfer any item you have on the farm. The key feature is how it can share.

How Do I Access It?

Casual users browsing the Irish Dexter Cattlemen website, users who have registered for free on the website, and members who have registered and then have become members, all have access to the Documents Vault in increasingly feature rich ways depending on their chosen level.

To access the Documents Vault, mouse over Dashboards on the main menubar, then select My Documents Vault. If you are a casual user, this will open the Public Documents Vault containing folders and documents relevant for public viewing. If you are a registered user, this will open your Private Documents Vault where you can create you own personal folders where you can upload files and documents plus you will have acess to folders and files shared with you by other farmers & ranchers. If you are a member, you will have access to the same files and folders as do registered users plus you gain access to significantly more valuable documents that enhance your farming operation.

What is it? How can I use it?

The Documents Vault is no different than an ordinary file system except in one important way. It provides you with file and documents sharing. To begin, use the New button to create folders or upload files. In this example, a new folder was created and labeled Irish Dexters which you can see on the left under Dashboard. Clicking on this folder allowed for it to be opened and four more folders were created as you see above. Click on the Cows folder and here you can create a separate folder for each of your cows. Click on a specific cow’s folder and you can begin uploading the documents for that cow. What kind of documents? The system accepts Word documents Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, text files, pdf documents, images, and photos. This means you can upload a photo of your brucellosis certificate provided to you by your vet. Upload your cow’s registration certificate provided to you by your registrar. Upload the genetic tests provided by your genetics testing lab. Upload your cow’s photos. Collect all the documents as they occur. Use your smartphone to capture your documents. What’s the benefit? When time comes to sell your cow, or heifer, or bull, one simple click of the Share button transfers all your cow’s information to your new buyer. This is how you build value for your farm and your buyer will instantly see that your farm is where they want to buy more cows.

How do I share?

Click on the folder then click on the Share button. It’s as easy as that. In the Share window (shown above) you can enter the buyer’s email address (they must complete a free registration on the website first) and then choose how you want to share your folder. Your choices are View Only, View and Upload, or Full Access. Any folder or for that matter, any single document can be shared. Sharing does not remove the folder or document. You continue to have full access to it, just as before. This new tools makes it even easier to sell and transfer your Irish Dexters and you have a direct record of who bought your cow. They buyer has a direct record of where they bought each animal. They are sure to buy more from you again.

Summary

Your fundamental, underlying goal in the operation of your farm is to build value. The Documents Vault does just that. It keeps you organized and it demonstrates to your buyers a significantly higher degree of trust. They are assured that they get everything they bought. This means that your buyers will be contacting you first for all their future purchases. The example here was for your Irish Dexters, but anything on your farm can be documented and shared in the same way. Also, you can add new information on how you farm and capture information you think is valuable and easily share it with everyone at Irish Dexter Cattlemen by selecting All Users in the Share window. The Documents Vault is how Irish Dexter Cattlemen connects farmers & ranchers.

BECOME A MEMBER

Announcing The Documents Vault Read More »

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Affiliate Program

What Is An Affiliate?

If you are an Association with geographically disbursed members. If you are a farm or ranch retail business looking to expand your business. If you are a service catering to farmers and ranchers. If you are a registry searching for ways to promote your breed. Or perhaps you are a large breeder thinking about gaining broader attention. Then an Irish Dexter Cattlemen Affiliate Program is exactly what you need. First, take a look at our current Breeders, Affiliates, & Sponsors. You can click on any one of them and look at their Online Branding Store. Then, further below, you will find more details on the Affiliate Program.

Breeders, Affiliates, & Sponsors

Crest Point Farms Online

Since 2024
4 ads

Stay’N Put Farm Online

Since 2024
4 ads

Ashrons Acres

Since 2024
0 ads

Stumpys Acres

Since 2024
0 ads

Maple Creek Dexters

Since 2024
0 ads

Pipe Dreams Farm Butchery

Since 2025
0 ads

Hayburner Acres

Since 2025
0 ads

American Dexter Cattle Association

Since 2025
0 ads

Grandma's Dexter Farm

Since 2025
0 ads

DeVine Farms

Since 2025
0 ads

Purebred Dexter Cattle Association

Since 2025
1 ad

Bryn Mawr

Since 2026
0 ads

What geographic areas are covered by Irish Dexter Cattlemen?

Irish Dexter Cattlemen has members and subscribers predominantly all over the United States, Canada, and Mexico, We also cover the United Kingdom (England and Scotland), Ireland, South Africa, Brazile, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand.

What is the focus of Irish Dexter Cattlemen?

Irish Dexter Cattlemen focuses on farmers and ranchers to guide them in ways to be sustainable, productive, and profitable. This can include grazing, fencing, water resources, dairy production, milking, regenerative agriculture, organic practices, animal selection, equipment choices, increasing the value of your operation, the history of Dexter cattle, farm management, your herd health, branding &  selling your farm products, implementing technologies to assist you with your operation, and much more. 

Why should I become an Affiliate?

Associations, registries, retailers, and services can add significant value to our farmers and ranchers. That is exactly Irish Dexter Cattlemen's mission. The more we help you, the more we help our farmers & ranchers, many of whom buy, sell, raise, show, and promote Irish Dexter cattle.

How Does Irish Dexter Cattlemen Help You?

When you become an Irish Dexter Cattlemen Affiliate, you get:

    • An Online Branding Store
    • Instant Branding recognition
    • 200 Ads for one year
    • Sponsorship of every Tips & Trick Guide
    • Sponsorship of every current & past Deep Dive Podcast
    • A Private Newsletter for your group
    • Author permission to create your own articles for your own newsletter
    • A Private Documents Vault to store and share documents with your group
    • The upgrading of your lengthy material into new technology Flip Books
    Irish Dexter Cattlemen's mission is to leverage new technology in a manner useful to farmers and ranchers. Affiliates provide valuable services to these same farmers & ranchers. Understanding this, Irish Dexter Cattlemen strives to make these new technologies available to Affiliates so that they too can enhance their services and become more successful.
    As we evaluate and implement future technologies, how these technologies can be designed to be useful to Affiliates is at the top of our list. The ability to Share, the ability to share with members, the ability to share between farmers & ranchers is number one.

What is the Branding Store?

 

    The Irish Dexter Cattlemen Online Branding Store is how you tell your story about your operation or organization. Your Branding Store contains your logo, your banner, your organization's name, the link to your ecommerce store or your website, your contact information and phone number, all your social media links, your slogan, and your organization's description.
    You may want other people in your group to assist with creating your various story line ads and product ads. For this, the Branding Store provides a Manager Function where you invite members to become Branding Store Managers. These Managers can then assist with creating and publishing your ads.
    The Branding Store becomes your hub linking all your ads together. It's where you manage all your ads in one place.

How does the Marketplace Advertising work?

 

    When a farmer has an Irish Dexter for sale, or a pig for sale, or wants to sell his beef, or needs to sell a tractor, or has produced some soap for sale, or has milk to offer, they need an easy way to create an ad for their product. Plus, they are looking to reach the right buyer. Most importantly, they want the buyers who see their ad to communicate directly with them. All this is what the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Marketplace advertising system provides.
    Ads are easy, simple, fill-in-the blank forms. Every item on the farm has its own ad template that you select when you are creating your ad. Click on a few checkboxes, upload your photos, then write a sentence or two on the item you are selling. Click Publish and you get the widest exposure to exactly the people you most want to see your ad.
    Your ad instantly appears in the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Marketplace. But that's not all. Your ad is automatically published in the monthly Irish Dexter Cattlemen Tips & Tricks Guide distributed that month. Your ad is published in each Affiliate newsletter that is distributed that month.
    Once published, you can see the number of views you have gotten for your ad when you go to your free My Account Dashboard. Any decent technology should put you in direct contact with the buyer, and that's what the My Account Dashboard provides. Buyers can chat directly with you. You get email notifications of each chat message. The My Account Dashboard keeps a complete record of every chat exchange.
    The Irish Dexter Cattlemen Marketplace is an easy-to-use advertising system. It leverages your ad to get the greatest exposure possible using the Marketplace and expands it into multiple newsletters giving you the exposure you need.

What is the Tips & Tricks Guide?

 

    The Irish Dexter Cattlemen Tips & Tricks Guide is a monthly newsletter chuck full of valuable articles that are links to published material on the Internet. The newsletter is sent to subscribers in the United States, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa Brazile, Argentina, New Zealand, and Australia. The vast majority of subscribers are in the United States.
    The Irish Dexter Cattlemen Tips & Trick Guide is a free newsletter catering to farmers & ranchers, some experienced, many seeking for guidance on making their operations more sustainable, plus numerous folks dreaming of becoming a successful farmer. More and more of these folks are subscribing, supporting, and becoming members of Irish Dexter Cattlemen each month to such an extent that Irish Dexter Cattlemen is now the largest organization supporting them in the Irish Dexter world. The Irish Dexter Cattlemen Tips & Tricks Guide newsletter is the primary vehicle that reaches out to them each month.

Will my Online Branding Store be Published in the TIps & Tricks Guide?

Yes. The moment you publish your Online Branding Store, you get instant recognition with thousands of subscribers, readers, buyers, podcast listeners, and recipients of the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Tips & Trick Guide newsletter. Every Irish Dexter Cattlemen Tips & Trick Guide will publish your Branding Store logo. Every Affiliate private newsletter will publish your Branding Store logo. Every podcast in the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Gazette will publish your Branding Store logo. These subscribers, listeners, and readers are the very people you are most wanting to reach. They are experienced farmers. or knowledgeable ranchers, or new to farming, or the folks who dream of becoming farmers. Every click on your published logo will display your Branding Store and all your published Ads. This is what your Online Branding Store can do for you.

What is the Documents Vault and why is it important?

 

    Every farmer and rancher has critical documents about their operation. Too often these documents are spread across their own desktop, tablet, and cell phone, siloed away. Their farms are frequently small homesteads.
    Farmers stive to manage a successful business by working hard on the farm, and usually off the farm in order to support it. Once every year or perhaps every two years, a critical event occurs that generates important income for their operation. A buyer and seller come together to enact a transaction.
    Wouldn't it be nice if that transaction were to occur simply, smoothly, and efficiently to the benefit of both the buyer and seller? Now it can. This is the fundamental function of the Documents Vault.
    How does it work? The farmer creates a folder on his newborn calf. Registration papers and certificates are upload to this folder. Calf photos of birth, nursing on its mom, taking its first run across the pasture, head butting its sire to establish dominance are all uploaded. Genetic tests are performed, and the results get uploaded to the calf's folder. The sire has his folder. The dam has her folder. The vet is called, and their work gets uploaded. The buyer calls and has their questions. The sale occurs, the brand inspector provides their paperwork, the Bill of Sale is created, and all this is uploaded.
    Now the magic of the Documents Vault occurs. The seller asks the buyer to register with IrishDexterCattlemen.com. Then the seller selects the calf's folder and shares it to the buyer with read and write permissions. The sire's folder and dam's folder is shared to the buyer with read only permissions. The Documents Vault has created such an unprecedented level of trust with the buyer that they will become the seller's repeat customer and best word-of-mouth advertiser. This is the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Documents Vault and why it is so important.
    Sure, this can be done on your own desktop, or tablet, or phone. What's so special about the Documents Vault is that folders and documents can be all shared with your buyer in such a way that you retain all your documents on the sire, on the dam, and even on the sold calf. Plus, you will see what the buyer adds to the calf's shared folder. The buyer will see all the new documents you add to the sire and dam folders without the buyer being able to change them. This method of sharing makes all the difference and is unique in the word of agriculture.

How can I use the Documents Vault?

The Documents Vaut is designed to be a sharing platform. You can create your own group's private folders. Then upload your Word, pdf, Excel spreadsheet, PowerPoint presentation, photos, or text documents to each folder you create. Once completed, this is where sharing becomes so important and valuable. Each folder, or even each document within each folder can be shared with anyone or everyone, in your group. Board members can have their private folders. Officers can have separate folders. Team members can store their team documents in the team's folders. Finally, certain folders and files can be shared with the entire group. If you have historical files that need to be shared, some kept private and many to be shared with your group, this is the perfect solution for you.

What is the Deep Dive Podcast

Every month, the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Deep Dive Podcast team produces an audio podcast that becomes published on Spotify and on the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Gazette. Anyone visiting IrishDexterCattlemen.com can click on Gazette in the top menubar, and then click Podcasts to listen to any of our published Deep Dive Podcasts. Each of these podcasts will take an often difficult, complex subject and do a deep dive to explain and discuss it in a friendly, positive, easy to understand way. On Spotify, you can search Irish Dexter Cattlemen and find the podcasts there. More and more, people are using their smartphones to listen to and get their news. Podcasts are a perfect way to get to folks who either already have Irish Dexter cattle or who want to become Irish Dexter cattle farmers.

Can Affiliates Request Podcast Topics?

Yes. You can send us your request, and our Deep Dive Podcast team will look at producing it. Podcasts are first published to Spotify, where you can review it.  A posting to the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Relational Multimedia Database will then be done with your group's tag so that the podcast is included in your newsletter.

Will my Branding Store be a Sponsor of Podcasts? 

Yes. The moment you publish your online Branding Store, every current, and every past Deep Dive Podcast in the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Multimedia Relational Database, called the Gazette, will automatically display you as a Sponsor giving you instant brand recognition. Your Online Branding Store logo will appear immediately below each Deep Dive Podcast. Listeners can click on your logo which will take them to your Online Branding Store where they can learn more about what you do and see all your current Ads that have been posted to the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Marketplace. Your online Branding Store will include your link to your website, your phone number, and a way they can direct message you.

Affiliates get our own private Newsletter?

Yes. A newsletter template is created for you. At the top is your logo and the name of your newsletter. Below this is the General section that will contain all your private General postings. A General posting can be, for example, a flip Book of your group's Journal, or your important announcements., or reminders to everyone. The General section is followed by the articles you have chosen for your group. If you don't have time to write original content, then you can browse thru the Gazette containing hundreds of articles, searchable by topic, and categorize these to be included with your newsletter. Every Affiliate newsletter will contain a list of Sponsors and a list of classified listings for sale.  You can tell your group that their advertisements in the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Marketplace will be included in each newsletter.  You choose the frequency for sending each newsletter.  When you are ready, drafts will be sent to you first to approve. The final is then emailed to each person in your group. If anyone in your group decides they would prefer to not receive your newsletter, they can unsubscribe the bottom of each newsletter. One significant benefit of having your own newsletter is if anyone in your group falls off your group's rolls, they will continue to receive your newsletter. We do not remove them from our subscriber list. This means you can market your service to everyone in your current group and to every past member of your group. You provide us with your group's name and email address list on a frequent basis so that new members will be added to your group. The system will automatically handle any duplicates.

Can Affiliates Create Our Own Articles?

Yes. Just let us know who you want to be designated as an article Author. Your articles can be private to just your members for inclusion in your newsletter or made public.

What's An Irish Dexter Cattlemen Flip Book?

The Irish Dexter Cattlemen Flip Book Generator System is a way to take flat pdf files and re-create them into beautiful online new technology books that visually appear as books with pages that flip just like a physical book. It works on desktops, laptops, tablets, and phones.  Readers can resize these books on the fly to zoom in, zoom out, or be full screen if desired. Flip Books can be searched.  Readers can share your Flip Book with anyone on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp Instagram, Pinterest, or via email.

Can You Convert My  Stuff Into Flip Books?

Yes. In most circumstances, anything you provide can be reformatted to a pdf file which is used as input to the Filp Book Generation System. It will automatically scan your file for Internet address URL links and email addresses and then activate them to be clickable links in the output Flip Book.

Can My Newsletters Publish My Flip Books? 

Yes. A general posting can be created for you that includes your Flip Book. This posting is positioned at the top of your newsletter. If your group produces a periodic document such as a quarterly Journal, then we can update this posting as you require. 

How Do I Sign Up to be an Affiliate?

Signing up means that you have identified a group email address where all system messages will be sent, such as Ad expiration notices, notices of chat requests, and emails from the Ads you have placed. This group email address is then registered on IrishDexterCattlemen.com resulting in the creation of your new My Account that appears under Dashboards on the top menubar after logging in with this new email address. Finally, open your My Account and select "You can buy a membership from here" located at the bottom of the My Account Dashboard. Clicking on "here" will open the membership selector page where you can select and pay for the Affiliate Package. You will need to use your group's credit card or bank ATM card to complete this transaction. We will be notified and will start the setup process for your Affiliate account.

What do I Need to do After I Sign Up?

Provide us with your logo, a banner image for your Branding Store and newsletter, provide us your login username (usually your email address), give us the name for your newsletter, and provide us the names and email addresses of everyone you want to receive your newsletter in Comma Separated Values (CVS) format.

How Much Does All This Cost?

$250 per year using your group's credit card or your bank's ATM card. The Irish Dexter Cattlemen system will automatically charge your account each year and provide you reminders.

What Happens If I Stop Being An Affiliate?

If you choose to stop your automatic annual Affiliate membership, your Online Branding Store will expire, and your primary login will be paused. This means your Branding Store will no longer show as a Store in the Stores Dashboard on the Irish Dexter Cattlemen website. Your branding Store will no longer appear as a sponsor of the Irish Dexter Cattlemen Tips & Ticks Guide. Your Branding Store will no longer appear in any other Affiliate's newsletter. Your Branding Store will no longer appear on any podcasts. Your future private newsletters will not be published.  You will no longer be able to upload additional documents to your primary Documents vault. Nothing will be deleted, such as your articles, your Documents Vault folders and stored documents, your podcasts, your flipbooks, your past newsletters will remain, and your members will continue to be able to access everything.

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