Information on Irish Dexter beef
With all the talk about marbling and beef tenderness, here is something to consider…marbling does not equal tenderness…taste yes…tenderness no. And selecting for easy keepers can be a great step selecting the best beef from your herd.
All about Dexter cattle
HOMESTEADING with Dexter Cattle Read More »
Homesteading
Renown chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oilver, indicate they’ve found something better…and just like diamonds… it comes in small packages. Introducing Dexter cattle.
https://www.thenorthcoastranch.com/blog/4-reasons-our-grass-fed-beef-tastes-uncommonly-delicious
Why Dexter Cattle? Read More »
BeefDexters have long been promoted the same way time and time again, “Docile and Hardy little cattle, dubbed the smallholder’s cow because of their ability to exist on about half the acreage of other cattle.” This is the niche market of a Dexter. They are well suited to beginners because they can endure a bit of accidental neglect from new owners and be a great fit for people who have small acreage. Today when large acreage is becoming increasingly expensive in many areas, but people are feeling a strong draw to get back to the country, the small acreage Dexter cow is the most perfect sell point. This is a Hallmark of the breed and one that should be promoted.
Dexter cattle are also a good fit for people who need a smaller amount of both meat and milk, but yet they are still “renowned for the quality and quantity of their milk, second only in butterfat content to the famous jersey, and for small lean beef joints of excellent flavor”. There are other breeds than Jersey that outperform Dexters in cream content but usually they are not breeds that produce a good quantity of milk. The Highland for instance produces about 10% butterfat, but for its larger size produces quite a bit less by volume for its size. This is why the Dexter is an all-around great little cow.
The current average amount of people in a US family today is 3.15, so in a small 3-person household butchering a Dexter steer goes a very long way. As Dexter beef producers we will have a much easier time selling whole or halves to people. This avoids having to get a USDA certified meat facility which in some areas could save you more money on butchering costs. Many people are more accustomed to the idea of buying meat in a smaller quantity when they need or want it. With smaller sides you can market to people to be able to only fill a portion of their chest freezer and have space left over for other things. If you have a larger family that enjoys eating lots of beef and drinking more milk, no problem, enjoy the benefit of growing out a larger herd with more Dexters!
This article was written 09 July 1992, and you will see the addition of dun is mentioned to the original color of black and red. Dun was added to the allowable Dexter colors and today many people never knew that black and red are the only 2 original colors.
Written By Danielle of Bryn Mawr
The Dexter: The SmallHolder’s Cow Read More »
HistoricalBy Shelley Hatfield/Whippoorwill Pines Farm
Spring is a beautiful time of the year!! All the new babies, flowers popping their heads up showing off their colors, everyone itching to get their hands in the dirt!! But that also brings some problems if you have cows. Here are a few things that I have found that make spring not so great.
First thing, with the crazy swings in the weather temps, you need to watch your cows for pneumonia. This is a hard thing to notice but if you keep watch you can start learning the signs. One of the signs is lower head, their sides are “thumping” (meaning catching their breath), not alot of energy. I had a steer go down and die the next day. He had eaten the night before and looked fine. But he was gone the next morning. I asked the vet if I was doing something wrong. She told me that it really doesn’t matter, it’s the big swings in the weather. They have shelter, water and food.
Keeping watch is one thing, but there is also a vaccine that you can give them once or twice a year to help with that. It is a BRD vaccine. Check with your vet to see if that is something that you want to give your cattle.
We have talked about the mud before, but we will mention it again. Make sure that your cattle don’t have to stand in the mud all the time. That is something that can keep them from staying warm in the spring weather. Make sure that they have a dry place to lay down.
I’m not an expert, but I have learned some things along the way. Some of those things I have learned the hard way….lol These are just some things that I have learned on this journey of raising cattle.
Welcome to Spring: Read More »
BeefTry this quick (30 minute) and easy beef recipe for dinner tonight:
Mongolian Beef Recipe Read More »
BeefEnjoy this video from 1949 to see what a common herd of Dexters may have looked like at that time. It would be interesting to see what observations new people to the breed would take away from the video if they were to compare them to many Dexters now available for purchase.
Understanding where Your Dexters came from will Give you a vision for their future. Read More »
HistoricalPoor Man’s Cow to Luxury Cow
How did the Poor Man’s Cow become owned by the wealthy and famous. Dexters and Kerry Cattle became recognized for their unique hardy attributes, Kerry for milk and Dexter for milk and meat. Dexters were known to get by on less, produce rich milk and raise a healthy vigorous calf for their owner’s table. Dexters were bred to their breed specific traits transforming them from just any poor Irish cows to these 2 beautiful, registered Dexter cows we see in these two later photos.
They were rare and they were at risk of being cross bred out of existence, but breeders in Ireland started selecting and registering Dexter cattle with breed defining traits to preserve and register them in a herd book. Once the promotion of Dexters began every wealthy aristocrat wanted one. All of a sudden, they were not the Poor Man’s cow but rather for a short spell until the numbers grew, cattle that only the wealthy could afford. Consider as this article states a $200 dollar Dexter cow from 1915. This is the equivalent of $6221.78. I checked multiple inflation calculators to verify that number as being correct. With the highest price the ad mentions at $350 in 1915, you would pay $10,936.81 today! Consider today we pay less for quality breeding stock. Rarity always drives the price up and just like with the rarity of gold it dictates the price.
Registered cows were important then and today. Registered Dexters will always hold a higher value than unregistered. Still with Dexters it took devoted breeders to breed Dexters according to the Dexter Standard to the highest quality like the 2 cows you see in the photographs. Not every Dexter cow was nearly as ideal as these two beauties. Compton Daphne, I speculate is a Chondro Carrier while Grinstead Watercress I speculate to be a non-carrier. Of course, we can never go back and test them so it’s just speculation. Both are extremely well bred and both fit the standard well.
So, as you can see Dexters are a dual-purpose breed that can be bred by multiple types of people regardless of fortune because they are a great pick for everyone. Whether you’re a small homesteader trying to save money with a thrifty headache free cow or someone who just wants to raise them as beautiful lawn mowers true Dexters are a great fit for these reasons and so many more!
30 Jan 1915 is the date of article written.
Photo of cattle in town are common type of Celtic cow that roamed Ireland.
Other two photos are of registered Dexters.
Dexters – Poor Man’s Cow to Luxury Cow By Danielle Lowther Read More »
HistoricalDexters are better at foraging for their food, live long, produce well and rear about 10 calves or more, during their lifetime. Because they are small cattle, you can stock more cattle per acre than you would with conventional cattle breeds.
Dexter Cattle – Ideal Small Cattle Breed for Homesteads and Small Farms Read More »
HomesteadingThere are some good pointers in this short video. Always breed for duality and you will have a Dexter herd that meets all of your needs.
Please keep in mind many don’t like the term mini cow being applied to our breed, as they are the smallest breed in the world.
Dexter are perfect for the Homesteader Read More »
HomesteadingThe Wranglers at Irish Dexter Cattlemen are pleased to announce that we have a butcher on our team now! The folks at PipeDreams Butchery, located near Memphis TN, will be writing articles, doing videos and more. They are familiar with Dexters, as they used own them, milk them and breed them.
They are active on our Facebook group, so if you have a question about processing and post it…don’t be surprised if they answer you. If you have things that you would covered from a butchers perspective, please let us know and we will try to get it covered for you. All contributions, will first appear in the free monthly newsletter and then be archived in the membership Gazzette.
We personally use them for all our processing and are very happy with our cuts, the feedback on our animals and extra services including sausages, ancestral beef, smoking and curing. Very excited to have them participating in our beef community!
A good read on the current cattle market trends. Understand the market so you can adjust your sales prices and purchases for maximum yield.
Cattle Worth More than Diamonds Read More »
Farm ManagementSt. Patricks Day is coming up, and what better way to celebrate the day than with some home cooked, Dexter corned beef! The link below is to a recipe I’ve been using for several years with great success. Corning is a traditional way of curing beef meat. It does take time, so you want to give yourself 5-7 days. This recipe does not use curing (also called pink) salt so it is nitrate free. You can add beets if you’d like the traditional color, or leave them out for just as tasty (though less colorful) corned beef.
https://www.growforagecookferment.com/how-to-make-corned-beef/
Corned Beef Recipe Read More »
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Homesteading
I kinda want to go back to the beginning. We are getting several new Dexter owners and several people asking questions. So I will post some articles on getting started. These articles aren’t necessarily directed to Dexter cattle in particular, but the basics are the same.
First of all, you do need to decide what you are wanting to do with your Dexters. Since they are a dual purpose breed, you need to decide the most important thing you are wanting out of these cattle. I’m not saying this has to be forever, but you do need to decide what your main goal is for raising these cattle. Then you can go from there later on. Secondly, you need to decide what your property will hold. This is VERY important. In this you need to decide which direction your farm is going, grass fed, mostly grass fed with some grain, or grain fed. It may seem overwhelming at first, but just take one thing at a time. You can change your mind as you go and see what works for your farm and what doesn’t. Don’t get overwhelmed!!
Next a good water source will be needed. Either by running lines, running hoses, putting in automatic waterers. Cows need a good grass source and good clean water. Some people let their cows use their ponds. That is fine as long as the pond doesn’t have a run off. Cows can also damage a pond by pushing in the dirt as they stand in it and filling it back up. Unless you have a deep pond.
Another thing that I have found to be very important is to have ample equipment for holding them. You need a good chute. It doesn’t always have to be a fancy set up. If you can afford one that is great, but you need a good head chute. You can make an alley way to it with panels or fencing. A good head chute is vital to being able to inspect or service your cattle.
A good mentor is very very helpful!!! Find someone who has raised cattle, particularly Dexters and learn everything you can from them. Our website will be very helpful in that area. You can find other Dexter owners. We also have lots of information that is helpful, in several different areas.
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Reducing the need for feed means fewer methane emissions, which is attractive to companies like McDonald’s
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Hybrid products that combine actual meat with veggies or pea protein could become a thing
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BeefBy Eliena Bodtke, Stay’N Put Farm
Since many of us are homesteaders or practice some kind of preserving, I thought I would take a moment to discuss an alternative to canning, pressure canning and dehydrating.
Are you scratching your head, thinking where is she going with this?
Consider freeze drying. While the initial cost seems daunting, it really is an excellent way to preserve your Dexter milk, yogurts, cheeses, colostrum and beef for 25 YEARS! Think about when you’re over loaded with one veggie or another during gardening season. The veggies, herbs or eggs when they are abundant, can be frozen and put into the freeze dryer anytime. We still can and pressure can, but this gives us a whole new option.
We purchased a medium Harvest Right about a year and half ago and have been amazed at all the things we can preserve….it is less time consuming and in our opinion, and better quality product in many cases.
Canning of dairy is frowned upon by the USDA and in some cases consider unsafe, although people do it. Freeze drying on the other hand, processes the dairy at lower temperatures and therefore does not pasteurize it…so if raw is your goal, it is good alternative. If you pasteurize, you still follow the same method. We pour a quart of milk on each tray and let the machine do its thing. We have done it both with cream in and cream out…the choice is yours. We find it needs to be blended when reconstituted, or another favorite is dry in our coffee, just like coffee creamer!
If you’re into selling, freeze dried milk and other products can be a good source income. Take a look at the price of powdered milk in the store! It is not uncommon to see freeze dried milk for $30-40 a gallon. Let’s clarify this. One gallon of freezer dried milk reconstituted into one gallon of drinkable milk…almost quadruples in price.
And don’t forget your Dexter beef! Consider this scenario….you have some cuts left from your last processing and you would really like to eat it before you get into the next one. Well, freeze dry it and then you have preserved it for 25 years. It makes great gifts, as it is so light to ship.
How do you use this freeze dried beef? We like to pour some of our Dexter bone broth over it. Let it sit in refrigerator over night and then use it in the next day or so. The beef will only absorb as much broth as it can. It doesn’t get mushy, which can happen with veggies. Cook with it like you usually do.
Hope this article helps you on your farm, ranch or homestead. I just love this technology and thought I would share.
Preserving irish dexter dairy & beef Read More »
Milking & Dairy
Bone broth elevates dishes with rich flavor and nutritional value
https://miniature-cattle.com/documents/bone-broth-collagen_mercola.pdf
Bone Broth: Nature’s Collagen Supplement Submitted By Donna Grace Read More »
Beef Homesteading
Keeping your cattle healthy during the stress of colder winter temperatures is easy.
https://www.beefmagazine.com/cattle-health/how-to-keep-your-cowherd-healthy-this-winter
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