Tag: Dairy
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DEXTER OR JERSEY? CHOOSING THE RIGHT COW FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD.
Interesting joint video on the merits of the two breeds.
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CALF SHARING
Here is an interesting approach to calf sharing. We do a much similar approach, which works really well for us and our Dexters.
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Importance Of Horns In Dairy
This is an interesting read about horns and their possible importance to the dairy cow. Wonder if this holds true in our Dexters that we milk? https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377750796_Importance_of_horns_in_dairy_cattle
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Cattle Marketing Podcast – Reach Your Target Market and Boost Profits
Cattle Marketing Podcast – Reach Your Target Market and Boost Profits [embedpress embedpress_embeded_link=’https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ZDdhDo6DVmmoJQ4IHBgPf?si=dDL_Zg0ZTeW-dD5xbOkmpA’ prefix_nftcreator=’false’ prefix_nftprice=’false’ prefix_nftlastsale=’false’ label_nftbutton=’false’ loadmorelabel=’false’ label_nftrank=’false’ label_nftdetails=’false’ instafeedFollowBtnLabel=’false’ instafeedPostsCountText=’false’ instafeedFollowersCountText=’false’ instafeedPopupFollowBtnLabel=’false’ instafeedLoadmoreLabel=’false’ cPopupButtonText=’false’ adWidth=’false’ adHeight=’false’ adStart=’false’ adSkipButtonAfter=’false’ embedpress_protection_message=’false’ embedpress_lock_content_error_message=’false’ embedpress_password_placeholder=’false’ embedpress_submit_button_text=’false’ embedpress_submit_Unlocking_text=’false’ embedpress_lock_content_heading=’false’ embedpress_lock_content_sub_heading=’false’ embedpress_lock_content_footer_message=’false’ width=’1060′ height=’352′ ep_parallax_effects_transition_for=’false’ ep_parallax_effects_transition_duration=’false’ ep_parallax_effects_transition_easing=’false’ embedpress_pro_embeded_source=’default’ instafeedFeedType=’false’ instafeedAccountType=’false’ embedpress_pro_embeded_nft_type=’false’ embedpress_audio_video_auto_pause=’false’ spotify_theme=’false’ emberpress_custom_player=’false’ custom_payer_preset=’false’ embedpress_pro_video_start_time=’false’ embedpress_pro_youtube_end_time=’false’ embedpress_player_color=’false’ embedpress_pro_vimeo_auto_play=’false’…
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UDDER CARE. HOW TO AVOID FROST BITE OR DAMAGE
Spring is right around the corner, but for many you are still dealing with cold and snow. Caring for a dairy cow during the winter can be a challenge, but it doesn’t need to be insurmountable! Teats chap and freeze when wind-chills are at zero and below. You may choose not to post dip at…
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COULD THIS BE TRUE FOR DEXTERS?
The study below show that there are differences in the milk produced for boys and girls. Could this be true for our Dexters we are miking…and note what it says if there are two girls in a row! This could be very interesting to study. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/boys-and-girls-may-get-different-breast-milk
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9 reasons for Dexters on your Homestead
Dexter owners should check out #5,6,7,8,13,19,27,28,30 all have to do with products from our wonderful breed!
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Is milk production like egg production? Submitted by Janelle Soja, Royal Fare Farm, OH
Maybe this is why we get less milk in the winter months? https://www.bovinevetonline.com/news/education/light-can-have-huge-impact-milk-production
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“Dairy Breed” Champion Dexter Bull Atlantic Spratt
Dexter Cattle put a high emphasis on dairy traits and beef traits equally. Thoughtful breeders were honing these Irish cattle to excel in both capacities. One of the ways they were doing this, was by selecting bulls from dams with known milk records. Pedigree information is interesting to reflect on when you see repeated names…
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LET’S TALK CREAM AND DEXTERS
Here is an interesting article from a fellow Dexter milker, Michele Parsley. Real facts about how it varies and why. Don’t forget, some of our cream stays behind and never completely separates, making two incredible products, cream and still some pretty creamy milk for drinking or making something else. Celebrate your Dexter milk and cream!…
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No Udder, No Cow!
The old saying “No feet, no cow” is a phrase that denotes the importance of a cow’s ability to walk. Without good feet there can be no cow to stand on them, thus causing peril to the health of the cow. No Udder, no cow could be a similar maximum, denoting the importance of the…
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From Freezer Camp to the Milk Pail: Maggie’s Story
How “Accidental” Breeding Created a Little Black Cull Heifer that Turned into One of the Best Milk Cows in the World… The year was 2015, and I had never touched a cow before buying one. I had read every book I could find and devoured countless online articles about cattle, but I had absolutely zero…
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Is Your Dexter Udder Hairy?
Let’s face facts. Some of our Dexter gals have some pretty hairy udders. All that hair is not something we want if we are trying to milk them and provide a clean product. I use these handy dandy scissors pictured below, but some folks also use electric clippers, as in the short video below. What…
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Enhancing Milk Let-Down
The benefits of ensuring milk letdown has occurred include improved milking efficiency and max milk production. https://www.dairynz.co.nz/milking/fundamentals/enhancing-milk-let-down/
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How Can A Milk Cow Pay for Herself?
We now know that paying top dollar will come back to us. We no longer look at price. A healthy cow will give us many lactations to come.
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Historically looking at the Dexter milk properties!
Many may not know that the Dexter at one time was known to have milking properties of equal merit as the Kerry, a known dairy breed, though they are a dual-purpose breed. Mr. R Tait Robertson was to of said ” The milking properties of both breeds may be said to be of about equal…
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Top Homesteading Breed!
Too bad the photo of the top pick wasn’t used! Milk, meat and oxen….none of the other breeds listed are known for all three!
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Pasteurization …The History Behind it.
Pasteurization is a personal choice! This history behind is interesting. Seems like the movement now is for smaller homestead dairies, selling to local folks. Give a listen, she gives many perspectives!
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Need Help Pricing Your Dairy Products? By Sunstone Orchard & Rabbitry.
Knowing the value of your milk, can help you value the products you make from your milk. Here is one person’s breakdown. There is a wide range of raw milk dairy prices across the board, but how do you know your prices make sense based off a gallon of milk? Here is a simple breakdown…
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Dexters ARE Irish and Proud of It
Dexters are well known as Irish Dexters even if many other points about them are debated. The above bull though registered with the Dexter Cattle Society is an Irish Dexter with a “fine type and constitution” as the article states. I checked, he certainly was owned and breed by Mr. W. Lindsay Everard of Ratcliffe.…
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Lying out all winter long, Getting nothing more than what they can pick up and a small portion of hay Night and Morning.
Dexters have long been hailed as hardy and thrifty even adaptable to locations from Africa to snow laden areas. This article I am sharing was written by R. Tait Robertson; he was a famous and most influential Dexter breeder for his day. He was not just any armature Dexter owner, since he was a foundational…
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The Dexter: The SmallHolder’s Cow
Great for Small Acreage Dexters 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…
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How much of your Dexter do you use?
This is an interesting article on how people are returning to the old ways and using more and more of their processed beef. Healthier alternatives are growing in your pastures! https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2025/08/cowmaxxing-wellness-cow-tallow/683826
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BLV….Bovine Leukosis Virus…an opinion from an experienced, large dairy cattle breeder.
Juliette is a regular contributor to the Irish Dexter Cattlemen and has a FB page that she manages to help all cattle owners. https://www.facebook.com/juliette.albrecht.2025?
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Raw Milk Summit in Tennessee
There was a Raw Milk Summit in Bon Aqua, TN. Several guest speakers included politicians, local producers and Dr. Ken Berry. This video is of the organizer Dawn Gorham of The Gorham Homestead. She has an interesting story and message for people who are trying to sell their milk thru herd shares in Tennessee. You…
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Man vs Machine When Milking a Cow
I believe that you should learn to hand milk your Dexters and other dairy animals. For me the journey was to master hand milking. I moved on to a machine after I was milking several Nubians and Dexters. My body was telling me I needed help. I have never regretted this, as you have to…
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Preserving Irish Dexter Dairy and Beef
By 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…
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Liquid Gold Trend!
Make sure you’re collecting it! Submitted by Katie Sears https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/27/health/colostrum-supplements-pros-cons-wellness/index.html
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The Dual Purpose Dexter And The Kerry History
How much dairy should we put in to a Dual purpose Dexter cow. If you were to consult the English herd books they would say 40 percent for the “Bag” with the remaining percents being 15 for the “Head and neck”, 25 for the “Body, top line, under-line, ribs, setting of the tail, shortness of…
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HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF BOVRE?
This the name used to describe chèvre cultured cow milk. Traditionally made chèvre is done with goat milk, but the process can be made with cow and sheep milk also. When made with sheep milk it is called brebis. We have experienced all three and love each of them. Give it a try and see…