Looking for Sustainability Podcast – Consider the Irish Dexter History
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Podcastsbeef
Information on Irish Dexter beef
Cattle Marketing Podcast – Reach Your Target Market and Boost Profits
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Podcasts
Better Beef Starts in the Soil
“The statement “you are what you eat” is actually a biologically correct concept akin to bioaccumulation, in which the nutrients at the bottom of a food chain carry through organism after organism, increasing in concentration as they reach the top of the chain…”
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Beef
Beef That Will Blow Your Mind
There are plenty more recognizable and branded breeds for beef, but are they the best? I would argue they are not. Am I wrong? Maybe you should taste for yourself…
Beef That Will Blow Your Mind Read More »
Beef
Beef with a story to it: Niche market for ranch-raised beef on the rise
Direct beef purchases from the farm continue to be an emerging trend as consumers want to know both the story and faces behind the products they are purchasing, according to an expert.
Beef with a story to it: Niche market for ranch-raised beef on the rise Read More »
Selling
Do you know how to do a tail stick to get blood for Pregnancy and Tenet Beef testing?
Here is a video that Nancy Bowers, Lonestar Ranch did on blood testing one her Dexters. This the same technique that you will need for testing for Tenet beef tenderness, except you will need much less….lol.
I have sent in 7 tenet tenderness tests to see if our Dexters have this genetic trait. Unlike other testing this is not done on scale and there is no comparison to other breeds. It’s either there or not there.
I truly believe that the tenderness of the beef is correlated to milk and that is sooo important in our dual purpose breed. We are working with them to prove this theory!
I have included what the cards look like, the paperwork that is needed…note it is very little. You can pay on line or send in a check. It is better for the lab if you pay with a check, so that they don’t loose the processing fee, but they are very accommodating.
Do you know how to do a tail stick to get blood for Pregnancy and Tenet Beef testing? Read More »
General Selling
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 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.
Quality and Quantity of their Milk and Beef
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.
Great for Small and Big families alike
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 »
Historical
Beyond Meat Better than Dexter Beef?
When Beyond Meat (NASDAQ: BYND) went public, there was a broad belief that people wanted meatless meat. It was healthier than meat. It was better for the environment. Beef cattle give off huge amounts of methane. McDonald’s even partnered with Beyond Meat to create a McPlant sandwich.
Key Points
- People Don’t Want Meatless Meat
- Beyond Meat’s Stock Has Collapsed
Beyond Meat Better than Dexter Beef? Read More »
Beef
5 Tips For Finishing Cattle on Grass
Beef producers can realize major price premiums for grass-fed, pasture-raised, or local meat.
5 Tips For Finishing Cattle on Grass Read More »
Beef
Advantages of Marketing Your Beef Directly
Small-scale livestock producers who direct market their animals or their products have more control over variable market prices and can increase their profit potential.
Advantages of Marketing Your Beef Directly Read More »
Selling
Grassroots Marketing for Farms: 5 Ways To Reach Customers
As a farmer, you’re a growth expert. You can turn seeds into delicious produce, coax a bountiful harvest from even the poorest of soil, and take livestock from scrawny to hefty.
But for financial success, you also need to become an expert in growing your customer base.
Grassroots Marketing for Farms: 5 Ways To Reach Customers Read More »
Selling
Perfect Grilled Steak
My favorite thing about summer – easy meals on the grill. This steak with herbed butter is delicious! Especially when made with Dexter beef.
https://iowagirleats.com/perfect-grilled-steak-with-herb-butter/
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Beef
Dexter Beef – The Taste Test
I had never tasted Dexter meat previously, so I was very keen to sink my teeth into a nice steak. The first thing I noticed was the flavor. It reminded me of what beef used to taste like when I started as a butcher, 50 years ago.
https://butchermagazine.com/dexter-beef/https://butchermagazine.com/dexter-beef/
Submitted by Pam B
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Beef
Tips For Starting A Homestead
Check out number 12! Dexters can make that happen….
Tips For Starting A Homestead Read More »
Homesteading
Filling the summer forage gap
Valerie Tate shares management solutions, including planting warm-season annual forages such as pearl millet and sorghum-sudangrass
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Farm Management
Game Changer – Genetic Tenderness Testing
This morning I just received my package from Callipyge Genetics Lab in Selah, Washington. This is very exciting because it could be a game changer.
The package is from W.F. Hendrix, DBA (Doing Business As) Callipyge Genetics, LLC. The first thing I noticed is it cost $2.04 to send it to me in Calfornia, which is just south of Washington State. I ordered a set of 25 Tenet Certification Cards for $47.50, including postage, from their website April 22, 2025 and they were able to ship it May 9th. So, they have to be really busy.
If you recall, in last month’s Irish Dexter Cattlemen Tips & Tricks Guide, April 2025 Issue, Jeff Reusser, Royal Fare Farm submitted an article titled, “Who Knew Tenderness is Directly Correlated to Easy Keeper“. If you haven’t read the article, just click on the tittle. This article is about predicting exceptional beef tenderness with 100% accuracy. Now that’s exactly what I am looking for!
Our ranch started in 2009 by purchasing 3 Irish Dexters, a bull, a cow, and one male calf. Right away I knew what we would be doing with that calf. Much to our surprise, the day it was being slaughtered on our farm, the guy preparing the steer to be delivered to the butcher looked at our pasture and declared, “This is going to be great tasting beef” Boy was he right. Not only did it have an amazing taste, but it was tender too. Over the years I have learned the techniques to insure the best tasting grass fed, grass finished beef by carefully monitoring the grass they eat. But what good it it to have the best tasting beef when chewing on tack room leather? Both taste and tenderness are critical if you are going to provide a product folks really love. Testing for tenderness? Now that’s a game changer.
After a bit of tugging and pulling, I was able to open the package without cutting it. Sure enough, inside were twenty-five “Tenet Beef” cards. Each one labeled with their logo, bar coded, and included their website address, www.tenetbeef.com.
On the back of each card is space to write your Ranch Name and Date. The next line down is for the Animal ID. Then the third line is for a 15 digit EID number. Below this is another bar code, which is the same bar code on the front of the card. Every card has its own unique bar code.
Opening the card, things get a little tricky. There is a list of three things to do and the first thing to do on the list is a globsmack.
- Fill the ENTIRE circle with blood – Yup! That’s what it says. How am I suppose to do that? I got this bull. It’s got horns. It’s got WILD eyes. You want me to do WHAT? That’s not a small circle!
Stay tuned. There maybe more to come. Honey, were we serious about doing this testing thing?
Game Changer – Genetic Tenderness Testing Read More »
Beef
Barbacoa Recipe
The weather is getting warmer, you’re busy outside and need something easy for dinner. Throw a Dexter chuck roast in the slow cooker and dinner is served! Make a bowl, a burrito or tacos – you can’t go wrong!
https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/copycat-chipotle-barbacoa-slow-cooker-low-carb-paleo/
Breed standard…Detailed English Dexter Breed standard that well defines Dexters unique traits.
Breed Standards define breeds so that people know what unique traits the breed possess. Dexters were known to have extremely fine quality beef, it turns out that the original genetics Dexters process may actually help them to have finer quality beef because they have “skin that should be soft and mellow, and handle well, not too thin, hair fine, plentiful and silky”. Consider this quote from the first screen shot “This cow has a very soft supple skin with short sleek shiny, silky hair. She has a well developed gland system. Note the wrinkles in the skin. The softer the hide the closer the wrinkles are.” This well describes Dexters, they have both good overall butterfat and fine textured meat, and they are wearing the signs, if properly bred on their backs. Another good reason to not deviate away from the original Dexter breed standard.
Dry-Aging – Why It’s Important
Dry-aging is a key factor in creating high flavor profiles in your beef.
Dry-Aging – Why It’s Important Read More »
Beef
HOMESTEADING with Dexter Cattle
All about Dexter cattle
HOMESTEADING with Dexter Cattle Read More »
Homesteading
Why Dexter Cattle?
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 »
Beef
Welcome to Spring:
By 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 »
Beef
Mongolian Beef Recipe
Try this quick (30 minute) and easy beef recipe for dinner tonight:
Mongolian Beef Recipe Read More »
Beef
Dexter Cattle – Ideal Small Cattle Breed for Homesteads and Small Farms
Dexters 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 »
Homesteading
Dexter are perfect for the Homesteader
There 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 »
Homesteading
Ask the butcher!
The 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!
Cattle Worth More than Diamonds
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 Management