beef

Information on Irish Dexter beef

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.

  1. 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 »

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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.

Breed standard…Detailed English Dexter Breed standard that well defines Dexters unique traits. Read More »

Historical

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 »

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Getting Dexters is like eating chips, you can’t just have one!!! Written By Shelley Hatfield Whippoorwill Pines Farm

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.  

Getting Dexters is like eating chips, you can’t just have one!!! Written By Shelley Hatfield Whippoorwill Pines Farm Read More »

Beef

Do you need lots of acres to raise beef cattle? By Shelley Hatfield- WP Farm


 Do you need lots of acres to raise beef cattle?  The answer is absolutely not! But you will need to be a little more prepared than farms who have several acres.  You will need to have sturdier fences for one thing.  Farms with several hundred acres have room for the cows to roam so they aren’t as likely to get out.  I’m not saying they don’t ever get out on large farms but it is not as often.  Smaller farms, the cows don’t have the room to roam.  You need to make sure that your outer perimeter fencing is strong and tight.  That can be barbed wire, woven wire, or the combination of both.  This will keep you and your neighbors in good standing….lol
 Land is the second  thing that I want to talk about. With Dexters it doesn’t take as much as with “full sized” cows.  It is 1.5-2 acres per TWO cow/calf pair of Dexters.  But that doesn’t mean that you can stick them on any ole grass and they will grow well.  You have to maintain your pastures.  That is what I’m in the process of doing myself.  I’m working to get my pastures into regenerative grazing.  Which will help with how well my pastures stay.  
 Thirdly, you will need hay, which is something that all cattle farmers need usually.  Unless you are in some states that you can grow it year round.  But you need to make sure that you have good healthy hay.  That is important for the health of your cows.  You don’t want them to get sick.  
 One last thing, keeping your animal healthy is an overall, big or little farm, thing you need to do.  I think as a small farm it is easier to keep a watch on things than a big farm.  You have a more intimate relationship with your Dexters when you don’t have 100s to keep an eye on.  
 I am a small farm with not alot of acres, that is why I chose the Dexters at first. But as time as went on, they are so much more that good for small farms.  But that is for another time.  
 So in conclusion, you don’t need acres and acres of land to raise beef cattle.  You just need to make sure what you have is the best that it can be. 

https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/livestock/raising-cattle/how-i-raised-a-years-worth-of-grass-fed-beef-for-practically-nothing-zbcz2201

The Beginning Farmer’s Guide To Raising Backyard Beef
Raising cattle on your own place
Raising Grass-Fed Beef (Pros & Cons)

https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/livestock/raising-cattle/how-i-raised-a-years-worth-of-grass-fed-beef-for-practically-nothing-zbcz2201

Do you need lots of acres to raise beef cattle? By Shelley Hatfield- WP Farm Read More »

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