Dexter beef

Loved deeply. Raised naturally. Honored completely.

Have you ever tried rose veal? Until last year, I hadn’t either. Like a lot of people, the word veal immediately brought to mind images of calves confined in tiny crates. I wanted nothing to do with it. But after raising my own cattle and learning what rose veal actually is, my perspective completely changed. In fact, it’s the best beef I’ve ever eaten.

Rose veal isn’t the pale white veal most people think of. These calves are raised naturally, with room to run, graze, play, and nurse from their mothers. The meat develops a beautiful rosy color because the calves are active and eating a natural diet. They’re not confined or intentionally kept anemic to produce white meat.

The first calf we processed for rose veal was one of our five month old heifers. She was born with a spinal deformity that made her unsuitable for breeding. Our veterinarian believes it was likely caused by a viral illness during pregnancy and said it’s probably something we’ll never encounter again. As she grew, the deformity became more pronounced. The lump on her spine grew, and her back twisted from her shoulder blades all the way to the tip of her tail, causing her to walk at an angle. While she was able to get around, albeit a little unsteady on her feet, she thrived and enjoyed life alongside her brothers and sisters.

Five months of sunshine, pasture, and a mother’s milk. A life Shorter, but not lesser.

She was a cute little booger, too. But if you look straight up from her elbow and shift your eye slightly to the right, you’ll notice that little tuft of hair sticking up. That’s because she had a rather large lump along her spine. Now look at the beginning of her tail switch—the slight kink there is another clue. Her spine was twisted from the base of her neck all the way to the tip of her tail.

As she got older, we became increasingly concerned about what would happen once she started cycling. If a larger bovine mounted her during a heat cycle, there was a very real risk of a catastrophic spinal injury. It simply wasn’t a chance we were willing to take. When we took her to the processor, she was still nursing her mom while also grazing alongside the rest of the herd. She spent every day out on pasture doing exactly what calves are supposed to do. Her life was no different than any other calf on our farm, it was simply shorter.

Although she was happy and thriving, we knew the risks her spinal deformity would pose as she matured. Making the decision to process her early wasn’t easy, but we believed it was the kindest choice for her. The alternative would have been paying our veterinarian to come euthanize her and then burying her on the farm, which would have cost us around $150. In the end, not only did we save money, but we also gave value and purpose to an animal whose life otherwise would have ended without feeding anyone.

Her full story deserves its own post, and I’ll share that another day.

The next thing we had to consider was the cost. Most butchers charge a fairly large kill fee and offal fee on top of processing charges based on hanging weight. What many people don’t realize is that processors often have flat-rate pricing for goats and sheep, which are frequently about the same size as a young Dexter calf. One butcher I called charges $120 to process goats and sheep of any age or size. Fortunately, my processor gave me an even better deal. I paid just $90 to have her processed. She was 163 days old, weighed 274 pounds live, and had a hanging weight of 166 pounds.

In the end, we brought home just over 100 pounds of beef to stock our freezer. When all was said and done, our total cost came out to approximately 90 cents per pound of beef. It was a decision that not only made sense financially, but one that gave her life continued purpose. A decision well made.

The butcher is pointing out the lump on her back. It turned out to be a mass of bone fragments and fat. You can see how the deformity had pushed and twisted her spine inward.

While we didn’t get a ton of beef back, we got far more than I expected. We chose all the usual cuts but had them cut a little thicker. The steaks were cut two inches thick and were the perfect size for one person. The roasts were about two pounds each. Every single cut was spectacular. The steaks were so tender we could literally cut them with our forks. The roasts were nearly as tender. The ground beef tasted just like what we’re used to from our two-year-old steers. The only noticeable difference was that it was slightly lighter in color than our typical Dexter beef.

One of the cuts I brought home was a round steak. Normally, I grind round steak into hamburger because it’s simply too chewy for me. Many people mechanically tenderize it for chicken fried steak, but even then I usually find it tough. This steak was different. It wasn’t mechanically tenderized at all. I cooked it just like I would any other steak, fully expecting it to be chewy. Instead, it was incredibly tender with a rich, beefy flavor unlike anything I’d ever had. It completely changed my opinion of what beef can taste like.

In fact, the entire experience had me secretly hoping our cows would have more bull calves than heifers so we could justify setting aside one or two for rose veal. If the day ever comes that we scale back our herd and only raise beef for ourselves, I may very well only raise rose veal. The only difference is that I’d probably wait until the calves were closer to eight months old for a higher yield.

Behind every cut of meat is an animal. The most respectful thing we can do is make sure that animal had a good life.

I understand why people struggle with the idea of eating a younger animal. It’s an emotional hurdle, and I don’t fault anyone for feeling that way. But I also think there’s value in understanding how that animal was actually raised instead of judging it by outdated assumptions. On our farm, every bovine is cared for the same way, whether it’s processed at five months, two years, or twelve years old. They all have access to fresh pasture, clean water, shade, and the opportunity to simply be cattle. Their quality of life isn’t determined by how old they are when their story ends. Rose veal isn’t about cruelty. It’s about producing exceptional beef from calves that lived good lives on pasture with their mothers.

If you’ve written off veal because of what you’ve heard in the past, it may be worth taking another look. Modern pasture raised rose veal is a completely different product. And if my experience is any indication, you just might discover the best beef you’ve ever tasted.

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/