There are some chores and activities that are more effective in the winter months. Like, for instance, the soil’s freezing and thawing causing seeds to be drawn in, and seeding to be more productive. Some farm tasks are just more enjoyable in the chilly winter air (who wants to split wood in the summer heat?). Dormant invasive plants can be cut back and pulled out (hopefully before the soil freezes). The article below does a great job of providing some farm tasks to keep you warm and working in the winter months. What farm chores are exclusively done on your farm in the winter?
Here is a great video from Greg Judy about the benefits of grazing cattle through snow. He includes tips on keeping water from freezing, looking out for parasite issues, and keeping your operation profitable.
This podcast sent me into a few fits of laughter with the speaker’s dry humor. Obviously this experienced vet has been around, and has seen a few things. And while Dexter cattle (including the bulls) tend to be smaller and easier to handle, I highly recommend implementing the recommendations in this podcast. Not only will it make handling your animals easier, it will set you up for a more successful relationship with your vet and your neighbors.
Farm management apps have changed how farming is done today. These tools help you make smart choices for better farming. Features like weather updates, task schedules, and inventory checks make work simpler. These apps also give live updates and tips to improve farming. They help you work better and farm in a way that helps the planet.
Ross at 4 monthsRoss at 3 yearsLerwick at a yearLerwick at 5 years
Someone recently asked about selecting a bull calf with traditional Dexter characteristics. Many breeders more experienced than me have covered this topic, but having bred Dexters for quite a few years now (and made plenty of mistakes) I am adding my two cents to the topic.
Selecting a bull calf starts before they are even born – by deciding your breeding goals, doing your research, and by collecting as much information as you can about the parents and as far back in their pedigree as you are able.
Decide on breeding goals: We selected Dexters for specific reasons, and those influence our breeding goals. We want cattle with good temperaments, easy to work with. We want low maintenance cattle; great foragers, good mothers, easy calvers, fertile, producing great beef and milk on low inputs. We also want cattle that people can look at and say, that is a Dexter!
Research and information gathering: I read numerous breed standards for the Dexter, I looked at lots of historical photos of Dexters, I studied conformation photos, and I have visited many Dexter farms.
Collecting information on parents: I keep records on our cattle; calving dates (the first cows to calve in your herd are generally the healthiest and most fertile), birth weights, weaning or butcher weights, general health, hoof trimming/care, calving issues, mastitis/udder issues etc. Then, I wait for my best cows to have bull calves. If I’m buying a bull, I am looking for this information from the seller.
Once I have a bull calf on the ground, I am going to be evaluating him from day 1, until his last day on earth. I am looking for him to meet my breeding goals, and the Dexter breed standard. These are the questions I am asking: Is he short and beefy? Is he proportionate? Does he have a nice wide Dexter face with placid eyes? Does he have a shiny coat? Is he curious about humans and his surroundings? I continue asking these questions throughout his life, and then at 10-12 months I’m starting to look for signs of sexual maturity. Is he very bullish looking? Is he getting a thick neck and thick curly hair on his neck and head? Does he have a deep bellow? Are his testicles football shaped, and do they hang evenly? Are his teats evenly spaced and sized? And again when he reaches 3 years of age (this is generally when they have reached their full height), is he in the average range for height and weight? What are his calves like, do I like their birth weight? Were there any calving issues, dystocia, etc? Are the calves vigorous and up nursing quickly? Are the calves growing well? And again when his heifer calves have their first calf, do I like their udder and teat conformation? Are they easy to milk? Do they have good mothering instincts?
If at any time during his life he (or his offspring) stops meeting my goals, I am going to look to replace him with either another bull from my herd who I feel is an improvement (maybe even one of his sons), or an outside bull.
If there is one thing that has helped me most in selecting future herd sires, I think it would be looking at photos of bulls that embody the purebred Dexter (Hint: Try to go as far back in time as you can to get a complete picture).
In an ideal world we would be able to find or breed a great herd sire. But open cows are a financial drain, especially if it is a family milk cow! So, sometimes we have to make do with what is available. In that case, pick the best bull with the info available to you, with a plan to beef the offspring. If you get something extra special out of your bull (hey, we can all win the genetic lottery sometimes), use that calf to replace your bull.
I’ve included photos of two bulls at various ages that we have raised from birth to herd sires in our Dexter breeding program. Feel free to share feedback, I have not reached perfection yet 😄 I hope my experience and photos are helpful.
Save money by using your cattle to graze remaining forage on hay fields. There are numerous benefits, including cost savings, fertilization, and soil/plant nutrient storage.
“Slow is fast”, this is the phrase my dad says at least once or twice every time we work cattle. There are some things you just can’t rush, and cattle are one of them. While we have found our Dexters are easy to move and work with, here are some tips to become more proficient in handling cattle.
It’s hay season, which is always a hectic time of year in our area. You may not be ready to think about hay or winter, but you can usually get the best deals buying it right out of the field – and now is the time to do that!
Here is an article on tips for hay buying and making, with details on each animal’s nutritional needs.
How systems-based research can help inform our farming practices, from creating more regenerative systems to helping with water retention in drought affected areas:
As livestock farmers a large percent of our work goes into pasture and forage management. Invasive, non-local weeds can be a big pain, and some are even damaging to our animals (poisonous) and local forage. This article addresses simple, natural solutions to weed control on the farm. We have always had the most success by balancing the nutrients in the soil, and adding grazing animals at the right time.
This is the first of our articles on chondrodysplasia in Dexters. Also called chondro-carriers, shorties, or dwarfs. these terms refer to the same cattle, and will be interspersed throughout the article. Keep in mind, they all mean cattle who are carriers of the dwarf gene.
Per Miriam Webster chondro means cartilage & dysplasia is an abnormal growth or development.
It’s a personal decision to breed chondro carrier Dexters. Of course, it’s your decision what to breed on your farm. But, let’s sort out some of the facts on these endearing little cattle.
Some long time breeders have told me that they believe the dwarf Dexters played an instrumental part in the formation of the breed, as the non-chondro, longer legged Dexters got registered in with the Kerry cattle. They also believe that there are two body types in the dwarves. That will be discussed in a later article.
Just a few of the traits and statements that those who own and experience the pleasures of owning a dwarf believe.
“Chondros are the breed. If we lose them we lose the breed.”
“Maximum beef on minimum forage.”
Personalities are one of a kind
Great mothers
High milk production
Great for first time cattle owners
Of course, breed responsibly. Never breed two carriers together and you will never get a bulldog calf. (If you did, the chance is only 25%, but why risk it?)
Those that I see exaggerating & spreading the hate for chondro carriers are using human graphics from the internet and applying their own labels. I have found no professional veterinary opinion stating they should be eliminated. Of course, none of those who love them would want or allow them to suffer. Many Dexters I know of are living into their teens. How many commercial breeds do you see living that long?
Some dwarfs will get osteoarthritis later in life. So will some non-chondros. A lot depends on the bloodlines, the terrain they live on and the care they receive. This also applies to the longer legged non-chondros. Humans also tend to get osteoarthritis later in life. They also can get forms of dwarfism. We don’t eradicate them. It can be managed, IF it happens.
So, please…. educate yourself on this genetic mutation, before you make a judgement.
The following is a scientific explanation from UC Davis. We choose the BD1 test, when we get any calves from our carriers. The BD2 test is for a specific line from a specific bull.
Are cows that eat willow better for the planet? A Queens University research project aims to find out if Willow can make farming more carbon neutral.
One aspect of Agroforestry uses trees as forage for livestock, and is gaining in popularity. Willow contain anti-parasitic compounds, they can be a great buffer around water sources, and have other great benefit to livestock and pasture. Do you graze Willow trees, or would you give it a try?
A great podcast by Working Cows, interviewing Bart Carmichael and Pat Guptill of “Principled Land Managers.” Bart and Pat talk about the importance of vision and principles in farming. Practices are flexible can change based on the land, animals and resources available, but having solid principles can set you up for success no matter where you go and/or what you do.
Keeping records is an important aspect of running a successful livestock business. It is even more imperative if you are raising pedigreed and registered animals. But, how do you know what details will be helpful and what details will just add more work to your already full plate? This article is a practical guide to the who, what, why and how of record keeping. And remember, “it’s practically impossible to manage what you do not measure.”
Below is a great article for those getting in to beef production on a small scale. Thinking through resources, knowledge, budget, production, marketing, as well as talent and interest level. There is a great quote from the last point: “You are much more likely to be successful if you are interested in and passionate about what you are doing.”
