Raising Dexter Cattle
Beginner guide to Dexters
Raising Dexter Cattle Read More »
Beef GeneralIf you have dun cattle, esp golden dun or dark dun and would like to help with genetic testing see link below.
Letting livestock graze among solar panels isn’t a new idea, but it’s mostly been focused on sheep. – Submitted by Lessie Jo Frazier
Coming to a solar farm near you: cows? Read More »
Farm Management Technology
Mini Cows Are Perfect For Preppers and Small Homesteads
Homesteading Dexter Cattle Read More »
Homesteading
Nutritional needs during winter are critical for maintaining health
https://discover.texasrealfood.com/dexter-cattle/winter-care-for-dexter-cattle
Winter care for Dexter cattle Read More »
Farm Management
Dr. Ron Gill shares tips on working a cattle
Working Cattle Effectively Read More »
Farm Management
The earth’s sixth mass extinction is happening right now
Endangered Animals Read More »
BeefThere is this thing that happens when you have Dexter cattle and really any kind of cows. It’s called cow math. The cows just keep multiplying and it’s all your fault.
In my Dexter journey this happens 2 ways. I got my fist Dexter cow, she had her yearling steer by her side and was pregnant. I thought cool, 3 for the price of one. Who doesn’t love a sale?
The new calf was born, another steer (not at birth but after a bit (was removed)). I know I’d have 3, but I didn’t know how much I would love being a milkmaid. I loved milking, processing the milk, and making all the fabulous dairy products. When the calf was weaned, my avocation as a milkmaid did too. No more dairy goodies and now I knew what real dairy was and I couldn’t bear to buy the junk stores have and call dairy.
I bought a second Dexter Milk Cow, with a steer by her side so I could milk year round with Spring and Fall calves. Now there were 5 cows. One steer went to freezer came and I was down to 4. Good for me. But then the new heifer calf was born and we were back up to 5.
Here I became foolish and bought a 3rd Dexter milkcow for emotional reasons. ( I did not need a 3rd Dexter Milk cow) She did not come with a calf at her side hooray. So, we were up to 6, I sold the heifer calf and we were down to 5. The new cow had a heifer calf and we were back up to 6.
It’s all my fault. I bred the cows, bought the cows. I will sell the new heifer calf and be back down to 5 but I have 2 calves due this Spring, but I will send another steer to freezer camp next month so I will stay at 6 until the 2025 Fall calf will make it 7 unless I sell 1 or both Spring calves.
Cow Math is real. So you will have to consider how you want to manage your herd size.
Sue Pollington
Selling Dexters by Sue Pollington Read More »
Farm Management SellingBy Eliena Bodtke, Stay’N Put Farm
Whit Ashe of Circle A Ranch in Savannah, Tennessee , has been our cowboy, AI tech and friend for over ten years now. Our nick names for him, include Man With The Golden Arm, Mr. One And Done and My Favorite Cowboy to name a few. But, wouldn’t you use those names to describe a perfect heifer record and he only had to come back twice for redos in 10 years. We recommend him for anyone in the area. But after several conversations, it appears that much of our success as team, is not just his technique.
Minerals
For both Circle A Ranch and our little homestead, Stay’N Put Farm, it started with the management program. We both use Vitaferm Concept aid minerals. Whit recommended these right from the beginning, including when we were doing live cover on and off. It is set out free choice for them to utilize at their pleasure. With the success rate like ours, proper nutrients to help them take with one attempt has to be one of the key components . Seeing others succeed when switching to it, seems to us to be part of one of the keys to success. But this is just one of components to this success.
Timing
Timing is very crucial as well. Each Dexter will have its own cycle. Ours are between 18 and 21 days. Signs of coming into heat differ from cow to cow. Some of the signs we look for are loose poops, change in behavior…extra sweet or standoffish behaviors. You will often times see the cows standing close to each other, one appears to be more affectionate than the others. These for us are the start of of the heat cycle and duly noted.
Next we watch for jumping or restless behavior. This could include a nursing calf, jumping on mom or behaving weirdly with mom. If you’re milking, you may see an appreciable drop in milk, we do.
This is when your observation skills are most important. Cows will jump cows. Cows will jump bulls. This behavior is referred to as bulling. If you only have one cow in your herd and no other Dexter or bovine friend, this can be troublesome.
It can help you know that a cow is in heat, but it can’t tell you whether it is in a standing heat.
Telephone conversations and texts happen with Whit Ashe when we see behavior changes, poops getting loose or a milk drop and then we keep in close contact until we are sure that we are in standing heat.
Standing heat
Standing heat is when the cow stands for anyone to mount her. It is at this point you should be ready. We try to AI within the next 12 hours…and close to the 12 hour mark.
When your tech arrives, you should have your cow either in the barn or in the milking stanchion or shoot. You will need to have your straw selected that you want to use. The tech will warm the insertion device, by placing close to their body…down their shirt. The straw will be warmed in a special straw warmer. Once it is thawed, the device will let you know and the fun begins. The attached video will show you what it typically looks like.
Whit Ashe has only had to make two trips back in 10 years, and I would have to say one was probably the semen , which is rare to have a problem with it and the other was my timing. We chased it…knowing it would probably result in a bull, but we were unsuccessful. As of the time writing this article we have only received two bulls by AI, and that was from another AI tech, Weston Williams. Whit Ashe has a perfect heifer record here, very hard to believe, but true.
Here is a video of it
Artificial Insemination at Stay’N Put Farm Read More »
Farm Management Herd Healthsession 01
Session 01 in the Online Training Series. Contact the secretary email below to sign up
ADCA online-Dexter cattle intro Read More »
Mike Baker describes features of market readiness for both finished and unfinished beef and dairy crosses.
Determining the Market Readiness of Beef Cattle Read More »
Beef Herd Health
Learn how to have 1/2 a cow butchered for your family to get the right cuts
Half a beef, What cuts to request Read More »
Beef Selling
There are many benefits to implementing smart agriculture monitoring solutions.
Let sensors monitor 24/7 & Even After The Cows Come Home Read More »
Farm Management Technology
How does US Farm Data use Facebook to generate farm and ranch leads?
Using Facebook for B2B Lead Generation separating Fact From Fiction Read More »
Selling
This is the season for selling out at the farmers market!
SELLING OUT at the Farmers Market! Read More »
Beef Selling
Fromage Blanc can be a good way to use up your milk left from removing the cream for butter and ice cream
Fromage Blanc recipe – Easy to make cheese Read More »
Milking & Dairy
The influence of feeding either hay or silage on amounts of various milk components was investigated. – Submitted by Riley Wohlgemuth
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0958694621000522
Does feeding hay positively affect milk composition? Read More »
Milking & Dairy
Many plants are potentially toxic to livestock; however, this guide focuses on toxic plants commonly found in Indiana pastures.
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ws/ws_37_toxicplants08.pdf
Guide to toxic plants in forages Read More »
Farm Management
Almost every pasture contains some poisonous plants, or is bordered by trees or shrubs that are toxic.
Managing Toxic Pasture Plants Read More »
Farm Management
This year we’ve decided to try something new. Wean rings!
Weaning calves with wean rings. Read More »
Farm Management
The most traumatic experience for cow-calf producers is when they wean their calves-and it is not real great for the calves, either.
The Art of Weaning Calves Read More »
Herd Health Selling
Vaccines provide added insurance for cattle producers to protect their herds from many different diseases.
Cattle Vaccine Basics Read More »
Herd Health
In this episode I want to talk about the process of selling (what I refer to as) custom freezer beef/pork/lamb etc.
https://www.grazecart.com/blog/how-to-sell-freezer-beef-on-demand
How To Sell 1/4 Beef On Demand, Read More »
Beef Selling
The time, energy and money you invest in this can give you access to the entire U.S. market.
Marketing and Selling Pastured Pork – Dexters Too ! Read More »
Selling