lighter than the calves out of 1,400-lb. by Jonathan » Fri Apr 22, 2005 12:37 pm, Post Not bulls - steers/bullocks yes but really you would have to consider eating them before they were 30 months of age. To keep an animal an entire year, you're better off with a ballpark figure of one head per four acres. Regardless, 1 acre is plenty of room for two cows, and you can bring in any hay you need. Dexter Cattle are small & efficient. What would be the long term maintenance differences. But if that cow has a three month old calf at foot she will need up to 18 DSE so you could then only run one cow and calf for every 2.2 acres or one per hectare in rough figures. To ranch successfully, three profit driving ratios – cows per person, acres per cow and fed vs. grazed feed need to be kept in mind. Specialization is for insects. In addition, “revenue per acre” needs to be considered. Just some thoughts... A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Your local farmer is losing just as much money per suckler cow as a dexter keeper, so i wouldnt worry. A mature cow weighs in at roughly 600 to 800 pounds, or about one-third the size or your average Holstein, making them ideal for small land holders to manage. So if you really want to pack them in try alternate rows of long leggeds standing and short legs lying down. The horns of the bulls tend to extend directly to each side. You should be able to stock more cattle per acre than with normal-sized cows And shorts are often wider in girth, so standing up you will get less. The Dexter is probably the smallest breed that was developed in the British Isles, with mature cows weighing between 600-700 pounds and mature bulls weighing about 1000 pounds. If your land has been assessed at having a DSE of eight (8) that means you can run eight (8) dry sheep per acre or one 400kg dry Angus store cow or steer. Dexter cattle will produce between 1 – 2 gallons of milk per day, with high butterfat content (4%). Read to wean, current on vaccinations, and VET care. and what are going to be the easiest to keep cows or bulls? You can easily expect to pay about $1500-$2000 for a Dexter cow. It’s that whole supply & demand thing. is 2.5 acreas enough for 2? If so, it would be hard to do on just 1 acre, though I think you could get there eventually by improving the pasture and maybe through silvopasture techniques. You may have heard a rule-of-thumb is that it takes 1.5 to 2 acres to feed a cow calf pair for 12 months. Cattle are unable to digest chelated minerals. They’re a common choice for children in 4H projects because they’re docile and easy to handle, and their shorter stature makes them less intimidating to children. Approximately 6-7 ounces of rice pollards, per Dexter cow, per day would be enough. by Duncan MacIntyre » Sat Apr 23, 2005 11:33 am, Post Dexter Cattle: Feeding and Housing Dexters. A half acre of good green grass per animal, or 12 to 15 pounds of hay and a little grain each day is enough in temperate climates. A rare breed until recently, they are now considered a recovering breed by … At a liberal 5 square feet per bird, even a 10-by-10-foot paddock per day is plenty for 20 laying hens. Bedding also needs to be bought. Thanks Sylvia, we weren't considering breeding they would be pampered pets whislt keeping the grass down. Generally, the horns are white in color, but the tips are black. Good luck, Fiona, I can throw another option into the ring. by Jo Kemp » Fri Apr 22, 2005 1:31 pm, Post These animals are easy on fences. These breeds of cattle seem to be gaining in popularity as a meat source for those wanting to raise their own food on just a few acres and for those looking for a breed that does well on a grass-finishing system. At Deer Run Acres we chose the Dexter Cattle breed because of their docile temperament, compact size and ability to … Stressing them out will incline them to poor health. When you reach your lowest point, you are open to the greatest change. We want to get the Dexters as young as possible, in your experience would you get 2 bulls or 2 cows? Located in Spring Branch, Texas - just north of San Antonio - our 132-acre farm and ranch is home to Dexter Cattle. How Many Acres Per Cow Do You Need? Instead they go straight to the liver, lodge there, and end up being problematic for your cattle. This is where all the Topics and Replies are stored, click on the above link to enter! … -Le Livre du Colon, 1902. This is much more manageable for a small family than the larger quantities produced from other cattle breeds. Small cattle breeds have generated a lot of interest over the years. As no-one else has answered yet I'll plunge in (as usual). It is a thrifty animal and capable of thriving on a half acre per head of good pasture, given the typical Dexter's small size. Any advice appreciated. Last Updated: 22.01.21 Many people choose to use custom cattle ear tags because it offers them the possibility to … A lot of people cry when they cut onions. This tiny ad told me: 100th Issue of Permaculture Magazine - now FREE for a while, current server time (not your local time) is, https://permies.com/t/143456/permaculture-projects/robkaiser-project, https://onpasture.com/2019/03/11/the-most-effective-pasture-rejuvenation-method-ever-and-its-free/, question regarding silvopasture grasing rotation time. They were easily approachable in the field, and almost had to be carried through gates when a move was needed. If we are looking at sheep I owned some Ryelands for a few years and "laid back" did not even begin to describe them. Stressing them out will incline them to poor health. If raised for beef, Dexters will produce a tender, lean meat. They require no help birthing calves. Let’s see how this rule-of-thumb holds up. Welcome to the DexterCattleForSale Discussion Board. Dexter cattle are a breed of cattle originating in Ireland. Once we found the Dexter and researched this wonderful breed, we made our decision that this was the ideal cow for our farm. Well, it depends if they are standing up or lying down. Huxley, I'm not sure if your goal is to be able to provide all the feed from your property. With regards to minerals, stay away from chelated minerals. by PeterO » Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:00 pm, Post There are lots of local enthusiasts and experts I can put you in touch with who would be pleased to help and advise you. Welcome to Bolton Farm! This time of year, especially after you have shifted from grazing to fed feed such as hay or baleage. Being much smaller than conventional cows they don't need as much space for pasture. How Many Cows Can Be Farmed Per Acre? This is simply my opinion, your acreage is a bit low to consider breeding because yes cows must have company so if you start with 2 you will have their 2 calves, plus the next year's calves (so 6 animals) before you can send the first 2 calves to sale or slaughter. What would you suggest getting to keep long term? Barbara Martin wrote:Having a mini CAFO is probably not a good idea. I think on 1 acre you could have 2 dexters without damaging the land. Registered cows measure between 36 and 42 inches in shoulder height at three years of age, and weigh approximately 750 pounds. As livestock producers we often focus on productivity per cow. cows. We raise dexters for beef and usually only have 3-4 at a time. If they are lying down you will get many more short legs than long to the acre. If you are planning for your own beef, 2 or 3 castrated males (steers) might be OK. You will need to house them in the winter to protect the grazing and also probably buy in hay or haylage because you almost certainly would not be able to grow enough from your acreage to feed them while they are inside. I am going to construct a field shelter for winter use. by Sylvia » Fri Apr 22, 2005 11:39 am, Post by groubearfarm » Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:49 pm, Post We have really good soil with an acre pasture broke up into 3 lots. After raising Brangus cross cattle for many years, Bolton Farm learned of this hardy and docile breed and began raising Dexter Cattle for sale and grass fed beef. by PeterO » Sat Apr 23, 2005 10:39 am, Post If you plan to feed your cow mostly on grass then the average cow needs at least 3 acres ( this would be a bit less for a dexter). How green am I? By Victor Shelton / February 17, 2020 / 1 Comment Print Email. Cons of Dexter Cattle Initial Cost. Cows, pampered cows fine but again, you would need to buy animals which were not being bred from for some reason.....age? One acre is not enough for us and I think even if we had them on 5 acres they would destroy it from walking on it. We would like two, do they prefer company? The smallest of the European cattle breeds, they are about half the size of a traditional Hereford and about one-third the size of a Holstein Friesian milking cow. I suppose you could try to sell all weaned calves, but it will be difficult if you can't find homes for them when you need to. 1) As a rough guide allow approx one acre per mature animal, if your Dexters are going to have free access all the year round. It depends. In our scenario, we based figures on calves that were 30 lbs. -Avatar Aang, A piece of land is worth as much as the person farming it. Is surface water or irrigation a concern? Four cattle, and that's only for a month or two at best. The cattle were fed bought hay through the winter. Their low weight means that they’re ea… Considering their small size, the body is wide and deep with a well-rounded hindquarter. by Mark Bowles » Sat Apr 23, 2005 11:21 am, Post If you are thinking of sheep try Southdowns,they are a rare breed,the meat is great and they are as dosey as hell!. Originating from southern Ireland, Dexter cattle were bred to be small in size, docile, natural grazers, excellent mothers, and adaptable to changing climates. It looks like our rule-of-thumb held up pretty good, 11 cows on 20 acres, is 1.8 acres per cow. The trick is not to form an emotional bond. Post Those cattle were moderate framed so running dexters on that land could probably be done at 2 acres/head. We have a 2.5 acre field in devon adjacent to our cottage and we have wanted to keep cattle for some time, after a year our considering it looks as though Dexters would make the ideal bovine selection. by Carol K » Fri Apr 22, 2005 6:48 pm, Post Born out of our 2nd year Calving program, from Pasture Raised Dexters, she will continue on the fine lines of the True Registered Irish Dexter Breed, and will make a great addition to your herd. In most areas you can graze two Dexters per acre without supplement. Let’s look at the numbers: 1 acre is 4000 square meters. MOTHER's staff discovers a little-known but productive small-farm cow: Dexter cattle. Bulls are slightly larger at 38 to 44 inches shoulder height, and weigh in around 1000 pounds. 1 acre per cow is a low estimate and relies on the cow being off the grass in winter and fed bought in hay or silage. And yes, they do need company, Jonathan, I am the secretary of the Devon Group, living near Tiverton and you would be really welcome to come and see my herd or I can direct you to a herd closer to you. The small size of Dexter cattle comes with many large benefits. Having a mini CAFO is probably not a good idea. Lowline cattle are actually purebred Angus stock, selected and bred for small size. That means we should be able to have 10 to 13 cows. Are you raising tiny, thrifty heritage breeds like Dexters or huge, specialized animals like Holsteins? Due to the gentle nature and ease of care of Dexter cattle, we now have a thriving ranch in South Texas with one of the larger herds in the state. I think to compare a homestead-scale operation where you have a cow or two on less acreage than you'd prefer, one acre for two head rather than two acres for one head, is somewhat, if not misleading, certainly obfuscating; feed lots are terrible, but two cows on an acre, even with a calf each, isn't the same as a CAFO. “But calves out of our half-blood Lowline cows are nearly as heavy as those from the larger cows. A full size cow requires at least 2ac of good pasture (even with rotation) so a Dexter needs at least half that per head. Chris Kott, thanks for the info. Are you providing supplemental feed like a feedlot? I have Dexters, Shetland sheep and Alpacas (and 120 acres, so I'm not suggesting all 3 !!). I am considering mini dexter or mini zebus to milk or. They then curve forward and upward, and there’s some space between the 2 horns. In 2009, when our children were old enough to enter 4-H, we thought showing this gentle and easy going breed was the way to go and wanted everyone to be aware of this special bovine. You would need to do a rotation that allowed for complete recovery. by Sylvia » Sat Apr 23, 2005 11:52 am, Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited. • The name of a good local cattle vet. We planted rye, clover. -Robert A. Heinlein, Connect with me: https://www.instagram.com/robkaiser.me/ ~ https://twitter.com/robertjkaiser ~ https://www.linkedin.com/in/robkaiser/ ~ https://www.facebook.com/robkaiser.me / ~ https://permies.com/t/143456/permaculture-projects/robkaiser-project. “A better efficiency measure is the return on grass per acre. dominic ps my dexters will be at the small holder festival in lanark next week with the scottish dexter society. How many Dexters to the acre? A full size cow requires at least 2ac of good pasture (even with rotation) so a Dexter needs at least half that per head. by Inger » Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:15 am, Post Here we are promoting Dexters!! Breeding Texas Dexter Cattle. However if your land is not well drained you will probably have to house them for some part of the winter. Because Dexters are more difficult to find (and probably because small-scale farmers are willing to pay for them.) As a general rule, moderate to light stocking rates for well-managed pastures in this area are: one animal unit (cow with calf) per 8 - 15 acres on native grass; 3 - 6 acres on tame pastures (bermudagrass/bahia grass); 50 - 75 acres on wooded areas. For Sale $1400, or open to Trade: (for Like same Heifer) or Cow, or Steer. 2 cows with cross calves at foot. by Saffy » Sat Apr 23, 2005 10:45 am, Post It might be possible, but I would plan on feeding at least some. Dexter cows are horned. Barley and rice pollards are both good feeds. Last week I went to visit my friend Katie to learn more about Dexter cattle, American Guinea Hogs, and other homestead-scale livestock. A Dexter cow can be much more expensive to purchase than a conventional breed. Your type of land will also have a lot to do with it, if its heavy clay then by Duncan MacIntyre » Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:01 pm, Post by Jonathan » Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:10 am, Post Welcome to make Offers. The best place to pray for a good crop is at the end of a hoe! The American Dexter Cattle Association is a non-profit corporation, established in 1977, with a mission to protect, improve, develop, and promote the interests, standing, and quality of the Dexter breed; and to assist members in adding value to their animals. They are a naturally small breed of cattle, but many people refer to them as miniature. 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