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 ROUND MOUNTAIN FARM is focused on providing quality Dexter cattle free of Chondro and PHA - we will do everything we can to meet your expectations. Look around our website and if you have any comments or questions, please feel free to contact us. "Although the origin of Dexter cattle is somewhat obscure, it is agreed that the original home of this breed was in the southern part of Ireland. There they were bred by small stockholders and were kept on the rugged mountainous regions of that country. One common thought is that the breed was derived from the Kerry breed with additions of genetics from some other breed(s). Some say that a "Mr. Dexter" is responsible for the development of the breed. This theory of the origin holds merit in that, even today, some of the cattle tend to resemble the long legged Kerry type, while others take on the appearance of the shorter, thicker, Dexter. For more ideas about the origin of the breed and historical information, the reader should consult one of the books available from the ADCA on the subject. Some books of interest include: The Life and Times of Dexters by Ted Neal, The Dexter Cow and Cattle Keeping on a Small Scale by Dr. William Thrower. =====The native home of the Dexter is in the southern part of Ireland where they were bred by small holders and roamed about the shelterless mountainous districts in an almost wild state of nature. The origin of the Dexter is quite obscure. The common assumption has been that this breed is a cross between the Kerry and some other breed, perhaps the Devon. It has also been claimed that a "Mr. Dexter," who was agent to Lord Hawarden, is responsible for this Irish breed. The introduction of the Dexter to America probably occurred long ago, when no discrimination was made between Kerry and Dexter in importations. The first recorded knowledge of Dexters in America is when more than two hundred Dexters were imported to the United States between 1905 and 1915. A large percentage of these were imported to Elmendorf Farm (Elmendorf herd) of Kentucky, Howard Gould (Castlegould herd) of New York, and James J. Hill (North Oaks herd) of Minnesota. In 1917, the Castlegould herd was sold to Daniel Guggenheim of Port Washington, who changed the herd name to Hempstead House. Several years later, a part of the Hempstead herd was sold to Mrs. Louisa Satterlee (Dover House Farm) of Greenwich, Connecticut. Foundation stock for the Clove Brook herd (now owned by Jan van Heerden, son-in-law of Mabel Ingalls) was obtained from Mrs. Ingalls' mother, Mrs. Louisa Satterlee. The foundation for the Peerless herd at Decorah, Iowa, was obtained by John Logsdon from the Elmendorf Farm, August A. Busch and James J. Hill, in 1919. Later, two bulls were obtained successively from Daniel Guggenheim, owner of Hempstead House herd. In 1944, when the Peerless herd had their first public sale, the herd numbered 150 head of cows and heifers. Peerless herd is the oldest Dexter herd in the United States. Since 1950, Mrs. Mabel Ingalls, Stewart and Frances Kellog, Edward C. Lord and Mrs. Margaret Rhodes have imported several head of Dexters from England. A number of these and their offspring have been sold to other breeders. In 1982, Mrs. Doris Crowe of Canada imported several head from England and sold several head to interested new parties. The first A.I. program was introduced in 1968. In recent years there has been a worldwide surge of interest in Dexter cattle. These gentle, hardy and easy to handle animals are one of the world's smallest bovines. They require less pasture and feed than other breeds. They thrive in hot as well as cold climates and do well outdoors year round, needing only a windbreak, shelter and fresh water. Fertility is high and calves are dropped in the field without difficulty. They are dual purpose, being raised for both milk and meat. Size and Appearance According to the standards adopted by the American Dexter Cattle Association, the ideal three year old Dexter bull measures 38 to 44 inches at the shoulder and weighs less than 1000 pounds. The ideal three year old Dexter cow measures between 36 to 42 inches at the shoulder, and weighs less than 750 pounds. There are two varieties of Dexters, short legged and long legged or Kerry type. Milk and beef production and other characteristics are generally the same for both types. The same dam and sire may produce a short legged calf in one mating and a long legged calf the next. Most Dexters are solid black. Red or dun are less common. Horns on cows are fine and curved forward. Bulls' horns are thick, solid, and slightly curved at the tips. The distinctive head is short and wide between the eyes, with straight sides. ProductivityA milking cow can produce more milk for its weight than any other breed. The daily yield averages 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 gallons with a butterfat content of 4 to 5 percent. Yields of cream up to one quart per gallon are possible. The cream can be skimmed for butter or ice cream.Beef animals mature in 18 months and result in small cuts of high quality lean meat, graded choice, with little waste. The expectable average dress out is 50 to 60 percent and the beef is slightly darker red than that of other breeds.Source: Oklahoma State University (http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/dexter/index.htm)===== Dexter Cattle in the United States
The importation of Dexter cattle to America is thought to have occurred long ago, but the first recorded importations arrived between 1905 and 1915 and numbered over two hundred head. A complete history of early herds, their owners and the transfer of cattle between owners is well documented in the American Dexter Cattle Association (ADCA) Herd Book. Although the Dexter was an ideal homestead cow, providing meat, milk and power and found a good deal of popularity in that arena, as milk and meat production became specialized, the Dexter numbers decreased. At one time there were thought to be less than 5,000 in the world, but today, with renewed interest in small holdings, the numbers have risen to approximately 15,000 head worldwide. There are some 6,000 in North America at this time. The ADCA has nearly 650 members and registered 852 cattle in 2000.TRIPLE-PURPOSE CATTLE for Milk, Draft & BeefDexter cattle for MilkThere are many accounts of Dexter milk production reported over the years and those can be found in the books available from the ADCA. It is evident from the literature that Dexter cattle produce plenty of milk for most families. In herds which have been selected for milk production, yields of 3,600 liters per lactation have been reported. To convert that to gallons, divide by 3.79 which results in 950 gallons. If the lactation lasted for 305 days as it does on most dairies in the U.S., the cows would be producing about 3 gallons per day. The milk in that report had 4.1% butterfat content.Reports from individuals who milk a cow for family use suggest that the production level varies with breeding and feed, but is 1.5 to 2.5 gallons per day. In a survey done by the ADCA Science Committee, some owners shared milk with a calf, while others took all of the milk for family use, so it was difficult to get an exact amount of milk produced. However, in each case the owners were pleased with the quantity and quality of the milk from Dexters. Dexter cattle for DraftAn ox is merely a steer with a good education, and Dexters do educate well. They are smart, which means that they can pick up a bad habit as quickly as a good one, but this is not generally a problem as long as the ox teamster is always smarter than the oxen. Consistency, fairness, and patience are important with training cattle. It is advisable to begin handling and training the calves within days of their birth. Halter breaking, voice commands, and learning to wear a yoke usually begin early. Then it's time and practice, and there is no substitute for spending hours with your cattle, and no greater pleasure than spending time with your Dexters.Dexters are agile, trainable, sturdy, little oxen. The larger ones are able to pull a walking plow, logs, and wagons. For the smaller steers, loads certainly have to scaled down. Dexters are intelligent and willing to learn. Their spunk makes them want to pull and do the work asked of them. Putting lots of time into training a yoke of oxen makes any teamster want the pair to last for years. Dexters do generally tend to be blessed with longevity, so this is another plus for them as oxen. For the serious ox puller, Dexters can stay competitive in the lower weight classes for their entire lives and thus have an advantage over younger, less experienced yokes of cattle."Source: American Dexter Cattle Association website (http://www.dextercattle.org) Dexter cattle for Beef Once you have tried pasture-fed pure-bred Dexter beef, you will understand what makes these cattle so different. The meat has an excellent flavor and while we do not pretend to know all the science, folks a lot smarter than us are saying more and more that pasture-fed (grass fed) beef are healthier than beef brought up on non-traditional diets. We believe God made bovines to eat grass... to roam freely through pastures, enjoying sunlight, fresh water and of course, the green stuff: grass, timothy, alfalfa, etc... We are not convinced these animals were designed to be housed in cramped pens and industrial feed lots. Additionally, regardless of what some folks might say, you will not find us eating genetically modified or cloned beef. No thanks. Our Dexters are registered pure bred Dexter. We think they live a happy life here on the farm. They are treated well and have more than enough food, water and shelter to meet their needs. Heck, some folks might even think we pamper them a bit... when it comes down to it, there really is only one test... Taste them. You'll see the difference! ! |
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