I have a couple of Dexter cows (bull and heifer). I feed them chop feed - the bull is 1 1/2 and the heifer is 2 1/2 and pregnant. My vet told me just to feed the heifer (I did not have the bull at that time) about 3/4 of a cup a day but they seem like they are starving. They do get hay and are accessible to the pasture - until we get the snow. Is this amount the right amount or should I be feeding them more - or less?
How much feed
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jersey lilly
Well-known member
What kind of shape are they in? to start with.
Dexters are small cattle. so they won't require as much feed as a normal sized cow. Feed bags are getting less and less informative on amount to feed. but if I were you I'd go to the feed store and have them figure, per head, concidering how much they weight, how much they need a day to supplement the grass or hay they are getting, also you have to take into concideration, what the content/quality is of the forage they are eating.
but I wouldn't think 3/4 of a cup is enough to do much good if any. Are you sure your vet didnt say 3/4 of a lb? that would be conciderably more quantity of feed. but whatever you do, do your research and increase the amount of feed slowly. Don't up the feed intake all at once.
Dexters are small cattle. so they won't require as much feed as a normal sized cow. Feed bags are getting less and less informative on amount to feed. but if I were you I'd go to the feed store and have them figure, per head, concidering how much they weight, how much they need a day to supplement the grass or hay they are getting, also you have to take into concideration, what the content/quality is of the forage they are eating.
but I wouldn't think 3/4 of a cup is enough to do much good if any. Are you sure your vet didnt say 3/4 of a lb? that would be conciderably more quantity of feed. but whatever you do, do your research and increase the amount of feed slowly. Don't up the feed intake all at once.
Susie David
Well-known member
I realise that the Dex's capacity is small but I wonder what your pasture looks like this time of year...we lost ours last month, though the warm spell started some seed. 3/4 cup of what? Alot of low quality groecries equals alot of nothing.
Are you sure that it wasn't 3-4 pounds of feed suppliment...our cattle take 3/4 cup in a single lick. IMO you should evaluate the quality of the intake and adjust your feeding program accordingly...especially for the heifer, the third trimester is when the majority of fetal growth takes place and the protein and nutrient requirements increase...
Alot of good resources on line....DMc
Are you sure that it wasn't 3-4 pounds of feed suppliment...our cattle take 3/4 cup in a single lick. IMO you should evaluate the quality of the intake and adjust your feeding program accordingly...especially for the heifer, the third trimester is when the majority of fetal growth takes place and the protein and nutrient requirements increase...
Alot of good resources on line....DMc
Gale Seddon
Well-known member
Lots of good advice and experience already posted. I think a lot depends on where you live and what's in your pasture...Dexters are "good foragers," and "efficient converters" but sometimes I think their reputation leads people to believe they need nothing else but what they can scrounge up to survive on. You mention snow...in which case, they'll probably appreciate hay to stay warm. Some Dexters never see grain, and others (mine maybe) get too much; personally, I think in the winter (here anyway) they need full-time hay regardless of whether they're getting any grain.
I've noticed that ours that were on really good summer pasture maintained their condition much better and longer than the ones on the "so-so" pasture.
Depending on the condition of your pastures and your cows, maybe 3/4 cup is all they need to keep them in good condition and coming to you when you call them. Our long-leg "big" Dexter cows nursing calves get about 4# of grain a day and do very well. And some of our short-leg Dexters need the Jenny Craig plan, just on pasture. With just two, you should be able to watch their condition pretty closely, but you may have to stand guard to keep the bull from getting it his 3/4 cup and hers as well. Be sure they have minerals too.
Would love to see a picture!!!
I've noticed that ours that were on really good summer pasture maintained their condition much better and longer than the ones on the "so-so" pasture.
Depending on the condition of your pastures and your cows, maybe 3/4 cup is all they need to keep them in good condition and coming to you when you call them. Our long-leg "big" Dexter cows nursing calves get about 4# of grain a day and do very well. And some of our short-leg Dexters need the Jenny Craig plan, just on pasture. With just two, you should be able to watch their condition pretty closely, but you may have to stand guard to keep the bull from getting it his 3/4 cup and hers as well. Be sure they have minerals too.
Would love to see a picture!!!
