Opinions on my Dexters?

[Little Cow]

The rains didn't start until June, so they are fattening up now on the grass. I'd like to breed them in September (AI) and need to get them in good shape by then. I have a hard time with body scores on these girls. I think the heifers are about a five and the cows...? Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. They have bahia grass (very low protein grass - 5-6% at best) and a 24% protein lick right now. Going to start cubes soon to help out.

15 month old heifer, April

almost 16 month old heifer, Ester

A group shot- The dun is Ester's mama, the black to her left is April's mama

This one is my troublemaker. No calf first breeding and we didn't breed any cows last year because money was tight. She needs to settle or be culled this year.

Thanks for looking!!

 

[KNERSIE]

Don't think the cubes are really needed, they are in good enough condition to cycle and with just grass an the protein lick they should be on a rising plane of condition anyway by September and that is exactly what you want when AI-ing cows.

 

[Little Cow]

Thank you for your opinion, Knersie.

I think the mama cows' hips throw me off when I'm evaluating them. The unbred cow has more flesh around hers.

 

[bigbull338]

those are some nice looking cows.an they will get ready to breed on grass an lick alone by sept.

 

[KNERSIE]

Thank you for your opinion, Knersie.

I think the mama cows' hips throw me off when I'm evaluating them. The unbred cow has more flesh around hers.

You don't live in a copper deficient area by any chance?

Is your parasite program up to date?

 

[Little Cow]

Last fecal check was negative. I'll ask the extension agent about copper. Thanks!!

 

[Little Cow]

Now I understand what you guys are looking at. That might actually be genetics. The two black cows may or may not carry red (only one calf each so far and they were black). The heifers, especially April, are from a red bull so they are most certainly red carriers. I am told that black Dexters that carry red can bleach out more easily. I will check with the extension office though, just in case. I have a black horse that has always bleached out and a black pony that stays coal black.

Yeah, I am aiming to add red or dun to my little herd so they fair a little better here in the Florida heat.

 

[goodbeef]

Didnt breed cause money was tight? If money is tight, sell some cows! Cows make you money by producing a calf every year. You certainly didnt make any money on those girls if you didnt breed them, and you just might have screwed a few up by holding them off a year, especially if you have some two year old heifers that have never bred yet. Not to be to critical but not breeding cows, and keeping them for another year cause money was tight is one of the most rediculous things i have heard on here, and i have heard alot of them!

 

[KNERSIE]

Didnt breed cause money was tight? If money is tight, sell some cows! Cows make you money by producing a calf every year. You certainly didnt make any money on those girls if you didnt breed them, and you just might have screwed a few up by holding them off a year, especially if you have some two year old heifers that have never bred yet. Not to be to critical but not breeding cows, and keeping them for another year cause money was tight is one of the most rediculous things i have heard on here, and i have heard alot of them!

I agree that holding them open isn't what I would do in the same situation.

Care to enlighten us by explaining your statement in bold? I'll reserve my comment on ridiculous things I've read here untill after you have explained that.

 

[Little Cow]

Well, when you're married to someone who still getting caught up on the ins and outs of cattle, you won't always get a chance to do things by the book. I knew I needed to breed last year, but it was hard to explain to my husband when it isn't intuitive. Also, he was under a lot of stress from starting his own business (he's a family doctor going solo vice joining a big, corporate practice). Top that off with the fact that we chose a rare breed that fairs poorly at auction and you have my unique situation. Selling Dexters is typically done privately. It is more difficult and takes longer but the prices are nice.

I have three cows. Two gave me heifer calves last year. One didn't take. I wanted to breed just her back to the same bull last year, but we have moved since we first bred the cows and that bull is now several states away (the farm offered a free breeding because she didn't take). And, no straws were available from him last year. So, yes, one cow, that we should have culled, is still here. Now, all five (cows and heifers) have a date with a nice AI bull in September. If the one cow doesn't take after two straws, she's gone. Had we a normal year last year, yes, she would've been bred and either culled or kept. She actually has the best conformation of them all.

So, if this is still the most ridiculous thing you've heard, now that you've heard all the circumstances, then I win the award. Yay.

 

[djinwa]

I had a Dexter once, and your's look better than she did. My Lowline angus/Jersey cow has the red tint to her hair from the Jersey in her.

Do you have production goals with these, or just raise them as pets? I didn't get much milk or meat out of my Dexter. When raised mostly as pets, people get too attached to cull like they should and quality suffers. Maybe no breed is culled hard enough, but some small breeds are probably worse.

 

[Little Cow]

Right now the goal is to add more diversity into my stock. They've been closely bred for a number of generations and I don't want to play that game. Found a nice bull with a similar build but different genetics so we're really curious what the calves will be like. Calving ease is already built into the breed. Calf pullers are virtually unknown with Dexters. Most people either aim toward a dairy or beef build. We'll take a good look once we get some more babies on the ground and see what we like best. May aim right down the middle, however, because these are dual purpose cattle. At first, heifers will be kept and given a chance but bulls will go in the freezer, unless I get a strong recommendation from someone that really knows Dexters. Our first real culling will be once I can get them professionally evaluated.

They are hard to cull, but it's because we have so few animals. The cow that didn't take the first year was supposed to get a second chance last year because of her excellent build. Well, last year was our fault, so I guess she gets her second chance this year.

 

[Onthebit]

Thank you for your opinion, Knersie.

I think the mama cows' hips throw me off when I'm evaluating them. The unbred cow has more flesh around hers.

You don't live in a copper deficient area by any chance?

Is your parasite program up to date?

I did notice the orange tint to them as well. Didnt know if it was because they hadnt shedded off yet or if it was from the sun bleaching the hair or what? If they got a good mineral program I doubt they will be deficient in that area. I have some that have that color of hair on their back from where the son bleaches it. I also have some calves that have kind of a reddish tint to them until they are yearlings and slick off black.

Copper deficeincy causes the hair to go grey! let me see if i can find a picture....

 

[Onthebit]

Not a very good pic but shows the greying effect:

Black Dexter calf with severe copper deficiency. The previous owner was accustomed to horses, but not Dexters, and thought the calf was changing colors - like a black foal turning grey. The calf is now black again.

 

[Onthebit]

Right now the goal is to add more diversity into my stock. They've been closely bred for a number of generations and I don't want to play that game. Found a nice bull with a similar build but different genetics so we're really curious what the calves will be like. Calving ease is already built into the breed. Calf pullers are virtually unknown with Dexters. Most people either aim toward a dairy or beef build. We'll take a good look once we get some more babies on the ground and see what we like best. May aim right down the middle, however, because these are dual purpose cattle. At first, heifers will be kept and given a chance but bulls will go in the freezer, unless I get a strong recommendation from someone that really knows Dexters. Our first real culling will be once I can get them professionally evaluated.

They are hard to cull, but it's because we have so few animals. The cow that didn't take the first year was supposed to get a second chance last year because of her excellent build. Well, last year was our fault, so I guess she gets her second chance this year.

When I started building my little herd, I bought some of the best semen available with the intention of AI the cows...I have 4 beauties...but...both of us work long hours in construction.....he on days, me on nights.....guess what? no time to see who was in heat or even when I did there wouldn't be someone there for the tech....so much to the chagrin of my uppity Dexter friends I borrowed a georgous young well bred bull and let him handle things! looks to me like he has 3 settled so far and is working on the heifer who just calved a couple weeks ago! JOB DONE THANKYOU VERY MUCH AND NO STRESS!

 

[Little Cow]

Hmm, thanks for more opinions, guys. AI is an experiment this year. I would really like to take advantage of this bull's genetics and the cross was recommended by a long time Dexter breeder. We will pick up the shots from the vet and administer them ourselves (actually hubby will due to my current, prego, condition). then, the vet will come out for the actual insemination and palpation visits. We'll watch expenses this year and decide what to do next year. The cows had live cover their first year at the bull's farm and though I'm happy with the offspring, the cows came home with pinkeye and warts. I know pinkeye is hard to control due to the number of strains, but it still stunk to have to treat them for it. The warts, well they just fell off on their own. Not life-threatening, but annoying nonetheless. As far as buying a virgin bull, well I don't feel qualified yet to pick out a good one. Especially a young bull.

Thought I had a good handle on cattle from various cattle jobs, but running your own herd is entirely different. I am a beginner and this is a hobby for us. But, we're learning.

 

[chippie]

Just a heads up about fecal exams and parasites.

Fecals are not 100% accurate. They only indicate when the parasites are shedding eggs. An animal can still have parasites and have a negative fecal exam.

Good luck with your cows.

 

[Little Cow]

Thanks, Chippie! They are on a regular de-worming schedule. I'll let you guys know hoe the AI goes. It will be interesting.

AS far as copper, I am feeding a ration of loose mineral daily now instead of dumping a big bag into the feeder. Once the rains gets to it, they don't eat nearly as much of it. They are cleaning up the daily ration nicely. Only a little left by the next day. Hubby will build a covered mineral feeder we can move from pasture to pasture. I've seen some for sale, but they won't work with the amount of blowing rain we get this time of year down here. There is a supplemental copper injectable that Knersie was nice enough to tell me about, but it has selenium, which we don't need here.

Thank you for all thoughts and opinions! More are always welcome.

 

[KNERSIE]

You can also get Multimin +Cu without the Se.

 

[Little Cow]

Thanks, Knersie! I'll see what the vet says when they call me back....