Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

I am now worrying - we calve outdoors, and generally let the girls get on with it. To my knowledge, they all eat their afterbirth, but I have not had one choke?? Perhaps I am a particularly bad Dexter owner. I was under the impression that they ate the atferbirth as a way of replacing nutrients and...

I don't know if this is significant or not, but I was convinced last year that my lot all had a dose of NFE. However, having noticed two or three with what looked like a nasty dose of cataracts and swollen eyes, I ordered the necessary medication from the vets, which I still have. The infected - on...

I am now feeling like the worst cattle keeper in the world - the bull calves I let run with the herd, and the heifer calves I remove so that their own father doesn't have a go at them. Generally, though, I leave said heifers on their mothers till they are more than six months old. I then let mum's ...

Thanks Duncan, As far as taste and tenderness, I have to be honest and say that the best that we have slaughtered was in fact an OTM cow, who had calved once, and refused to take after that. She was definitely the nicest, most tender beef that we have ever eaten. Having spoken to a number of beef f...

Completely agree with what Dom has said. We purchased a second hand vac packer and it set us back about £1500, but well worth it. We bring our carcasses back from the abbattoir, hang them here, then cut and pack the meat ourselves. We actually converted an old dairy into a cutting and packing area,...

Thank you for re-enforcing what I thought would be necessary - as it happens, we had the vet here today for our TB reading (all clear, thank goodness), and I have made the arrangements to have the bull calves dealt with, pronto. As for the question about the weight, I can assure you that I am not m...

Yeah, think Arthur was a bit of a fluke. He was from a non-short cow who is probably a little on the large side (she is a fairly old Knightsway cow), and our bull, who is also a Knightsway product (by Paddy). Arthur was kept on as a bull as he showed real promise as a calf, but as he grew he didn't...

Forgive me if I am now asking a blonde question, but how are you steering them at 12 months cost effectively, i.e. without the vet present? I am not sure that I fancy doing that particular job?!??!?! Also, do you find that leaving them entire for that bit longer increases the deadweight??? The init...

Hi - can anyone help me. I am curious to know if anyone knows if there is any discernible difference in running on bull calves for meat, as opposed to steers. Does this affect the meat quality, taste etc. I have previously run a bull calf to a year and a half and then had him castrated (didn't turn...

Inclined to agree with you Sylvia. Have just brought mine in - they have moved out of a wet field (previously covered in snow, as was most of North Devon), and are enjoying the life of Riley in our barn. Every morning, I pop my head in and the dogs are mystified by ten black lumps nestled in the st...

Inclined to agree with you Sylvia. Have just brought mine in - they have moved out of a wet field (previously covered in snow, as was most of North Devon), and are enjoying the life of Riley in our barn. Every morning, I pop my head in and the dogs are mystified by ten black lumps nestled in the st...

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help?? For some reason, my mini herd (ten of them) seem to be drinking an awful lot of water at the moment, far more so than in the summer. Now, I appreciate that they are eating hay as opposed to grass, but they seem to be drinking a hell of a lot anyway. Also, having be...

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help?? For some reason, my mini herd (ten of them) seem to be drinking an awful lot of water at the moment, far more so than in the summer. Now, I appreciate that they are eating hay as opposed to grass, but they seem to be drinking a hell of a lot anyway. Also, having be...