What options to increase the size of our Dexters

[carole]

Thats so right Alison, better inputs through your own improved fodder will mean a better output in terms of the beef produced.

I am very concerned at what we feed the cattle, we provide ours with a varied mix, but its all natural grown on our ground. We have a good quality silage, good quality clover bales and finally good quality meadow hay.

So we dont consider the need to cross our cattle with other breeds, if we wanted Welsh Blacks we would buy them, but they would not be Dexters and would not be so special.

Finally we have a varied size to our herd, some of the mums are quite small and some of the larger long legs are quite big for a Dexter, may be if your looking for a larger Dexter , look to buy in a larger cow in the first place.

[Inger]

We have a range of sizes of Dexter cows in NZ. Some of the bulls are a bit taller than the breed standard as well. So here, we can search out and find the genetics of a range of heights. Just keep looking for taller than average Dexter bulls and go from there.

I believe that the Dexter can be all things to all farmers. You just need to research the gene pool.