Top Tips

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 7:26 am

So, what top tips would you give to people thinking of buying Dexters?

After the last 2 days mine would have to be suitable fencing.

We have adequate fencing, or so I thought, but one field in particular has the diffficult ditch, bank, fence on other side scenario. Meaning that the top of the bank is not much above the top of the fence in places. However the ditch is deep with steepish sides. Safe? Huh!! One of my nicest, short, in-calf cows (calm as you like) managed to get over this obstacle and ended up in the next door field. Options for getting her back. Limited. Walk her out the far gate and along a long country lane, box her up from the field and drive her home, cut a large hole in the fence and let her walk through. We dismissed the first, tried and failed with the 2nd and eventually had to do the 3rd. 5!! hours this took. And heavens knows how many miles we walked, and I got my arms sunburnt for the fist time ever. We will be fencing our side of the ditch before anyone goes in there again.

So my tip for the day - adequate fencing is not enough, it's got to be perfect :p

carole · Post by **carole** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 7:24 pm

we are just about to move our cows into a new field which we have spent many, many 'happy' hours fencing (my husband calls it quality time together) and even now we are looking at it thinking will the calves squeeze underneath or is there anyway the bigger ones can get over the top...only time will tell I guess.

Kathy Millar · Post by **Kathy Millar** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 4:32 pm

I glanced across the field one morning to see two calves out of a temporary paddock. It was fenced with fully-charged, electric mesh fencing about 40" high and 2 other calves were still in the paddock (the girls were the escapees). One section had a small sag in it, otherwise I could find no spot where they might have pushed under or through. And one of the escapees is the two foot high runt :O

I have also discovered that Dexters do not respect a single electric polywire like my neighbour's Holsteins. In fact, that neighbour doesn't even have a proper fence around all his property.

So make sure they can't get over or under the fence. I have watched a cow work her way under a fence.

Re: the two escapees. I am proud to say that I was able to catch and halter the yearling heifer and lead her back to the others. As for the runt, I just left her in the main field and then erected the electromesh around her.

I use sheep (mesh) fencing for my permanent fences and it works well with the dexters. Afterall, my fences have to hold in Shetland lambs!!

Kathy

Peter thornton · Post by **Peter thornton** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 10:50 pm

I've found that Dexters are easy to understand, if you were once a student.

They are easy to keep on campus unless the adjoining field offers either food or sex.

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Sun Jun 25, 2006 11:41 pm

Nothing breed or species specific there then, Peter.

Duncan

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 9:01 am

Well Peter, I suppose there is always the exception that proves the rule because Misty must have scrambled/fallen into the the ditch, scrambled up the other side, hopped over the fence which had a significant (for a short leg Dexter) drop on the other side into a field which had just had a crop taken off it, not a blade of grass to be seen. And there were no other animals over there, and she is in calf. Maybe she was looking for a quiet place for revision??

Jo Kemp · Post by **Jo Kemp** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 3:35 pm

We have just scanned our cows and two heifers jumped over sheep hurdle with mains electric fence behind. The one which got her leg caught on the wire was more cautious about jumping again but her companion lept into the field with the others (who had been moved by then) ... she wasn't scanned but the other is in calf.
This is actually the first real escape problem we have had as they do respect the electric fence, even the bull. Nowadays, I have felt that the cattle and sheep behave as if 'hefted' they know their own fields but sometimes they disagree as to which field they should be in!

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 12:27 am

Dexters are intelligent and sometimes they get bored staying in the same paddock all the time. :laugh: Maybe a soccer ball or a play station is required. :D

Seriously though, we find that 2 strands of electric tape is needed and 3 strands for very young calves.