New member, new herd

Ian H · Post by **Ian H** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:54 pm

Hi everyone, I would like to introduce myself and my new herd of dexters. I am in Burton on trent and have just purchased my first heifers 3 shorts and 3 non shorts, all have horns at the moment i haven't decided yet whether to have them removed or not, i will see how i get on. My plans are to produce my own beef for friends and family, i was told i have to be registered to sell my own beef can anybody tell me who to contact?
Does anybody have a good non short bull to hire whos not far from me my girls are all twenty four months old so i would like to get them in calf as soon as possible.
Regards Ian Hornsby

redhill · Post by **redhill** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:17 pm

Welcome Ian, we run a herd of between 20 -40 Dexters all horned ,if you breed from your 3 girls you should have very few problems, if you buy in any strangers,you will, best wishes Sue Osborne,

welshdexterboy · Post by **welshdexterboy** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:31 pm

Welcome Ian, you are all ready registered in so much as you have a herd number and holding number. You don't need to be registered to sell your meat. The only way you can sell your meat legally is to take them when ready to a slaughter house and then, because it is checked by a Gov vet it is legal to sell. They usually have a cutting and packing service as well ( you can ask about that) they will then hang it for as long as you want (dont worry none of it is free). At the end you go back and pick it up and deliver the best beef you have ever tasted to your customers. I am Rob H from Treffgarne we keep six cows at the moment but are keeping back the good heifers to expand. We sell all the steers for meat to our customers and eat the scrappy bits ourselves. Personally I prefer my cows to be without horns as they can cause damage to others when they fall out. They are also awkward in a ring feeder. Good Luck Rob

PS you didn't say if you have experience of farming or a complete novice. If you are the latter you will get plenty of advice and help here.:D

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:09 am

Alway exciting starting off in a new venture, do enjoy your Dextering. I have a herd now up to 6 breeding females plus followers and assorted bulls, began as one house cow 20 years ago. I used always to keep the horns but a few years ago changed from having them tied in stalls in winter to loose housing and found that friends in the field soon became fiends in a pen and the horns had to go. I also have a polled cow the very thought of which disturbs some folk but it is difficult to please everyone. Take your time, ask around and see how others manage and evolve a system that suits your own circumstances.

Good luck,

Duncan

Duncan MacIntyre
Burnside Dexters
Burnside
Ascog
Rothesay
Isle of Bute

Ian H · Post by **Ian H** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:30 am

Hi everyone
Thanks for replying to my first post, yes iam a complete novice in cattle keeping although i have kept gloucester old spot pigs and jacob sheep. My grandfather was a farmer but my dad was more interested in plant and machinery so the knowledge of the farming side is a bit rusty, my other problem as well is my wife is vegetarian so she found it difficult with regards to cooking meat but shes getting the hang of it now, its only took twelve years,and shes in full support of me producing my own beef as she knows where its come from and had a good life.
Regards Ian Hornsby

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:27 am

Hi Ian,

You will be made SO welcome here.

I joined a couple of years ago when I started my "Dexter search" I have only just bought my small herd but am not new to farming.

Congratulations on becoming a Dexter owner!!!

If you are able to post some pictures you will find a ready audience for any pics you have of your girls here, some of us are terminally nosy, I am anyway.

Stephanie

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:58 am

Hello Ian

Welcome aboard. I only started 5 years ago and I've got quite a large and rapidly expanding herd for beef. Don't worry about not knowing anything, when I looked at buying my first Dexters, the farmers said do you want heifers, and I asked what one of those was!

My wife was also a vegetarian for 20 years until she could be certain how the animals had been brought up and tasted Dexter.

If you don't get any joy with bull hire, Moonshine Dexters hifre out a lot of bulls of all types. You'll fnd their details at Dexter Beef, under West Midlands Suppliers, and there are others on the site but don't now who, if any, hire out bulls. We're a virtually-closed herd, so don't hire out.

Penny · Post by **Penny** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:14 am

Hello Ian,
welcome to the addictive world of owning Dexters! I have a beef business, which gives me a good excuse to keep a lot of them.
Have to say though, that you DO HAVE TO BE REGISTERED TO SELL BEEF. You will need to inform Environmental Health and Trading Standards. If you were just "giving" it to friends and family, there is no problem, but if you advertise and/or sell then they do need to be informed. Laws exist even if you are just delivering boxes from the abattoir ( can only travel 7 miles in an unrefridgerated vehicle). Many people are unaware of the regulations that exist, and different areas interprete rules in different ways but you are expected to have bothered to find out about these before selling your beef. This applies whether you sell 2 per year or 20, although may vary in Wales and Scotland.
I am sorry but I really do not have time to write everything out, but do advise that you contact TS and EH before you sell, as they are far nicer to people who contact for advice then they are with people who have not played by the rules!
You should find that there is very little to do on a small scale

Good luck and enjoy your Dexters!
Penny

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:05 pm

Here in Wales I think you are OK if you sell the meat immediately it comes back but if you freeze it (and unless you are very lucky you probably will have to freeze some) it will mean your freezers and the room they are in being inspected, and you will have to note temperatures in freezers regularly. Having meat vacuum packed saves a lot of hassle too. I agree with Penny, it is better to start off legal.

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:05 pm

Welcome Ian. I started myself this year and I had only kept chickens before. So you're very much not alone. Look forward to hearing your experiences.

Colin

Ian H · Post by **Ian H** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:40 pm

Hi everyone
Thanks for your feedback and kind words of welcome, its good to know there are some helpful and knowledgable people out there in internet land if i get stumped.
I didnt think it would be easy to start doing my own beef without some govermental interference, still i want to start off on the right foot and get it right. I have found in the past with regards to planning and other issues if you talk to them first the are very helpful.
Regards Ian Hornsby
PS. Off up the field now with my camera, i'll see if i can get some photos on later

106-1100209741 · Post by **106-1100209741** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:39 pm

Welcome aboard and congratulations on your new herd. A word of warning though - your life will never be the same again! Dexters have a habit of getting under your skin (in the nicest possible way).

We started off with five and now have 29. As for supplying beef - we're wondering about it ourselves. I rang the business gateway folk - perhaps there's a similar organisation down your way who could give you information.

Best wishes to you and yours.

June
Aberdeenshire
Scotland

Edited By june.simpson on 1193780413