Page 1 of 3
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:55 am
by justmalc
All,
The Summer Newsletter states that all animals forward must be halter trained. This is inaccurate as the market are happy to accept untrained animals. Obviously animals need to be halter trained for the show if you're going to enter.
Just thought I'd clarify - perhaps you could let other DCS members know who do not use this site. Any chance of a mail shot to members to rectify this error steering committee?
Thanks,
Malcolm.
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:38 pm
by natmadaboutdexters
This is useful to know as I have a year old heifer that is a bit strong for me to start halter training but would make a nice breeding or even beef animal.
Natasha
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:51 pm
by Mark Bowles
I have been informed by Carolanne Raybould who is on the Breed sale steering comittee and is also joint cattle steward for all the breeds participating.
This is the National show and sale of the participating Breed societies.
All cattle of all breeds are to be capable of being lead.
All Dexter entered are to be inspected.
Therefore to be inspected properly the animals need to be lead on a halter.
Further, the pens to hold the cattle will have to be shared so again they need to be tied.
The cattle need to be lead towards the sale ring and to wait in turn to go through,once through the ring they need to be lead back to the pens.
There is no facility to run loose cattle through the sale ring on this sale unlike a normal cattle mart.
I hope this answers your questions
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 12:23 pm
by natmadaboutdexters
I think that sometimes what the market accepts is not always what the hosts of the show and sale accepts. In hindsight I don't remember any Dexters not being halter trained at the sale, just a rather wild White Park cow running down the aisles! I have the untrained heifer advertised on the DCFS site anyway so will just leave her at home. Lets hope that there are lots of entries and lots of buyers this year.
Natasha 
Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:55 pm
by justmalc
The position is that all animals have to be capable of being halter tied for inspection and because pens may be shared. They DO NOT have to be led into the ring as the market are happy to run un-trained animals through the ring following the main classes. Most animals are capable of being tied, especially with the use of a collar whereas full halter training can be more difficult.
As things stand you may well get your own pen as entries are currently low. Melton Market will take entries from other blue tongue zones and re-fund entry fees for those unable to attend if zones have not moved sufficiently by the date of the sale.
Anybody with any questions please call Bryan Robinson on 01664 562971. Bryan is General Manager at Melton Market and, as my brother, is accustomed to the idiosyncrasies of the Dexter world. Nothing will shock him.
Hope this clarifies.
Malcolm.
Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:19 pm
by Mark Bowles
Malcolm you misread my post.
The animal has to be lead to be inspected for walking faults, it is idifficult to check an animal that is not lead properly. The bidders are buying inspected animals and expect the inspection to be done properly and accurately, the inspectors are doing a tricky job and need to get it right especially if something fails.
The higher standard for the sale needs to be upheld otherwise the whole sale is demeaning and as the National sale for the DCS, its not what we want.
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:09 am
by Broomcroft
What we (i.e. Broomcroft) would like to see, is normal sales like other cattle. The only sale I know of within a reasonable distance is in fact Melton, and we can't use it because of the halter-training requirement and apparent lack of proper handling facilities. So the only option is private sales. Maybe that's how it's got to be but it makes it harder for the buyer. I want to drop some black cattle and shorts because we're going 100% non-short red. It would be nice to be able to take these to a market where bidders can see them all at once.
I know we can organise a special sale, but one for Dexters from all sorts of farms held on the same day is far more attractive to buyers. Or for all 'specialist' breeds maybe. But again with normal handling facilities.
I wonder if other sales were organised at normal cattle markets whether they would be supported (maybe after bluetongue and TB have been knocked on the head)? There are markets with decent facilities all over the country. Or do these sales already exist, if so does anyone now where the info is?
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:27 am
by justmalc
Sorry Mark, I didn't realise walking was part of the inspection.
Clive, I completely agree - most Dexters aren't halter trained nor do theyt need to be. Sales in this format do not facilitate sales of "commercial" stock to or from beef producing herds. Almost all sellers will be from the "showing" community.
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:00 am
by Mark Bowles
York has to be the next biggest dexter sale, i beleive unregistered and unhaltered cattle go through there. The DCS does not inspect at any other sale apart from Melton, thats what sets it apart and tends to acheive better prices.
Other sales do take place, Frome i think has one and i beleive there may be something happening in Devon, not sure.
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:29 am
by Saffy
We strongly suggest a sale yard in the centre of the country that can accommodate both haltered and unhaltered cattle in separate parts of the yard.
The unhaltered to be sold first in the morning whilst the lead animals are being inspected.
The prices can be calculated separately so that it can be noted what difference the leading and inspection makes.
This way the whole of the Dexter Society Membership will be represented in the National Dexter Sale which surely is only fair, if it is a Society sale, it shouldn't be a sale only for those who lead.
With more members able to take part there will be more people there to bid - not a bad thing, if members see that led animals make more money maybe they will decide to lead next time but it should be a matter of personal choice!
This should NOT detract from the excellence of the inspected section of the Dexter Sale, in fact maybe if it brings extra buyers year on year it will help the sale to grow.
Any comments?
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:02 pm
by carole
Hi as Mark mentioned there is a twice yearly sale of native and rare breed cattle at Holsworthy, Devon there are usually quite a few dexters there. The next one is on 6th September (tel 01409 253275 for a catalogue)
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:38 pm
by Broomcroft
Our sheep society has show/sales and they include everyone and are exceptionally well attended. You show if you want to, and a good proportion do, and then the sale follows whether the animals were shown or not, but the buyers will know which were, and those that want a show or halter-trained animal will bid for them accordingly. Others, in fact most nowadays, will be looking for animals with high EBV's. Some venues are just straight-forward sales, but the format for each particular venue is always the same each year.
The sheep society has picked about 5-6 venues over the country and they publicise certain days as their sale days. They go to great lengths to let everyone know and help make the arrangements. Everyone knows that in their broad area, and by area I mean Wales for example, on a certain date or dates in the year, that's where they go to buy or sell their sheep. And just as important, it's where everyone meets as well and everyone goes, quite often from miles away even if they're not buying or selling. Most members will go to 3 or 4 sales just to meet everyone and see what the stock is like.
Whether this would work for dexterdom I don't know, but it would be great if it did. We would certainly take cattle.
I know TB and BT are a problem but (hopefully) they're not going to be with us forever 
.
Edited By Broomcroft on 1216241964
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:08 pm
by Pennielea
Saffy, well said. As we become more commercial as a breed we need to have a normal trading place. The major pedigree sales each year are at Perth but they manage to sell a large number if not the majority of animals unled.
Mark you say that there is no facility to run loose cattle through the sale ring at Melton 'unlike a normal cattle mart'. Melton is a normal cattle mart and the facility of loose movement is well catered for. The organisers have simply decided to insist on animals being halter led. It seems unreasonable to me. I remember several years ago at the RBST sale at Stoneleigh a herd of Red Dexters being 'sold in the pens' and it seemed quite acceptable.
Ian
Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:45 am
by Peter thornton
Sheep sales are much easier to organise as the sheep world moves in step as far as breeding goes. i.e. lambs are born in spring and sold in Autumn. The cattle world is, of course, different from this.
But I do agree as to the halter training. There should be no need to halter train to enter a sale.
Having said that, it's true that a well trained animal will often achieve a higher price.
Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:36 pm
by Rutherford
If training an animal to walk on the end of a rope converted its breeding abilities you would have an explosion of haltered animals amongst the farming fraternity. Whether an animal leads or not has nothing to do with its ability to produce good quality young stock. The ability of an animal to be assessed on its beauty has very little to do with its performance, only its show potential. If we wish to be taken seriously as a working breed it is time we put the emphasis where it counts. A smallholder’s breed should have facilities for smallholder’s sales. Stephanie’s suggestion sounds like common sense to me
Beryl (Woodmagic)