Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

Posted: **Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:04 am**

Hello all, First of all can i just say what a great find this website is. Am working my way back through the posts.
A bit of background info, i am a young man who is dedicated to agriculture and livestock, up until a few years ago we had a strong head of beef cattle. i also show and breed shire, clydesdale and suffolk punch heavy horses, and serve on the breed judges panel and council of a couple of them,
i have admired dexters for some time at the shows etc , and have always found the dexter gang to always have time for a chat or in the line at the stockmans.
i am up for the challenge of showing them and am keen to learn , and listen.
Perhaps some of you experienced members could help me with some advice etc on buying dexters suitable for showing and just any little tips etc.
i only looking to start in a small way, perhaps a couple of young heifers, or a cow in calf with calf at foot.
i have emailed a few of the breeders, who have been most kind with offers to welcome me and help me, but as they say the more the merrier.
my main quaestion is which is best for showing, shorts or non short ? and is colour a factor. that may be a daft question, but in shries colour can be a big factor,
I will help the dexter in anyway i can and would love to be part of this great breeds future.
look forward to anyones help.
keep up this great forum.

Edited By matt286bay on 1248858290

Posted: **Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:21 pm**

Welcome Matt. I've only had Dexters for just over a year and have found this forum a great help. I've only seen Dexters at the Great Yorkshire and Lincolnshire shows and they were all black. Does anyone show red or dun? (I don't show, just have a small herd for the really delicious beef!) They all seem to be short too - but just to warn you it's a topic of heated debate!
Hope there are showing people on here who can help.
Best of luck with it!
Caroline

Posted: **Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:30 am**

Welcome aboard Mat. We've only been breeding for 6 years and dived in head-first. What I would say it do your research first, especially about (so-called) shorts and non-shorts before you buy anything. When we bought our first we went for a mixture and I was informed that breeding short to short was OK. But it certainly isn't. Normally the term "short" is used to describe dexters that have a condition known as chondrodysplasia. Breed two together and every 4th calf on average will be born dead and will look like an horrific version of Pinky and Perky. Chondro is a genetic disorder that affects the growth of the animal making it look chunkier and, to some, attractive and beefy. As a note, you don't actually get any more beef in fact you usually get less. Many breeds used to have it but really only the dexter has it to any degree now. You can find loads of stuff on the web about it. It's easy to avoid if that's what you want to do.

You can get short dexters that do not have the condition, which if I were showing, is what I would do. Apart from anything else, when you breed a chondro short to a non-short, (on average) you will get half chondro short calves and half normal non-shorts. So your breeding can take twice as long. If you get shorts that are just short and not because they have the condition, they will breed true and you should get calves that are all the same.

I haven't explained that very well, sorry!

Edited By Broomcroft on 1248939310

Posted: **Thu Jul 30, 2009 4:27 pm**

Hello Matt - and welcome! :D

There are so many Dexter choices, old school would say if you want to show you must buy the short leg but I chose to buy non short (non Chondro) that are actually very small.

I have shown a bull from these, only at 2 shows and had 2 wins and a local championship, I intend to take his first calf - a heifer this year.

They are black but I think the colours do well.

The official line is - I believe, that all colours and types are judged equally and in theory the best conformation should always win, whatever type or colour.

Stephanie

Posted: **Thu Jul 30, 2009 6:04 pm**

Welcome to the Dexter world! Generally it seems to be black Dexters that feature heavily at shows but this is probably due to there being a greater number of them around. I have seem quite a few Reds but rarely Duns but this could be because not many people breed them. Shorts & Non-shorts are shown together and should be judged on their overall confirmation not height and I have seen quite a few non-short champions. Good Luck with your plans.

Natasha

Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

newcomer to the breed / showing - advice needed