Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

There is a Linear Classification day at Foscote Market Buckinghamshire MK18 5EX on 22nd April 2012.
The Market is undercover and the day is open to all members wishing to bring along cattle for classification. This event is organised to enable Linear Classification to be available to all members especially those who only have a few animals and maybe do not have the facilities on their holdings to classify at home.
On the day an explanation of the system will be given on the first animal only, so if you want to come along just to have a look at the process then please do, this will be around 10.15am. Tea and coffee will be available throughout.
Application forms need to be obtained from the DCS office and returned before the event along with payment. Application forms are also downloadable from the linear section on the DCS website where you can also read the guidelines required.
£6.00 +vat per female and £15 + vat per bull.
This is our second Linear day at a livestock market and we hope to continue days such as this in the future but we obviously require the support from the membership.
For more information about the day or Linear Classification please contact either:-
DCS office-Sue Archer
Mark Bowles 01509 211864
Felicity Thompson

As this venue is so close to us, better get my form sent in pronto!

Natasha

Well done Natasha, i was going to contact you anyway!

Can you remind me if extra teats on a cow will mean they cannot be assessed or will this just result in a lower score? Also one of my heifers will be in milk but her calf will be nearly 7 months by the 22nd April. Will she be past her best? Don't want to waste anyones time bringing animals that may be unsuitable.

Thanks

Natasha

Extra teats do not mean an animal has to be rejected but you will probably loose 5 points on your udder score which in turn will effect your overall score maybe by a couple of points.
If your heifer is still in milk and the udder has not dissappeared totally then she could be assessed. Animals can be re assessed in the future when they are in later lactations and if they score higher the new score counts, if they score lower the exsisting score still holds, they can never be downgraded.

Thank you.

Natasha

Just bringing this subject back up to the top of the page. The day is open to everyone, the cattle don't need to be haltered and can have warts, bad dehoening, scars, scurs,one eye, all the things that can stop you taking them to shows.
But don't forget to check your animals heights to conform to breed standard.

Does anyone know if there are likely to be any of these "days" in our part of the world, we are in Monmouthshire, our nearest towns are Abergavenny and Monmouth.

Stephanie

Hi Saffy, its all about numbers. If you can get people in your area to club together and put cattle into a market that charges nothing or very little then it is very possible.The day that took place in Stratford and this forthcoming one has been driven by individuals and a group. The DCS has provided financial backing to a point on an ongoing application basis. We really need 20 animals as a minimum to make it viable along with a very competetive market hire price.
Just to point out, these days are ideally for people who only maybe have a couple of animals and also do not have onfarm facilities like concrete or a bull crush. Having said that they are open to anybody and any amount of entries from one individual.
Its early days for Linear assessment but the word is getting around and good linear classified cattle are attracting a lot of interest and are now selling for a lot more than the average prices.

Final call for the event on Sunday, anyone who wants to come along and see classification in practice then please be on site for around 10.15am start when the process will be explained, if you come a couple of hours later the opportunity for a full explanation may be missed.. Hot drinks and some refreshment will be on site but you will have to pay for it.
See you there
Mark

Thank you to everyone who helped organise this day and helped boost my daughters confidence in handling her Dexters in public. She has been nagging me for ages saying she was perfectly capable of leading our bull round a ring and she has done it. Suffice to say I will still be showing him when we take him out during the summer. Very pleased with our assessment numbers consideriing my choice was based on how many I could fit on the trailer and who had calved at the right time! Sorry I missed seeing how the testing is done but our dog produced three lovely puppies, this being the reason I missed it.

Natasha

Many thanks to all who brought cattle along for classification and those that came along just to watch. Congratulations to Jay Hunt who's bull Saltaire Scrumpy classified at EX93, second highest score for a dexter bull. Felicity Thomson represented her cow Wise Heffalump VG85 for classification a second time after calving again and achieved an increased score of VG86, top female score of the day, well done Felicity.
More info on classification can be downloaded from the DCS website or feel free to contact myself on 01509 211864