Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

Well!!
Well what a job!! All I want is a small herd of pedigree Dexter’s, steers for the beef boxes, heifers to grow my herd or sell on and a nice bull to look after the ladies.

Been looking for local land for a couple of years and eventually got on the 1st April 10 acres close to home, 1.5 acre of which is very wet, no mains water so the very wet may come in handy.

Got my CPH number, the land has never been registered for SPS, got no entitlements anyway so will give the grant a miss this year, or might not bother at all as it looks like it will finish in a couple of years anyway

Registered with CTS for online notifications and got my barcode labels

Need a herd No. and ear tags but can’t get one till I get some cattle so that will have to wait.

Need to chain harrow but to wet hopefully this weekend if the rain stops.

Plenty of nettles around so got the Grazon 90 but again to wet, need just a few days without rain.

Fencing how good does it need to be, took all the bits of broken fencing out now one big field making good the perimeter fence and then work on the rest later, couple of new gates and were ready for the little beasts.

So to help me with my search I’ll join DCS haven’t done that yet, filled all the forms in just not wrote the cheque, in the meantime I’ll have a look on the Dexter Cattle For Sale website, a few nice beasts for sale and some local, how do I choose? Need help here. Then I notice the discussion board, register as a user and started picking out a few interesting topics and WELL!! The little b—ggers are vicious and make like Houdini over fences, but there so cute this can’t be, Bulls seem to be a liability are they worth it?. Should I just stick with the family of rabbits already in situ?

Any local Keepers in the Macclesfield area I can talk to and maybe look at their setup?

Hello Maccbob,

Firstly I am too far away for you to come and see my setup otherwise you would be very welcome!!!

I have had mine for a few years now and they have only escaped twice, my fault both times. The first time I misjudged how small a gap in a post and rail fence a 6 month old weaned bull calf could squeeze through , he went up the brook but came back when I called, demonstrating his prowess at squeezing through as he came back - an extra rail did the trick. Then more recently I didn't realise how low a bit of fence had become between me and a neighbour and 3 young heifers went walkabout, fortunately I have always fed mine a few High Magnesium Rolls, so I popped a few in a familiar container and they followed me back home at a trot.

As for vicious, mine are all lovely and friendly and will eat of my hand like a pony, it really is a matter of how you treat them, how often you handle them and the manner in which you handle them like any animal and also they are pretty clever and I find they prefer to follow than be driven, they are quite good at divide and conquer, so getting them to come to you for food isn't a bad ploy.

Stephanie

Hi Maccbob,

I agree with Saffy as a group of Dexters they certainly have their own mind and mine do not herd well, they prefer to follow - and often don't follow when they can sense something is going to happen! They are great fun though, inquisitive, and mine are happy to graze as you walk around them - although equally they often act slightly differently when someone unusual is in the field. If I need to get them in I learnt the skill from another Dexter owner of using a line of rope and two people to herd them into a pen.

My bull has been no problem for me, he is approachable and loads well into the trailer - he is not halter trained. I guess it depends how many you have if it is worth having one and/or whether they will occupy him enough. It may also depend on what is in the fields surrounding you. That is when your fencing may be tested. My bull has shown no interest in the horses next door! He does bellow to a bull across the road though. They certainly are confident in their stance against other bulls considering their size.

I am in South Cheshire, and you are more than welcome to visit. I find them a great breed to keep, and mine spend 365 days a year outside. My herd are not halter trained, and times like TB testing are always going to be slightly traumatic - will they come in or wont they - but overall they are a pleasure to keep.

I will send my contact details to your inbox in case you would like to visit.

Good luck,
Mark

Well!!!......we are upset that you have come to this conclusion!!!

We have to agree with Stephanie that any escapees are always our fault, or just purely mischevious calves taking the p...s out of us, because they discover thay can when playing about, and calves having fun are healthy calves so that suits us! Like Stephanie we also keep our cattle friendly with food or titbits, carrots work well, and a few sugarbeet nuts are a small price to pay for animals that come to call for you to inspect them & have a "chat". Likewise they are always happy to follow a bucket anywhere. My wife treats them (all 100+) as she did her horses with firm respect & kindness, & we find that our cattle respond in a similar fashion.

Vicious? No. The odd cow (usually the least friendly one!) can be a bit "calf proud" for a few days, but that is acceptable as after all any new Mum will protect their baby from something they perceive as a threat. Believe me they are nowhere near as scary as a highly strung Holstein that's "calf proud"!!!

Bulls - we have several, all friendly & halter trained. Whilst all bulls should be respected, again it's a matter of MUTUAL RESPECT between animal & owner. If we say NO to our bulls in the right tone of voice, they know we mean it & respect our authority. Anyway no bull should be kept that is threatening in way, 'cos its just not worth it with all the health & safety regs etc. in todays world that would be a liability!!

Unfortunately, we also live too far from Macclesfield for you to visit as you would have been most welcome, but hope that your concerns can be ovecome 'cos Dexter's are delightful, rewarding & addictive. We know 'cos we started out with just two for beef...............and now have a herd.

Good luck Maccbob, I'm sure the Dexters would be more rewarding than the rabbits
Regards Dexter addict Steve

Hello Maccbob,

We got ours in Feb 2010, never having had cattle before or coming from a farming background so we were as green as the grass! What follows works for us but there are others on here who have been in cattle all their life who will guide you well.

The people on this forum have helped hugely and we had calves for the first time this year.

Fencing - I think it makes sense to make sure that all the fences are sound. We use post and stock netting with two strands of barb on top. (The latter is a constant source of discussion as we have horses as well). It gets checked regularly and we have had no escapees other than two that went across a river. If there is a weak spot they will find it, especially if there is better feed on the other side.

Handling/Temperament - I have put these together as they are linked. When we got ours (we have done this three times and following each calving) they go into a small barn about 20' x 20' for two to three weeks (if you don't have a barn make a small pen in a field). This is for quarantine and so that they get used to us. We feed them two or three times a day and go in and out of the barn sometimes just 'passing through' and sometimes going in with them and squatting down so they get used to you. One of the most useful tips we were given was to use bright yellow buckets to feed them. We have three of them - sturdy builders buckets - which we use to give them Suckler Cow Rolls each day and they will spot these from the other side of the field and come running. When in the barn, as we sort the feed for them we call them - we use "Come Cow" - and they get used to that meaning feed is on the way. While they are in the barn we feed them individually from the bucket, while we hold the rim so they have to pass your hand to get to the nuts. All this may sound long winded but we can call them across field with a bright yellow bucket and a call. As someone said I don't think they like being herded/pushed too much but prefer to be lead. My daughter has their measure far better than I and can get them to do pretty much what she wants. We have had no problems at all about temperament - they are calm and friendly but not too close. With young calves we are told they can be a bit twitchy but both have let me handle the calf fairly soon after calving - within an hour. I think the trick is to 'own your own space' and not allow the cow into it so they learn who is the boss - just the same with horses. It does not need sticks, prods or lengths of blue piping. Bulls we are told are different and as yet we have no experience of them. The biggest lesson we learnt early on was if you are trying to move them and don't succeed - stop. The more wound up they get the less the chance of success. Have a cup of tea everyone calms down and have another go. Ours don't like dogs or shouting.
We use sheep hurdles for temporary pens and they happily stand there for as long as needed with a bit of hay or haylage.
It is best to get a crush for everyone's safety and I believe some vets won't attend cattle now unless a crush is available.

In simple terms, do it! Like all things you will make of them what you put in. If they see you regularly they will trust you.

Good luck