Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

Has anyone noticed the increasing number of 'pop up' committees within the DCS? We now have a 'Membership Communications Committee'. Get yourself on there Duncan.

Marketing and Promotions Committee???

Jac sadly I have not been making much of a job of committee life recently, just too much on my plate and too much not going the way I would like it both at work and at play. However I am of the opinion that DCS needs a serious overhaul in many respects from top to bottom. There are too many narrow minds and bad attitudes in all the wrong places, and instead of forging ahead with the breed when it is at an all time high there is nothing but petty control freak attitudes and fault finding.

As a result of Andrew Sheppy's tirade against three of the most significant bulls in the breed history I obtained a copy of Professor Sponenberg's book which Mr Sheppy made reference to in the article. The book is a breath of fresh air, not particularly written with any one breed in mind but as a general text on breeds and what they are, how to maintain the breed in good health breeding wise, and how to run a breed society.

I have just ordered 25 copies from the American Livestock Conservancy which I intend to give as presents or to sell at cost. As I did with Beryl's Woodmagic book I will only cover my costs. I would encourage as many as possible to read and digest this book. It is too late for this years Council elections, but I think during the next year a number of us should form a group to look seriously at our breed and breed society with a view to making a difference.

I am aware of quite a number of members having serious issues with the way DCS is being run or is treating members. This needs addressing. We also need to try to have a more informed approach to a number of breeding issues rather than the usual deny it, ignore it, blame it on someone else or shove it under the carpet attitude to problems.

Duncan MacIntyre wrote:J

I have just ordered 25 copies from the American Livestock Conservancy which I intend to give as presents or to sell at cost.

If there are any copies still going Duncan I would like to purchase one.

Duncan MacIntyre wrote:Jac sadly I have not been making much of a job of committee life recently, just too much on my plate and too much not going the way I would like it both at work and at play. However I am of the opinion that DCS needs a serious overhaul in many respects from top to bottom. There are too many narrow minds and bad attitudes in all the wrong places, and instead of forging ahead with the breed when it is at an all time high there is nothing but petty control freak attitudes and fault finding.

As a result of Andrew Sheppy's tirade against three of the most significant bulls in the breed history I obtained a copy of Professor Sponenberg's book which Mr Sheppy made reference to in the article. The book is a breath of fresh air, not particularly written with any one breed in mind but as a general text on breeds and what they are, how to maintain the breed in good health breeding wise, and how to run a breed society.

.......

I am aware of quite a number of members having serious issues with the way DCS is being run or is treating members. This needs addressing. We also need to try to have a more informed approach to a number of breeding issues rather than the usual deny it, ignore it, blame it on someone else or shove it under the carpet attitude to problems.

That's fighting talk Duncan!

Duncan,
If available I would like a copy please.
You know my opinions.

I think that it is a pity that this forum, which is Mark's, doesn't ever seem to have any responses from Council. I understand that there are 1460 members of the DCS and 510 on this forum but it seems to be an excellent vehicle to improve comms and discussion with Council. I suspect that there may be a reluctance to respond, as DCS, without a meeting agreeing the answer?

Out of interest I had a quick look at when the Council Members last visited the forum - assuming the data recorded is accurate. There are, I believe, 9 members of council and from searches using surname and herd prefixes (flawed searches as they may be registered as something else but its a start) only three of the nine would appear to be on this forum. Of those three, their most recent visit dates are as follows:-
1/8/15
18/1/15
25/11/14

Hopefully all those other council members will leap forward as frequent visitors and I will toddle off back in my box! However, if accurate, it seems a shame that, based on this possibly flawed data, the other members may be missing the discussions and concerns of members and the wider Dexter owners and more importantly potential members?

Anyone who wonders at the power of forums should look at The Farming Forum http://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php and see the power that has been amassed in a relatively short space of time with its 15,000 members which has representation from very senior NFU, DEFRA and RPA.

Not all members of the site are members of the society, its open to all as long as you can answer the security question. The board has been going for many years, something like 15 I think, it has been quiet for the last couple of years but for those that remember in 2008 it brought about the resignation of all but 1 member of council at a council meeting. Forums do have the power and this one is no different, I think in the whole time it has been on the web I have only removed 2 or 3 posts, nothing is ever edited.
Its a shame the topic has arisen after the deadline for council applications has passed, I would encourage anyone with the time to get involved and bring forward new ideas.
I am hoping there will be elections this year for council positions so everyone out there can choose who they want, always a good idea.

Jac says "That's fighting talk Duncan!"

It may sound like fighting Jac, but I do not wish to be fighting with anyone. What I want to do is have a group looking at as many as possible of the different facets of Dexter breeding and owning, bloodlines, genetics, health issues, etc etc, and above all take a positive look at how a breed society can be run. I realise it is too late for this years nominations, but it is an attempt at an approach which will require time. I hope it will inform a significant number of individuals who will feel better prepared to stand for council in future. I would like to see people able to offer positive ways to do things better. I do not know all the answers, but answers will emerge as the process goes on.

If you feel you can help with this please contact me at duncan.macintyre@btopenworld.com


Duncan

Duncan MacIntyre wrote:Jac says "That's fighting talk Duncan!"

It may sound like fighting Jac, but I do not wish to be fighting with anyone. What I want to do is have a group looking at as many as possible of the different facets of Dexter breeding and owning, bloodlines, genetics, health issues, etc etc, and above all take a positive look at how a breed society can be run. I realise it is too late for this years nominations, but it is an attempt at an approach which will require time. I hope it will inform a significant number of individuals who will feel better prepared to stand for council in future. I would like to see people able to offer positive ways to do things better. I do not know all the answers, but answers will emerge as the process goes on.

If you feel you can help with this please contact me at duncan.macintyre@btopenworld.com


Duncan

The charity's objects (the Objects) are:
To advance the education of the public at large by registering, monitoring and exhibiting
Dexter cattle, and investigating and encouraging efficient breeding of Dexter cattle with a
view to improving and increasing the number of the breed.

At one time there was a 'cause' to fight for - a breed was endangered and needed to be rescued everyone was pulling in the same direction. Well it sure as heck has been revived the question is what are the custodians of the breed going to do with it now it has been saved?

In another post Rob says,
Don't get me wrong, there are has been progress made in the society with useful tools for breeders - I particularly like the online herdbook, the bulletin is much more professional, genetic testing services, linear assessment, etc. but the core message is still that undefined big future.

Further to the above quoted comment, I was thinking about how I didn't mention the beef scheme in my summary of what the society has done as I was moving the cows tonight, and what impact that has had on the marketing of Dexter beef. As far as I can see it has had absolutely no effect upon sales of Dexter beef and no new marketing opportunities have been developed as a result. The only outcome is a bunch of stickers that aren't even fit for purpose - an offical sticker should be pre-printed with the producers name and number, not hand written, both to save time for the producer and to look professional to the consumer. The Dexter Beef mark may be guaranteeing that the beef is 100% Dexter to us but I've yet to meet anyone who either knows or cares about it.

The demand for Dexters as conservation grazing animals is huge right now but without a market for the end product, I can't see that demand being met.

Check out this little gem;

The beef section on the Dexter Cattle Society web site has regularly updated target prices for different cuts of Dexter meat to give you additional guidance.

So when I went to the beef section;

Prices
Suggested Beef Prices
2014

It's a very worthwhile and noble thing to volunteer to help members and the Society but I do wish that those who genuinely have not got the time to play an active role (not just attend a meeting or go on a conference call) would step away - nobody would think any the less of the them at least they were willing.

Unfortunately the membership has only got itself to blame in permitting the non-publication of minutes/comprehensive details of the meetings. This does not make for a great situation when elections are looming and also encourages inertia as nobody is accountable - for good or bad. I do recall when Council were deposed back then that we were told we couldn't have the minutes published with some foggy excuse about disclosure and the 'legal position' well how come the Jersey Society produces a much more comprehensive summary with names? It is not even in a members area.

http://www.ukjerseys.com/about/articles.html

'A Trustee said this, a Trustee said that...' I've never heard the like!

I would also point out that we have a number of volunteers on various committees but there are no minutes or even regular briefings from those committees either. There should be a briefing on progress (or lack of it) at every Council meeting and conveyed to the membership as part of the comprehensive Council summary. Doing good work silently behind the scenes if so we need to know about it?

Aside: I cannot help but compare from a professional point of view the differences between us and the Jerseys. Time to return to the kitchen table or move forwards again?

Hello Duncan

As you know I have been chatting to Phil Sponenberg about another matter, he mentioned his book then and it sounded very interesting. I would like to put my name down for a copy please. I will email about that.

I would be delighted to help in any way I can. Not sure what I could do but...I have farmed all my life, I now only run 175 acres and most of that is now let out, although I did run up to 550, (this was under my own hand not with a manager.) So I have farming and cattle know how if that would be of use and there was a medium sized dairy herd and followers here - well it was medium size by today standards. I also had a small pure Hereford herd, and kept a motley crew of mostly Charolais crosses and dairy steers to run on for beef, as well as a of flock of sheep, potatoes and other arable crops.... kept me on my toes.

Stephanie

Thanks Stephanie,

good to know that you support this idea. I really want to try to get a group of individuals together to look positively at what a breed society should be doing and why, even such basic things as "What is a breed?", and to do this in an open and honest way, not looking to be negative and make comparisons with what is going on just now, but to have some preparation for either active roles in DCS or supporting roles in the future. I do not know all the answers, but with a group of people open to new ideas, both from within the group and looking and learning from sources outwith the group.

When I have sufficient numbers to get things started I think we will set up our own means of communication, but I hope to be as open as possible with what we are doing and how we are progressing - it will not be a group with secrets.

If anyone thinks they can contribute to this project, or learn from it, or both, please email me at duncan.macintyre@btopenworld.com

Duncan