Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

There have been more very good linear scores during September. Congratulations to the Nuttall family who had good scores with bulls Llan-y-coed Llewellyn EX94 and Jordeth Steve EX92 and 4th calver Linford Mustard EX90.
Also many congratulations to Candy King who set a new high score for a female with 4th calver Needles Hall Agapanthus EX93 followed by Northbrook Clair EX92 who was a 10th calving cow not forgetting Topster Sweet May EX90 who was a 9th calver.
In the last year there has been some cracking cattle forward setting new high scores but remember the scheme is just as important for the cattle that score GP and VG in showing strengths and weaknesses for the breeder to correct or enhance in future matings.
For anyone who wishes to learn more about linear scores there is information on the DCS website to read through or failing that the linear committee members Stephen Adcock, Mary Kay, Felicity Thomson and myself are only a phone call away.

That is really good to hear, and Mark is quite right about the value in having the scores for lesser ones that the elite EX's. I was really pissed off that I just could not get everything organised this year to do another batch, and now have sold some without them being done. I msut make more effort next year to do some. It is very good to see the breakdown of how it is made up, we just don't get that with the single overall figure.

If you have not yet done any, give it a go, the assessor who came here made it all go very smooth, made every effort to fit visit in with me going on holiday, though I had to get in touch with Holstein UK direct as my holiday approached and the Holstein office had not got any of the info about timing I had given the DCS office.

Well Done all - superb.

Congratulations Candy King a wonderful achievement.

Best Wishes

Lisa Bell

LISA wrote:Well Done all - superb.

Congratulations Candy King a wonderful achievement.

Best Wishes

Lisa Bell

The congratulations must go to you Lisa as it is your wonderful breeding that has attained this score. I'm just very lucky to call her my own. Also congratulations must also go to Graham Hunt as he not only bred good animals as in Northbrook Clair but also has an eye for a really good animal as in Needles Hall Agapanthus and also Eagleridge Roxy Lady. A great stockman. Once again congratulations to you Lisa X

Congratulations to all. Well done .
Di

Duncan MacIntyre wrote:That is really good to hear, and Mark is quite right about the value in having the scores for lesser ones that the elite EX's. It is very good to see the breakdown of how it is made up.

Duncan, I had every cow done in my herd that was eligible even though I knew some wouldn't score highly. The scoring is interesting to compare each cow against the others. I found it a bit disappointing that my 14yr old cow who had three scores in EX90+'s was let down on her udder so only scoring VG87, doubly disappointing as her udder was fabulous last year!! Interestingly one of her high scores were better than Topster Sweet Mays but Mays udder is still fabulous. ( part of me is wondering whether I should be disclosing such things on an open forum !)

Her low score on her udder at fourteen will not stop me breeding from her especially as I know how good it was last year.

Candy, the idea is to score a cow throughout her life, I will have had some that have been scored 4 times as they go through each lactation. If your 14 year old was scored at say 9 and 13 years old you would have had a nice increasing score as the cow would have been in better condition. You admit her udder had been better in the past but the classifier can only score what he sees on the day so unfortunately your cow has missed out on the potential. It was your first visit so from now you could put forward more animals in 2 years time maybe, they would have all had more lactations therefore more points would be available ( max points from 5th lactation onwards), a cows scores can never be removed or scored downwards although you can decline them on the day if you are not happy.
This is a long term project that will eventually give stats for the breeder to work with and use as a tool for future breeding and hopefully get a little premium for any stock that are sold.
Well done for taking the plunge and getting it done.

Candy, you cannot expect a 14 year old to have as good an udder as she had when younger. Udder ligaments stretch with age and fat tissue is lost [you wait till your my age!!}
She is obviously a lovely cow and has the genetics to pass on which is her most important attribute. Keep breeding from her.
I am so pleased you see the importance of udders and teat placement. So many of our Dexters have the most awful udders and we are a dual-purpose breed after all even though we are promoting beef at the moment.
When I was younger there were many small Dexter herds in milk production. It was when the bulk milk tanks came in and churns stopped being collected that these small herds had to give up.
That's progress for you! .
The Dexter can produce more milk for her body weight than any other breed. We musn't loose something we have.
Well done for airing this.
Di

There will always be the odd very good animal that comes along ,but they may not be able to pass on the good traits. It is very important to have, and breed from good female family lines ie females,who themselves ,their progeny,and siblings all breed similar high quality. People say the bull is half the herd , but if you have good strong family female lines, when you have to find / change the bull, things may not go so far wrong if the bull is not quite up to parr.
Linear assessment is good, but one must , have more than one generation done to find these good family lines, to keep,and breed from.
The really good herds in the country you will fine have very good family lines , with good treats coming through time and time again and can quite obviously be seen throughout the whole herd.
Di's herd being one of them. My herd has moomin influence that can quite plainly be seen as a kin to Di's . I also have Lisa's old Needles hall bloodlines that still show good udders and deep bodies.
My personal moral for breeding is keep the families not the individuals. Most of them will come out like peas in a pod.
Carolann

car wrote:There will always be the odd very good animal that comes along ,but they may not be able to pass on the good traits. It is very important to have, and breed from good female family lines ie females,who themselves ,their progeny,and siblings all breed similar high quality. People say the bull is half the herd , but if you have good strong family female lines, when you have to find / change the bull, things may not go so far wrong if the bull is not quite up to parr.
Linear assessment is good, but one must , have more than one generation done to find these good family lines, to keep,and breed from.
The really good herds in the country you will fine have very good family lines , with good treats coming through time and time again and can quite obviously be seen throughout the whole herd.
Di's herd being one of them. My herd has moomin influence that can quite plainly be seen as a kin to Di's . I also have Lisa's old Needles hall bloodlines that still show good udders and deep bodies.
My personal moral for breeding is keep the families not the individuals. Most of them will come out like peas in a pod.
Carolann

Fabulous news and scores...well done!