No of Dexters

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 4:07 am

Clive, given the extended period of drought, I dread to think what might have happened to the national herd. The returns are due in Sept 30th, after which there will be a better idea.
Along with every other breed, many Dexters will have gone to slaughter due to drought, the effect of which is still being felt in the cost of bought-in fodder.

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:23 am

According to DCAI records, there were 5939 registered females and 700 registered bulls in Australia at 30/6/07.
The females will include all grades as well as purebreds. The herd book is now closed to Grade One.

Ted Neal · Post by **Ted Neal** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 3:20 pm

There will be a piece in the next Bulletin about the number of Dexters in the uk as at 31 December 2006
Dexter numbers
As at 31st December 2006 the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) had the following Dexter animals alive.
Dexter :
Females 15530 (13,932 as at 31st December 2005)
Males 6936
Dexter Cross (ie sired by a Dexter)
Females 758
Males 355

It does seem to an increase in those choosing not to register

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 3:51 pm

Assuming the figures are about right, it appears that the vast majority of Dexters are raised for beef, and a lot choose not to register most of their stock presumably?

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:31 am

When one "registers" animals with BCMS and you define the breed, on what basis would you decide whether an animal is a Dexter or not (or whatever breed)?

For examples, if a Dexter bull is put to an Angus, what is the offspring?

Or, if the Dexter bull is put to a Dexter-Angus cross, what is the offspring?

When does a Dexter become a Dexter for BCMS purposes?

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:02 am

That, Clive, is an interesting question. Because if one has an animal with known crosses in its past then the honest amongst us would state it was a Dexter X for BCMS purposes. However, what is one to do with animals which come from dams bought as unregistered (by DCS) Dexters, or those that have registered grandparents but a dam slipped through the DCS registration net even though the owner knows it is pure bred? For BCMS purposes these are Dexters and should be designated as such. What else are they? BCMS registers cattle and likes to know the dam and sire details. DCS registers pedigree cattle and insists on more stringent requirements. I don't see a problem, apart from the fact that the 2 sets of figures will never be the same.

Ted Neal · Post by **Ted Neal** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:21 pm

The first cross always carries the bulls breed.
I would say that 75% would be classed as pure for the purposes of BCMS.