Breed Standards

Rutherford · Post by **Rutherford** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 4:28 pm

Clive I feasted on your beautiful mini-herd. If, as you say you have also taken into account their breeding potential, I can imagine them going far. Breeding is never that simple or everyone would be breeding Derby winners, but I shall hope you will give us frequent updates. It looks like having good prospects and will be well worth watching.
Beryl (Woodmagic)

Pennielea · Post by **Pennielea** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:46 pm

Anyone interested in the Kerry/Dexter traditions might find this interesting;

BBC 2 Tues 20th January 9pm Britannia-The Great Elizabethan Journey

They spent considerable time filming Kerry cattle in their natural homeland which is of course the same as for the Dexter. What the story line is I do not know but at least we should see some of the beautiful scenery in the SW of Ireland.

Ian

ann · Post by **ann** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:43 pm

What age do you calve your heifers down at Clive as they all look a bit bonnie to me. I like the look of you bull. what is his breeding

As for Reds versus blacks I have both and the only difference I have found is the reverse when it comes to steers as they seem calmer than the reds and as I assume that there is probably a input of Red poll many years ago in the reds they do seem to finish in many cases that bit sooner, but this can be a minus as the cows if your not careful can also pile the fat on and still feed a couple of calves.

I don't think there is anything nicer than a field of reds and blacks, but thats MHO so I think although I love the reds I will always have some blacks around.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:24 pm

These heifers were put to the above bull at 18 months old. The photo was taken when they were about 22 months. I have selected these heifers for the bull for all sorts of reasons but mainly just because they are from lines that I have on the farm that I know just simply breed well, produce fairly beefy animals but still with plenty of milk and few problems. I actually didn't pick the lines by looking back at the breeding, instead I chose what I knew had worked well here. But when I do look back at the pedigrees, they all have similarities in that they are all very Woodmagic about 3-4 generations ago with all sorts thrown in since then. I would have to do a long list to include the rest of the breeders involved.

Edited By Broomcroft on 1232389565

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:52 pm

I think you might be missing out, by not giving the good looking heifers from other lines a try though. You never know what treasure might turn up from mating two not-so-good parents. I've had some lovely surprises over the years and have also seen some very disappointing calves from good looking parents. You never quite know what will turn up in the mix. Even full brothers or sisters can look so different from each other.

I had one case where one year, the bull calf was so good, I sold him for breeding to a Jersey dairy farmer for his heifers. The very next year, his full brother was dreadful. Its luck of the draw. I never got a heifer from that combination and years later, I'm still waiting for that cow to give me a heifer calf!

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:50 pm

Yes Inger, I actually have a very nice heifer from a very horrible cow. I am going to try this heifer with my little group to see if she leaves her bad traits behind in her youngsters as well. Other than that, I am simply seeking consistency with a fair degree of beefiness.

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:41 am

I'm still aiming for beefiness.

It seems to take a lot of generations to achieve, when you start with dairy foundation cows. On the plus side, the heifers have nice udders. Very handy for growing a good beefy calf.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:42 am

Yes, milkiness is essential. Those that have got too beefy have not bred well and are hard to get in calf I find. I want sustainable cattle that breed easily, need little attention, no feed, and do everything themselves except maybe walk to the abattoir.

AlisonKirk · Post by **AlisonKirk** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:45 pm

Clive - That's right. To get good beef you do need milkiness in a cow. You say your cows are beefy, is it that they may be just too fat, which will affect their fertility and easy calving?

Alison
Boram Dexters

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 12:35 am

Alison, I didn't say that. I don't know what you are replying to. I've have had 3 bought-in cows from my original starter-herd that were "too beefy" and they were, as you say, just over-fat. All three have been culled, as none of them would get in calf, waste of time.

Edited By Broomcroft on 1233099377

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 1:47 pm

I bought a cow a number of years ago which wouldn't put on weight and we couldn't get her in calf. In fact I started posted on this forum in the hope of gaining answers as to what to do.

In then end, she finally calved in her 4th year and has failed to get in calf ever since. I'm glad I persevered though as she turned out to have an excellant udder and grows very nice bull calves whic are sold as steers. The fact that she hasn't seen fit to give me a purebred heifer calf (her first calf was a half Hereford heifer, which she produced after jumping the neighbour's fence, because she thought their bull was better looking than our quite adequate Dexter bull), is rather irritating as I would dearly love a heifer or two from her, with the nice udder and good mothering skills that she has. In the mean time, we keep selling her lovely big steered bull calves and I keep hoping that maybe next year we'll get lucky.

I have to agree Clive, the proof's in the production and no matter what the cow looks like, if she can't get pregnant and wean a nice looking calf, there's not a lot of point in keeping her. Its just that some cows take longer than others to show their worth. I'm glad we tried one more year with this one.

ann · Post by **ann** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:00 pm

your story of your heifer's preferences reminds me of a friends top winning show bitch which she tried several times to mate to top winning dogs to no avail, eventually as she was desperate to keep the line going she let the bitch choose her own mate and hey presto a litter of lovely puppies.

sometimes those girls just know whats best

marion · Post by **marion** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 2:32 pm

Ann, I had the same experience with a trials bred Border Collie. She went back to the breeder for mating to an imported stud dog. She hated him and nothing came of that mating. A later heat, I was up during one moonlit night, and saw the most beautiful and amazing mating ritual happening with the neighbours' dog. Obvious to me after seeing it, that she was alrealdy bonded to him before she went to the Border Collie..and of course had his litter!
I had a little mare, in with my Welsh Mountain stallion for the whole heat period. She hated him and eventually allowed only one service, which didnt take. She was in love with my yearling buckskin Quarter horse stud..She waited until the following year and happily mated with him, producing a beautful filly. I only saw this happen once in the many years I had breeding horses...marion

Peter thornton · Post by **Peter thornton** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:10 am

I'm the Father of three girls........!
This all makes perfect sense to me!!!!!