Mentor Needed - Getting ready and lacking confidence!

Tim Watson · Post by **Tim Watson** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:23 pm

Hello All,
Well we have finally made it! After years of planning and hard work we have moved into a lovely farm outside South Molton. Now for phase 2 which is, in the spring next year to get some cattle onto the land. After a lot of reading and visiting shows I think we have decided on Dexters - smaller more manageable, less daunting for beginners, redued risk of poaching the land etc and great tasting beef from what we here and read.
What I woudl really like to do is find someone locally that I could visit and talk to and who we could look to purchase from in the New Year. There is only so much you can get from reading and talking face to face and seeing other peoples set up will hopefully be the best guide for us. If there is anyone out there who has the matience to answer some beginners questions we would be hugely grateful.
Many thanks

Tim Watson · Post by **Tim Watson** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:24 pm

Apologies, that's South Molton in North Devon!

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:42 pm

Oh, how I envy you! I'd love to live that close to my mentor. Mine lives near you and I live in Oz.
Margaret

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 12:22 am

Hello Tim,

I am sure someone has already told you that Beryl Rutherford - Woodmagic - is just down the road from you.

I bought my first Dexters from her and she has patiently told me all I know about Dexters - and still patiently tells me all I need to know!

Stephanie

Tim Watson · Post by **Tim Watson** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 12:25 am

Saffy,
Thank you. I had read her name and thought she was in the area but do not know where. I am also worried about making contact with experienced people when we know so little! It must get a bit dull answering the same old questions?
Thanks

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 12:30 am

Hello Tim,

I shall PM you with her email address as I know she won't mind and she never ever gets fed up with talking Dexter, I assure you she won't find it dull! Frankly Dexter is a sort of bug that gets you and once you have it you just like to talk Dexter all the time - we are all the same!!! :D

Stephanie

Edited By Saffy on 1258759926

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:30 am

Tim Watson wrote:I am also worried about making contact with experienced people when we know so little! It must get a bit dull answering the same old questions?

Well that sounds like me 6 years ago. Got 120 of them now! You've got lots of Dexter people around you Tim and the most famous (and most knowledgable) breeders on this planet, Beryl Rutherford. If you ask away on this board you'll find a huge amount of experience and help at hand. Yes, sometimes the questions will have been asked before, but people can point you to old topics which can otherwise be very hard to find because they can go off subject and all over the place.

One of the most informative topics is titled just "dun". You'd never guess the amount of info in that topic by the title. I think that was the one. Good luck and a great choice.

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redhill · Post by **redhill** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 1:10 pm

no disrespect to any fellow Dexter keepers but you will not find a better or more knowlegable mentor than Beryl Rutherford.
I have been in livestock for more years than I care to remember and can still learn from my nightly chat with Beryl, dont worry about being a novice, Beryl's only concern is the Dexter and those that want to keep or already keep Dexters, as Saffy suggests email her first and if you phone her DO NOT CALL between 7pm and 7.15pm or after 8pm.
Bill, Castlemears Dexters.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 2:57 pm

Tim - You may already know this but the first thing dexter people will ask when you are looking for stock is, "Do you want Short or Non-Short?" You preferably need to understand what this means and after that it's plain sailing. It is NOT just that one is physically short and the other isn't, it's about breeding but they were given the titles (unfortunately in my opinion) of Short and Non-Short many moons ago and it stuck.

Here is a pic of two steers of the same age that would probably be almost identical were it not for the fact that one is Short and one Non-Short.

But don't go on the looks you prefer, do learn about it properly before buying any stock if you can, so you can make an informed decision and start off the way you mean to go on.

Edited By Broomcroft on 1258811914

carole · Post by **carole** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 6:41 pm

Bill, don't tell me there's another Archers fan out there! Totally agree with absolutely everything written here but if you fancy a trip over the border Tim you are more than welcome to come and see our gang.

Edited By carole on 1258825483

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 11:56 pm

Hello,

Just a quick note to say that Tim emailed me and asked me to say that he can't seem to post at the moment - it is probably a temporary glitch - but didn't want the kind people offering help and advice to think he was simply ignoring them.

Stephanie

Woodmagic · Post by **Woodmagic** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:28 am

This string has left me overwhelmed. Having been breeding Dexters for sixty years I should have picked up something to pass on, but all the above contributors have taught me something in return, life is a learning experience. One thing is certain this charming little animal took over my life many years ago. I am grateful for all the bovine and human friendships it has given me.
Beryl (Woodmagic)

Tim Watson · Post by **Tim Watson** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 1:24 pm

Hurrah!
I am back on and able to post.

I am truly overwhelmed by the responses that I have had - it is really wonderful. I have a real desire to learn new things (which seems to grow more as I get older) and the support and kind words both in the open and coming in through PM's is very touching. Anyone who thinks farmers are sullen and unhelpful couldn't be more wrong!
Thanks so much

Tim Watson · Post by **Tim Watson** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 1:32 pm

This one refers to Clive's post the other day referring to long and short.
I imagine it is a very complex topic and having found the thread 'Dun' I rather wished I had tried harder in Biolagy when I was at school - oh so long ago! I will go back and read through particularly Kirk's input but......so here are some questions:-
1) Can it be simplified to the extent that breeding short/short is something to be avoided because of the 25% risk of bulldog calves?
2) Is a long and short always visible to the eye, manifesting itself in the length of leg or height of the animal?
3) If the answer to 2) above is NO, then are DNA tests/results required to guarantee the identification of long and short?

Did I just hear the squeek of a hinge as the lid to pandora's box opened!!

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 1:39 pm

Tim - Don't know whether you're interested, but there's a great new little book called "Dexter Cattle: A Breeders' Notebook" by Gabriella Nanci and Stefani Millman. You can get it from Amazon.co.uk last time I looked. I think it's about £20 or something like that. It's only small and is a practical book which explains a lot and does so clearly.