Woodmagic Cattle - any for sale?

[Saffy]

I am interested in buying a few more Woodmagic cattle, so if anyone has any for sale please do let me know, it doesn't matter how old they are, bulls or cows, either reply to this post or PM me.

Thanks

Stephanie

[Mark Bowles]

According to the online herdbook there are something like 27 woodmagic females born in or after 2005, with there being so few maybe some phonecalls would be worth a try, you never know.

[Saffy]

Thanks Mark,

Herdbook is only as accurate as the info given, (and also there is the occasional input mistake.)

It shows 17 Woodmagic bulls and there are no more than 3 left alive but actually now I think it is only 2, I am trying to check.

However there are some Woodmagics with non members who may well look on your site, as Beryl noted the average time someone keeps a herd of these lovely little cows is only 7 years and then they tend to get moved on in a hurry, often straight to slaughter.

I'm not sure how many of the cows shown still exist.

Stephanie

[JamsHundred]

Stephanie

Do you use AI? Is semen from any of the early AI Bulls of Woodmagic available? I am wondering how one finds a list of Dexters that were collected for AI in England. Are the straws brokered by the owners who collect the Bulls or are the sold by DCS? Does anyone have straws from older Bulls that are believed to be non viable or non virile for breeding but could be used for Adding the DNA to the Dexter DNA database?

Would owners who have tested their Dexters for DNA and for color be willing to share that information and add the to the Legacy online database?

Do owners in England now test for PHA and chondro? Has anyone had an animal test as a PHA carrier that did not descend from Woodmagic lines?

I am seeking a straw of Saturn of Knotting.

Thanks
Judy

[LISA]

Hello Stephanie,

On the BCMS site you can find out if any animal is alive/dead.

There are quite a lot of 20-30 year old cows and bulls "alive" on the Grass roots system which does make it very frustrating and raise your hopes only to have them dashed by the reality of BCMS. (not that you would expect to find a 20 -30 year old alive!). One of the reasons that the annual herd return is important.

Good luck with your search.

Best Wishes Lisa Bell.

[Saffy]

Hello Judy,

Yes The DCS have 76 straws from early Woodmagic bulls and I have been asking to use just 4 of these in a heritage flushing project with Woodmagic Petrel as apart from being such a stunner, she has some particularly interesting genetics, however it looks as if the answer will be no. Shame she is 17 years old and the chance to get some embryos from her for posterity by one of these bulls is diminishing all the time. I am told those straws are for heritage and scientific purposes only.

I am more than happy to share any DNA info with you, PM me and I will give you details if you explain what you need.

Stephanie

[Saffy]

Hello Lisa,

Thanks for reminding me about the other use of BCMS!

Stephanie

[SteveM]

What happened to the woodmagic cattle that where sold at Melton last year, I know there was some interest in them on here at the time.

Lot of very old cattle "alive" on the herdbook, but good to be able to go back through the pedigree of an animal further than on the certificates.

[Saffy]

Thanks Steve,

Annoyingly I didn't leave a bid on them at the time as someone local assured me he was buying them and I didn't want to bid against him, needless to say he didn't bother!

Stephanie

[JamsHundred]

>>>Yes The DCS have 76 straws from early Woodmagic bulls and I have been asking to use just 4 of these in a heritage flushing project with Woodmagic Petrel as apart from being such a stunner, she has some particularly interesting genetics<<

Stephanie, do they not understand how important a "preservation" effort this actually this? With the use of ONE straw and a successful flush. . . .you could easily get a good volume of viable embryos.

I did a 19yo cow for a preservation effort of a particular bloodline. We had six viable embryos on that first flush. The second flush gave us three eggs but only one viable embryo. Another breeder then took over the effort at another location but her condition had deteriorated and there was no success. In a healthy cycling cow there could be more. You can also flush more than once.

I am not astonished they don't see the benefit of your intended project Stephanie . .. since few have the experience to understand the benefit. Do they think using one straw on one cow and hoping for a viable calf is a more productive effort? Is it because there has been this cloud hanging over Woodmagic as to "introgression" that brought in dun? Well . .that can be dismissed now since there is no doubt the dun is behind Woodmagic. Sparr Nero had to be carrying dun, and it looks as if it is traceable to Ratcliffe's Negro Manager and likely to foundation lines. I think I am on to an early dun cow that was registered as red. . .. but still have pedigrees/offspring to study. Currently working to add as many of the Grinstead animals as possible. . .. . likely will find the important clues tracing to or from that herd.

Every day is an adventure!

For those of you who like research. . . . . . .. look for two animals registered as red that produce a black calf. Red x red will always produce red. Dun x red can produce black, dun, or red, depending on the color genetics of the parents.

I noticed someone said they enjoy seeing more than the three line pedigree. . . .. . . . The Legacy online pedigrees are extensive. Some lines more so than others but constantly adding ancestor animals from the 20's back to the foundation animals of both England and Ireland.

Judy

[Tim Watson]

I think it would be particularly helpful to all interested in the use of the 'historic' semen if the DCS published criteria under which the historical semen would be released. At the moment all I can find is
Long Term Society Semen: only available to Members for special breeding programmes and specific projects
(Please put forward your breeding project to the Society Office and allow three months for approval
and
A few straws of the following bulls are available for specialist breeding projects. The reasons for the request and the cows on which the semen is to be used is to be detailed

Which suggests a bit of a lottery. Clear definition would allow the members of the DCS to be able to plan and design 'special breeding programmes' safe in the knowledge that in doing so they would be able to have access. Currently I am concerned that it is a bit prone to whether ones face fits and whether one has Woodmagic stock.
In all these things there should be very clear written guidelines that lay down the approval procedure such that it is not down to one or two persons opinions. It should be a quantitative process so that if complied with the semen is released.
I do look forward to being corrected and perhaps sent a copy of the criteria for the special breeding programmes if one exists.

[moomin]

Interested in dun? Look up Elmwood Morna, Dark dun with no Woodmagic breeding in her at all! Definately dun, she is out in my field now. Elmwood Mackoy is her sire.

[helena]

It was interesting to hear names of bulls from when I bred dexters and it made me look at my flask ai details,my 2 remaining old girls go to one of our commercial bulls so its been a long time since I looked what is stored.
Templeton fire bird
Sarum mossrush
Ypsitty bridegroom 32
Bookhams Robert
Wantley rob Roy
Shoot lands Ben macdhui
Happy days sadly I now have to breed commercial cattle.

[Saffy]

Helena,

I have sent you a PM.

Stephanie

[Saffy]

Just to say I am still looking for more Woodmagics, if you have any for sale, or anything with full Woodmagic breeding but a different prefix, any age.

Stephanie