I'm of the view that instead of listing the leg length of an animal when registering it, the herd book should just state whether it is a carrier or non-carrier. If the testing hasn't been done, then perhaps it should be listed as unknown, until the owner gets around to testing it for the Chondrodysplasia gene. That way, there'll be no mistake as to whether it's a short-legged bull which is a carrier or a shorter than average legged bull which is a non-carrier.
Here in New Zealand, we already have to have a bull calf DNA'd before he can be registered and it has been mooted at the AGM that it should also be compulsory to test every newly registered bull for the C gene. Then breeders could be assured of a bull's C-gene statis before using him (be it A.I or leasing) on their cows. I think this is an excellent idea. It's far less expensive to test all the registered bulls than all the registered cows.
By the way, I have two bulls, one a short-leg and the other long-legged. I'd much sooner trust our long-legged bull than the short-legged one. The length of leg has no bearing on the personality of a bull. Our long-legged bull is so quiet that I will be very loathed to sell him when I can no longer use him on our herd.
the Long and Short of it
I guess there are + and - for both types, however from a beginners point of view I think the non shorts are much easier to handle, the shorties can be more of a handful, if you wish to avoid the bulldog problem you are going to have to serve them with a non short bull and the shorties often have the tallest calves which if like me you have back problems can be a nightmare convincing the calf where the teats are, especially as some of the shorts have bags very near to the ground.
I have both, and so feel I can comment on them without prejudice, and I guess it depends on what you actually want dexters for, if you show you can get more shorts into a trailer, VBG, but the non shorts are usually easier to train and is soooooooooo nice to beat the shorts with a nice non short.
If your interested in the meat marketing then the non shorts are the most reliable from the point of view that you always no you are going to get a reasonable carcase size and with the slaughtering costs this has got to be taken into account.
If you have a small paddock and want a lawn mower then I guess a short one may be the answer, but your next one when it calves may be hugh!
On the welfare point of view the shorts are more prone to arthritis and feet problems I always have to have the shorts feet trimmed each year, but mine are housed inside and as the winters are getting wetter with us, the amount of time they are spending inside gets longer.
I think its much easier to have a uniformed herd with non shorts if you only breed them to a non short bull, however if like some herds you sell everything that’s over a certain size then you will give visitors the impression that its possible to have a uniformed herd with the shorts, which if this policy is followed it will be.
As I like Dexters because they are small cows, so I prefer the non shorts as some, but not all of the shorts look like what they are, which is a dwarf.
I also like an animal which can walk properly, but I guess that’s wearing my horse and dog showing hat, when I first came into dexters I couldn’t believe the amount of dexters which where unable to walk properly, and point that was made by the judge at the first congress, and which has been addressed by some judges, but not all by a long way, and there is nothing more annoying than having a cripple put in front of, a nice correctly made non short, because from the knees upwards the short one looks more like a Dexter in the opium of the judge
That’s why I personally would like to see the short carriers gradually bred out and if everyone tested all their shorts for the bulldog gene and only bred to non carriers, eventually this would happen.
I also hope the Dexter society will phase in a policy for no male animals to be registered unless they have been tested non carriers.
Ann :p :p
I have both, and so feel I can comment on them without prejudice, and I guess it depends on what you actually want dexters for, if you show you can get more shorts into a trailer, VBG, but the non shorts are usually easier to train and is soooooooooo nice to beat the shorts with a nice non short.
If your interested in the meat marketing then the non shorts are the most reliable from the point of view that you always no you are going to get a reasonable carcase size and with the slaughtering costs this has got to be taken into account.
If you have a small paddock and want a lawn mower then I guess a short one may be the answer, but your next one when it calves may be hugh!
On the welfare point of view the shorts are more prone to arthritis and feet problems I always have to have the shorts feet trimmed each year, but mine are housed inside and as the winters are getting wetter with us, the amount of time they are spending inside gets longer.
I think its much easier to have a uniformed herd with non shorts if you only breed them to a non short bull, however if like some herds you sell everything that’s over a certain size then you will give visitors the impression that its possible to have a uniformed herd with the shorts, which if this policy is followed it will be.
As I like Dexters because they are small cows, so I prefer the non shorts as some, but not all of the shorts look like what they are, which is a dwarf.
I also like an animal which can walk properly, but I guess that’s wearing my horse and dog showing hat, when I first came into dexters I couldn’t believe the amount of dexters which where unable to walk properly, and point that was made by the judge at the first congress, and which has been addressed by some judges, but not all by a long way, and there is nothing more annoying than having a cripple put in front of, a nice correctly made non short, because from the knees upwards the short one looks more like a Dexter in the opium of the judge
That’s why I personally would like to see the short carriers gradually bred out and if everyone tested all their shorts for the bulldog gene and only bred to non carriers, eventually this would happen.
I also hope the Dexter society will phase in a policy for no male animals to be registered unless they have been tested non carriers.
Ann :p :p
I thought this topic was stillborn but now I have returned from hols I see it has developed along a number of interesting paths, and it is good to see there are still realists amongst us.
Ignoring all the side issues and sticking with the main one, I take it from Ken's welcome input that the DCS is thinking about abandoning York.
If this is the case I would ask if the DCS if it is clear what it wants and if so is it prepared to talk TO the auctioneers about those wants not AT them as I am told was the case in the past.My experience of Stephensons is that they are reasonable people open to reasonable ideas so before the baby disappears with the bath water, why not write a letter explaining the DCS position and have a meeting/telecon afterwards if necessary?
Ignoring all the side issues and sticking with the main one, I take it from Ken's welcome input that the DCS is thinking about abandoning York.
If this is the case I would ask if the DCS if it is clear what it wants and if so is it prepared to talk TO the auctioneers about those wants not AT them as I am told was the case in the past.My experience of Stephensons is that they are reasonable people open to reasonable ideas so before the baby disappears with the bath water, why not write a letter explaining the DCS position and have a meeting/telecon afterwards if necessary?