 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dexter Cattle are an ancient breed first domesticated in the hill country of Western Ireland. The breed's beginnings are obscure, with Roman reports of small, black cattle in the mountains of Western Ireland. Others have attributed the breed's name to a Mr. Dexter, an early breeder of the local, wild, hill-country cattle. Further, it has been noted that the word "Dexter" in the Irish tongue referred to anything small, lilliputian, or petite. That well describes the Dexter breed of cattle. With cows averaging 750 pounds in weight and below 40 inches in height, and bulls averaging 950 pounds and 42 inches at the shoulder, Irish Dexters are indeed small and petite. Generally black in color with a recessive red/dun gene, the breed is naturally horned with white, black-tipped, gently curved horns. They calf easily and thrive on forage which would starve more well known and widely distributed breeds. Because of the breed's small size, you can keep three Dexters at the same upkeep cost as one cow of larger breeds. Irish Dexters are truly a multi-purpose breed. With cows easily hand milked and producing 1 1/2 gallons of cream rich milk daily, the breed is the perfect family milk cow. The meat is naturally lean, and because of their petite size, fills a freezer nicely. While they weigh 750 pounds and should be warily approached, Dexters have a docile and inquisitive disposition. With our six small children, our cows are handled daily. For the first time cattleman, the smallholder wanting to raise beef on a two to three acre pasture, or the retiree wanting the nostalgic lifestyle of the farm without the high maintenance of the larger breeds, Dexters are a breed to be considered.
|