Further Considerations

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Do I have enough space?

Being quite small, two Dexters can be kept in place of one of the larger breeds which is just as well, as Dexters are herd animals and do not like to live alone. Whilst Dexters are great on a limited acreage, they are not 'pets' and you cannot keep them in a large garden.

If you have only a couple of acres, you will require housing for the winter and for the occasional wet period for although they are not very heavy, when confined to a very small area they will cut the grass up. You will also need to purchase more hay and straw to make up for your limited grazing. Consider putting them away at night (with a little hay) to conserve your grass. If you divide your paddock up into two you may be able to keep up this regime for most of the year, weather permitting. Do not forget parasitic worms may be more of an issue on a limited acreage, especially for young stock.

Do they need housing?

Cattle expend a great deal of energy keeping warm in adverse weather and consequently lose condition if not adequately fed. So, if you were considering keeping them outdoors in the winter months, then you would need to factor in additional feeding costs to compensate.

Dexters are a very hardy breed and can cope if left outside provided that the land is well drained, there is sufficient natural shelter and somewhere dry for them to lie. Even when the soil conditions are favourable, if the weather is particularly bad for a prolonged period then the cows should be housed or given access to a man-made field shelter with clean bedding to avoid harm to their welfare.

Be aware that cows that get on together in the field may take exception to one another in the close confines of a building. You will need to watch out for the ‘bully’ and make provision to partition off those who are being ‘picked’ on. Make sure your buildings are well ventilated, as respiratory problems could become an issue. Cows do not appreciate standing in slurry is it not good for their health of their feet, make sure they have somewhere dry to stand and a good deep bed to lie down on. Since cows spend fifty percent of their day lying down, it is important that they are encouraged to express this natural behaviour by keeping resting areas clean.

A little exercise is good for them and will help relieve boredom, so if you do keep them in, try to make sure they get a chance to stretch their legs in the yard or paddock every day.

Do they eat much?

Dexters are renowned for their thriftiness but that does not mean they live on fresh air! It is often stated that being descended from mountain cattle, the Dexter will live on poorer type grassland where many other breeds will not survive however, we are talking 'mountain and moorland' here - not an acre of scrub. The staple diet of the Dexter in summer is grass and unlike the continentals, will produce fine quality milk and beef on good grass alone. When the grass loses it's feed value from autumn onwards or when cattle are housed, they will need supplementary feeding with hay, haylage or silage to maintain their body condition until the grass starts to grow again in the spring. Whether indoors or out, you will need to monitor forage intake carefully to make sure that shy or slow feeders are getting their fair share. Some cows can be especially greedy and will put on too much weight at the expense of others.

If good quality forage is not available, then alternative forms of protein must be fed in addition. There are many proprietary concentrate mixtures on the market and these should be fed according to the manufacturer's instructions. Stock should also have access to a mineral lick and of course, fresh clean water should always be available.

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