Breed History

Although the precise origins of the Dexter remain obscure, it is thought that the breed, in common with the Kerry, was descended from the predominantly black cattle of the early Celts. The Dexter became associated with the South West Region of Ireland in the late 18th Century.  There has always been a close relationship between the Dexter and the Kerry; it is well documented by agricultural writers and historians that the Dexter and the Kerry were reared together in single herds.  They were introduced into England in 1882 when Mr Martin Sutton of Kidmore Grange in Oxfordshire purchased ten animals from Mr James Robertson of La Mancha, near Malahide in County Dublin.  Ten years later, a Breed Society was established in Great Britain following a meeting of breeders in Smithfield.

Breed Characteristics – What do they look like? 

Dexters come in three colours – black, red and dun. The Dexter is traditionally a horned breed but it is frequently dehorned for ease of management. The procedure involves burning out the immature horn after the area has been numbed by anaesthetic. This should be carried out by a veterinary surgeon or experienced stock person.  The Dexter also comes in a polled variety.  They are not de-horned; they are simply born without horns.

There are two types of Dexter short and non-short, both types are of equal merit however, extremes of either type are discouraged.  With regard to size and weight at maturity which is about 5 years. Females should be between 38 to 42 inches at the rump and weigh in between 300 and 350 kgs. The bulls are, as you would expect, a little larger, the height ranges from 42 inches to 48 inches at the rump, and they weigh approximately 400 to 500 kgs.

The Commercial Dexter

There are many breeders who profitably produce and sell their own meat. Some by conventional methods of farming, others taking advantage of environmental schemes, a few specialising in producing beef organically or following the principles of the Wholesome Food Association.  

Sadly, there are no longer any commercial dairy herds of Dexters left, as the policy for purchasing wholesale milk in this country does not encourage the small producer.

The Dexter for Beef

There has never been a recorded case of BSE in Dexter cattle. The meat is quite superb, fine-grained and well marbled and has won taste awards for its outstanding flavour. The breed is renowned for its good meat to bone ratio producing an average killing out percentage of 56 percent. The amount of beef produced by a Dexter steer is very impressive in terms of the amount of feed consumed and converted.

Steers respond well to a natural grass and forage based diet and will reach a live weight of around 350 kgs by 18 to 24 months of age. Meat is sold through farm shops, farmers' markets, farm gate sales and specialist butchers through the Rare Breed Survival Trust and over the Internet.

Conservation Grazing/Organic

Being descended from mountain cattle, the Dexter is a very hardy breed and can live out all year round provided there is some form of shelter.  They are thrifty and two Dexters can be kept for every one of a larger breed on the same acreage. Being light, Dexters are not likely to poach the land and incur heavy damage, as would a larger breed.  They give birth very easily and calving problems are rare. They are excellent mothers and the calves are lively, alert and quickly up and feeding. This tough little cow is well suited to organic production as its robust constitution means less reliance on antibiotics and such like.  

The Dexter for Milk

When Dexters were managed as commercial herds, average yields were almost 3,000 litres per lactation and some even exceeded 4,000 litres. Although this figure is lower than other large dairy breeds, because of the longevity of the Dexter, its lifetime yield is likely to exceed that of most dairy breeds. Dexter milk is very high quality with butterfat levels well over 4 percent and proteins regularly attaining over 3.5 percent. Being naturally homogenised, many people who find they cannot tolerate cows' milk find it easily digestible.  It is also low in cholesterol and, as the Dexter milks well from grass alone, it is high in Omega 3.  At present, Dexter milk is only available from your own house cow

Self-Sufficiency 

For those committed to a gentler way of life, the dual purpose Dexter, from an ease of management perspective is the natural progression from the goat. If you do not have the commitment to milk a cow twice a day then leave the calf on the cow and take the excess milk when required. Cows left to rear their own calf will have ample milk left over to provide milk for the house or rear a second foster calf.   Having your own dairy produce can make such a difference as you may find you no longer have to visit the shops as frequently as before. Not only is it good for the environment, but you will also save money on the cost of transport.  If, like me, you can’t resist a bargain you will find that you spend far less money because you will no longer be tempted by the supermarkets to buy things you don’t really need.  Above all, the personal satisfaction gained from milking your own cow and making dairy produce to feed the family is absolutely priceless.   Therefore, not only will your Dexter supply wonderful creamy milk for the family, but beef of such high quality that friends and relatives will not have to be asked twice. Moreover, if that wasn’t enough, the Dexter is the answer to the gardener’s prayer with its ability to produce a seemingly never-ending supply of manure for the vegetable patch. No need to go to the gym to keep fit either! 

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.  Therefore, Dexters are great on a limited acreage.  However, 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 paddock 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 all year round weather permitting. Do not forget parasitic worms may be more of an issue on a limited acreage especially as you may not be able to keep sheep to clean the fields.

Do they need housing?

That may depend on how much you are prepared to feed in order to keep them looking good, as cattle expend a great deal of energy keeping warm in adverse weather and consequently lose condition.  Consideration must also be given to the type of ground and the amount of land you have access to. Dexters are a very hardy breed and can cope if left outside.  They do, however, appreciate a field shelter and are not averse to spending a comfortable winter indoors if given half the chance.  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.  You may also need to divide the space up so that young stock or ones in the weaning process get their fair share of food as the older ones can be especially greedy.  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. Remember a little exercise keeps them fit to calve in the spring so if you do keep them in; try to make sure they get a chance to stretch their legs in the yard every day. 

Do they eat much?

Dexters are renowned for their thriftiness but that does not mean they live on fresh air! Their staple diet in the summer is grass and unlike many other breeds, particularly the continentals, will produce fine quality milk and beef on grass alone.   If you have a large acreage then all they will require is a little supplementary feeding in the winter when the grass loses its goodness; for example, after Christmas and in periods of persistent frost and snow. 

If good quality forage is not available, milking cows will need dairy nuts/mixture, the quantity fed will vary with yield. Stock should have access to a mineral lick and of course, fresh clean water should always be available.

Short Vs Non-Short

As already discussed, Dexters come in two types – short and non-short. Although of equal merit, the short-legged type has always been more popular in the show ring although this is slowly changing. The non-short appears to be favoured for beef production.  So which one you choose is down to personal preference.  If you favour the short leg, then you must be aware of something known as chrondrodystrophy.  This is more prevalent in the short-legged variety and although the animal appears fit and healthy on the outside, there is a chance that it will produce a deformed calf when it has been mated to another carrier. Not every calf she has will be affected, but one in four will. 

I would like to point out that chrondrodystrophy is now very rare. It is not exclusive to the Dexter breed, it is also found in the Jersey, the Hereford and the Friesian. This problem does not occur when a short type is bred with a non-short type or where a non-short type is bred with another non-short type. Experienced breeders are usually able to identify carriers of the lethal gene and take steps to avoid the problem. Beginners can now rely on a simple but effective test, which will help them to ensure that the correct bull is chosen for breeding.   

Mate or Plate?

Like any breed of cattle, some Dexters can be a little ‘wayward’ especially if they are ‘field’ cows. As the name suggests, these cows are left out all year round; receive minimum human contact, given supplementary feeding in the worst of the weather and rounded up for testing and dosing.   Unfortunately, some novices are attracted to these types of cattle because they are frequently offered for sale at a cheaper price; they misguidedly believe that with love and attention, they can turn them into ‘house' cows.  Others, swayed by the prospect of 'bargain' beef give little thought as to how the cattle are to be routinely handled for worming, TB testing and the like. Specialist handling facilities are absolutely essential for 'field' cattle in order to carry out these tasks safely. Since it is hard to justify the cost of such equipment for a couple of cows, think very carefully and choose the right type of animals for your needs and level of experience.

Dexters are gregarious creatures and appreciate company of their own kind so you should budget for at least two of them. If you are purchasing registered cattle, make sure that the vendor gives you the ‘green’ card as proof of registration and, if bought in calf to a registered bull, the yellow service certificate.

For those who are buying a cow specifically for the home dairy, especially if you have not milked before, it is even more important to choose your first cow with care - just because it has an udder does not mean that you can milk it (and that applies to any breed). The process of extracting milk for human consumption, is not one that comes naturally to the cow and she must be trained to accept it. Sadly, not all cows have the temperament for this type of work and object with varying degrees of severity – some are just plain difficult whilst a few can never be trained and remain a menace. For that reason, it is preferable that one looks for a cow that has already been trained since two complete novices are not a good combination. 

A quiet, productive, well-trained milker is to be treasured, since it has taken the owner a good deal of time, effort and money to produce.   If you are successful in locating a likely candidate, be honest with the vendor and tell them you are a novice.   If this is the case, you should, first of all insist on seeing the cow milked by the vendor and then try for yourself under their supervision.  Ask about calving history and any known problems such as mastitis (infections in the udder).  Under no circumstances should you take the cow home before you have tried her for yourself. 

If your Dexters are just destined for the freezer then you probably will not want get too attached to them. Provided that they are reasonably quiet to handle and will come to a bucket of food so that you can get them into a building if necessary, you may be able to cope. However, if you do not intend to eat them then it is prudent to buy halter broken stock; they will of course be more expensive.  The extra cost will be worth it when you have to handle them for routine dosing and testing, move them around the holding, load them into a trailer or tie them up to milk.  It is essential that they walk quietly on a halter if you wish to show.

It is worth noting that whilst it is sometimes possible to halter break older heifers or cows, success is never guaranteed. Even weaned calves of 6/7 months of age can be surprisingly strong when being haltered for the first time.

If you intend to breed your own and are impatient to get started, then purchase a cow with calf at foot. Make sure that she is a regular breeder with a good calving history and, if she is in calf again, then that is a bonus.  However, if you are in no hurry, heifers may be purchased either in calf for the first time, or perhaps to be run-on until they are ready to go to the bull.  Heifers can be bulled at 14 to 18 months of age and can breed until they are fourteen years of age or more; in fact, twenty years of age is not unheard of.  If you do not want to be bothered with calving and are primarily interested in the beef then why not start with a couple of steers?   

Owning and managing a bull requires careful consideration in terms of housing, fencing and handling.   Although not ideal, some people choose to keep a young bull entire only until it has done its job, it is then steered and put in the freezer thereby reducing the need for specialist facilities.  Whether you keep a bull or not, before purchasing any stock check that your fences are up to the job and that there is somewhere for them to shelter from the elements.