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 Post subject: Dexter
PostPosted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 4:48 pm 
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Location: Whitesboro,TX
Dexters have two serious problems - Bull Dog gene and a gene for nasty temper.
Mini Herefords and Angus do not have any bad genes that I know of.
Robert D Bard


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 10:19 am 
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Location: San Antonio,TEXAS
I attended the Atascosa County cattle auction a couple months ago and saw some interesting things going on. The cross bred and "off brand" cattle were selling for somewhere between $0.45 to $0.55 per pound. The purebred Black Angus were selling for between $0.75 and $0.85 per pound. The purebred (any breed) cattle from the 4-H and FFA livestock show were selling for $1.25 per pound.

Lesson learned: Start with Black Angus

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 10:24 am 
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Oh, I almost forgot. I think you need more cross fencing do to anything. As a starting point I would set up 15 pastures that will support roughly the same amount of grass in each one regardless of pasture size. Some pastures may grow more grass (less rocks or trees), so they could be smaller. This will give you lots of options for moving the animals around as the different pastures will be ready at different times. Eventually you might get on a more or less permanent rotation, but for now, flexibility is very important to keeping your animals fed and your soil producing grass. Also look closely at your native grasses and see if they are working for you. You might want to look at legumes to rotate in during the off grass season.

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 7:20 pm 
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you ask about dexters,I have had dexters for almost 3 years.
They are wonderful and do not have any more problems genetically speaking than any other type of cattle.Dexters are small cattle ,they have NOT been bred down from larger breeds.They are a dual purpose breed that are ideal as family milkers or for beef from small farms.Dexter beef is excellent.The milk is 4% butterfat and they give from 11/2 to 3 gallons a day ,they are fully capable of raising their own calf and another one also. They are also the most tractable cattle I have ever seen.They will not cost you an arm and leg to purchase or care for.They can be raised on 1/2 acre of good pasture per animal ,ussually have no birthing problems and most offspring are sold as soon as they are weaned.Mine have a waiting list sight unseen.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2004 12:04 am 
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Robert D Bard wrote:
I am trying to recall where I saw this but
it may have been Acres USA - www.acresusa.com
- in the monthly magazine.
WTO - World Trade Organization
Feed lots only work because of cheap
subsidized grain - created buy our gov
to give unfair advantage of ouy products
in other parts of the world.
My understanding is that if they make
$3.50 per animal the feed lot is doing
well. If cheap grain goes by the wayside,
there goes the profit.
These people are so bad that they will
not feed hay for the last 5 days before
slaughter to prevent e-coli. They really
care if you or I or our children live or die
due to e-coli bacteria
There are almost no genetics left for doing
well on grass because the mutants have
been bred for grain only.
We have a Hereford bull 5 years old that
looks like he has pigged out on grain,
but he has never had any grain. He is
just large and well muscled and he
passes this on to his offspring. He has
an unusally large and deep hind quarter
and his tail head is level unlike a lot of
the mini Herefords.
You don't have to get expensive to do
minis. You pay to get started at the top
or you buy a bull and find big built females
that are short legged and stout. We have
done this and we now have four outstanding
females that any one would be glad to have
in their herd. It is now time for us to go to
the next level.
We bought our bull as a yearling.
What area do you live?
Your are welcome to come and visit.
We started with mini Angus last year with
a yearling bull and a 6 month heifer. We
did spend more money with this purchase,
but felt it was important to do both breeds
to not be left out if one took off than the other.
Robert D bard


Interesting thread for those of us who are considering grass fed beef.
I hadn't come across much on the minis on the net, so will be looking into them. I did come across some reading on an African breed that looks promising. Tulis, I believe they are called. I also believe that some are being raised in my part of Texas (NE) and wondered if any of the folks here had any info or experience with them.

It rained today! YEah! :)


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