Dexter Cattle Breed – Everything You Need to Know

Dexter cattle originated from Ireland and are one of if not the smallest of purebred cattle in the world.
They have a few uses and can be quite a valuable asset to the smaller homestead or farm that need smaller breeds of cattle that take a little less room than their larger cousins.
They have a really sweet, gentle nature as cattle go and really easy to handle which has labeled them as the perfect family cow. They can be quite curious though and as a result, sometimes land up in the most peculiar of situations.

DEXTER BREED OF CATTLE QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
One of the smallest pure breeds of cattle in the world and suitable for most homesteads as they are quite hardy too.
Country of Origin:	Ireland
Other Names:	Poor man’s cow
Main Purpose:	Milk and meat
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Can be used for	Breed, Meat, Milk
Ideal Climate:	Heat, Cold, Most Climates
Conservation Status:	Listed by the *ALC Status/Rarity: Recovering / Rare
Health Issues?	No known health issues
Good Starter Cattle?	Novice to intermediate Cattle farmer/keeper level
Cattle Associations:	Pure Bred Dexter Cattle Association of North America, American Dexter Cattle Association and The Dexter Cattle Society
Cattle Clubs:	Please check with the Pure Bred Dexter Cattle Association of North America, American Dexter Cattle Association and The Dexter Cattle Society for more information on the Dexter cattle breed
Where to buy them?	>Please check with the Pure Bred Dexter Cattle Association of North America, American Dexter Cattle Association and The Dexter Cattle Society for more information on the Dexter cattle breed
Child Friendly?	Livestock should not be left unattended around unsupervised children
General Information:	Dexter cattle are known to be one of the smallest pure breeds of cattle in the world today. Dexter cows are really prolific and can continue to breed and produce healthy offspring right into their 20’s. Their small size, gentle nature and good posturing make them the perfect choice for projects for children like the 4-H projects. They are smaller than most cattle and take less feed and grazing pastures which makes them a perfect choice for farmers/homesteaders with a more limited acreage of land.
Note: *ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The Dexter cattle are small compact and muscular with medium length legs and medium-sized well-shaped head. The smaller size makes them appear less intimidating than their larger full-sized cousins and as such make them a more appealing choice for younger farmers or new farmers.

Size:

Small

CATTLE ⇒	COW	BULL
Breed Color:	Brown, red or black
Breed Weight:	350 kgs	450 kgs
Breed Height:	Up to 1 m	Up to 1 m
Horns:	Long lyre-shaped	Long lyre-shaped
Temperament:	Calm, gentle, curious and easy to handle	Calm, gentle, curious and easy to handle. Bulls, even the smaller less intimidating ones should be regarded as dangerous and treated with care
Matures at age:	6 to 8 months or 9 + months	6 to 8 months or 9 + months
Puberty Age:	6 to 15 months	9 to 1o months
Breeding Age:	13 to 15 months	1 year
Breeding Traits:	See Cow breeding & Milking Info	Cover 25 to 30 Cows in 1 season

COW BREEDING & MILKING INFORMATION
Most Cattle produce milk but not all of them are used in the dairy Cattle capacity for their milk. Cows only calve once a year and should have 12 to 14-month inter-calving cycle. They have a rather good milk yield for a small cow and are an excellent choice for a homestead. They are also very good mothers that will protect their young and have excellent maternal instincts. They have mostly easy births with little to no birthing problems and their calves are born robust and ready to suckle. They are highly fertile and breed relatively easily.
Breeding Period/cycle:	Usually lasts 6 to 24 hours Most ave. 12 to 16 hours Cows usually come on heat every 21 days.
Estrous cycle:	Ave. 17 days to 24 days Heifer – usually ave. 20 days Cows – usually ave. 21 days
Gestation Period:	Usually, around 279 to 287 days but most gestation is 283 days. Cows that are carrying bull calf’s their gestation period is usually a little longer than cows that are carrying heifer calves.
No. Calves/Litter:	1 calf at a time. Cows rarely have twins or triplets, but it can happen
Lactation Period:	Cows lactation period can last for up to about 10 months (305) days.
Milking From:	1 to 6 weeks after Calving
Drying off Period:	The cow should have a 12 to 14-month inter-calving cycle. Drying off period for around 60 days before she can calve again.
Milk Quality:	Good, Butterfat = 42%, Protein = 3% Quantity: 3660 to 4080 liters per Lactation period (of 42 days)
Milk Ideal for:	Calves, drinking, and most dairy products
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CATTLE MEAT PRODUCTION INFORMATION

The Dexter cattle have an excellent quality of meat with a high dress out percentage, with a greater yield of tasty and tender meat. The calves mature relatively quickly producing good carcass weights with less waste.

Meat Production?

Yes, Quality: Excellent quality of tender succulent meat

CATTLE ⇒	VEAL	BEEF
Ave. Maturity Age:	6 to 8 months	9 months up to 4 years

CATTLE SKIN PRODUCTION INFORMATION

Most meat Cattle will have a skin by-product, and these are usually used in some form or just as a hide. Dexter cattle are not primarily bred for their hide and are not too large but as a by-product of their meat production their hides are used in some form or other of leather production.

Skin Production?

N/A

Skin is used to Produce:

Calf/cow skin leather products such as shoes, car seats, fine leather coats, gloves, handbags, belts, furniture, rugs, etc.

CATTLE ⇒	CALF	ADULT
Age they Produce from:	6 to 8 months for Calf skin	1 to 2 years old for Normal leather

HISTORY

The Dexter cattle breed originated in the southwestern region of Ireland and were first sent to England in 1882. After which the breed all but disappeared from its native homeland but was still maintained in small herds across England.

The first recorded records of Dexter cattle being introduced into America occurred between 1905 and 1915 when over 200 hundred head of Dexter and Kerry cattle breeds were imported to a farm in Lexington, Kentucky. The farm was called Elmendorf Farm and the cattle were imported by Howard Gould and Mrs. James J. Hill.

In 1952 the American Kerry And Dexter Club were changed to American Dexter Cattle Association as there had been no known Kerry cattle registrations since around 1920.
During this year there were only 38 Dexter cattle owners/breeders and by the end of 2014 there were over 1400 ADCA members across 46 states (including Hawaii) and in four Canadian Provinces.
Thus showing how Dexter cattle has been a growing interest amongst cattle owners/breeders across America and parts of Canada.