# Dexters vs. Low Line Angus



## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

For those of you that raise them, how do they compare in health, taste, size weight and cost of stock?

Do they both do as well being completely grass/ hay fed?


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## quailkeeper (Aug 18, 2004)

For those of you that raise them, how do they compare in health, taste, size weight and cost of stock?

Do they both do as well being completely grass/ hay fed?

I have raised numerous head of the Dexters, and only recently got into lowline angus. I would *never* switch back. As far as health and cost, they seem to run pretty much the same. Weight - oh my gosh, the angus are soooo much heavier. Their height runs about the same, but the angus are very, very beefy compared to the dexter. We have a Dexter in the freezer right now, and they taste great. I have not tasted the lowline angus yet.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Lowline Angus is a beef animal, while a Dexter is a dual purpose, beef and milk animal. If you want just beef, go Lowlines. If you want to milk AND get some good beef, go Dexter.

Dexters are cheaper around here, and easier to find. Everybody I knew that once raised Lowlines now raises Angus.

Available pasture size enters into the selection, too. A 600# animal eats less than a 1000# animal.


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

genebo said:


> Lowline Angus is a beef animal, while a Dexter is a dual purpose, beef and milk animal. If you want just beef, go Lowlines. If you want to milk AND get some good beef, go Dexter.
> 
> Dexters are cheaper around here, and easier to find. Everybody I knew that once raised Lowlines now raises Angus.
> 
> Available pasture size enters into the selection, too. A 600# animal eats less than a 1000# animal.


 One of the reasons I am interested in Dexters, is that these animals will be primarily for butcher, and a 600# animal would be much easier and more appropriate. I also am primarily interested in something that I can fully raise on grass, hay, and minerals.

I know that there are (Dexter) strains grown primarily for beef, so the milking won't be an issue.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

You are right that some Dexters have been bred to be beefier, kind of ignoring the dairy aspect. The result is a Dexter that is closer in appearance to a Lowline Angus, and is usually taller than the average Dexter.

They are very good on forage,usually. I had my bull testing for feed efficiency and he tested high. He's a dual purpose sort with extra weight on his hips.

The portions are smaller, as you would imagine. A Dexter T-bone steak is the size of a large pork chop, weighing about 1/2 what an Angus steak the same thickness would weigh. Dexters have the ability to marble on pure grass.

A small Dexter steer will fill a 7 cubic foot freezer to capacity.

Grass fed cattle take longer to marble than grain fed, so be prepared to wait a little longer. Experience has led me to harvest mine at around 27 months for the kind of beef you brag about.


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

Thanks Genebo.

If I get some it will be the ones without the dwarf gene, and bred for beef. I have no desire to milk them. I realize that these will be a longer leg variety, and I don't mind that as long as they are fairly docile and don't get too large. I knew from the beginning It would be 24 months or more to butcher size. Won't have a large herd. If I have a bull I will have to find a way to isolate the heifers, but if I have enough maybe I can sell them. I didn't realize Lowline's got that heavy, sounds like I am better off with the Dexters in my case.


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## DJ in WA (Jan 28, 2005)

o&itw said:


> Thanks Genebo.
> 
> If I get some it will be the ones without the dwarf gene, and bred for beef. I have no desire to milk them. I realize that these will be a longer leg variety, and I don't mind that as long as they are fairly docile and don't get too large. I knew from the beginning It would be 24 months or more to butcher size. Won't have a large herd. If I have a bull I will have to find a way to isolate the heifers, but if I have enough maybe I can sell them. I didn't realize Lowline's got that heavy, sounds like I am better off with the Dexters in my case.


I think Qualkeepers comment on Lowlines being heavier meant they actually have meat on them. The Dexter I raised was pretty scrawny.

There may be some Dexters somewhere that are bred well for meat, but on average, lowlines will have more meat.

If bred more for meat, it will take less feed to get a pound of meat. Just like it takes more feed to get a pound of meat from a dairy steer.

I can't imagine feeding a beef for 24 months before butchering. I butchered my 3/4 lowline steer at 13 months and he was ready.

Here he was at around 11 months of age having been on milk and grass only.


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## DenMacII (Aug 16, 2008)

We started with full sized Angus, and looked at Dexters and Lowlines to better utilized our limited acreage. In our area the Dexters are a real niche animal, and are priced way too high - in my opinion. We went with the Lowlines, and have been very pleased. 

We currently have a Full Blooded bull who is very docile and manageable, and a few percentage cows. The cows cost less being at 50% Lowline, but in breeding to our bull we get a 75% offspring, and most of the benefits of the breed.

Last month we butchered the bull's half brother steer - another full blood - and while his hanging weight seemed paltry at 334lbs, he yielded 68.5% - 229lbs of finished cuts. The butcher, who had not cut up a Lowline before said he was stunned at the conditioning of the carcass and how well the steer was marbled. Usually the smaller steers he sees are very lean and boney (52-55% yield).

The steer was raised on all grass, pasture, and alfalfa. We have a cross country move planned soon and had him presold, so we harvested him at 22 months. He was a little smaller than he would have been at 27 months. All told the steer covered his costs (purchase, feed, slaughter, cut&wrap), and we still put some meat in our freezer.

Good Luck to you.


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## cedarcreekranch (Nov 24, 2010)

We also did a lot of research before getting into Lowlines. In the 80s & early 90s, my first husband & I raised Angus cows bred to Hereford bulls for black baldies. It worked well for us but it was in South Dakota and we had a lot of pasture. When I moved here to eastern Oklahoma, I had less pasture, I wanted animals I could handle, that were productive on less acreage, and that still produced a top notch beef steak. I looked at Dexters and mini Herefords, liked them both well enough, but once I started looking at Lowlines, I was sold. My bull probably weighs 900 pounds & my percentage cows from 650-850 lbs. Some folks raise the larger end of Lowlines and some the smaller end, I try for the middle.  We just butchered a 75% heifer, 3 yrs old, who just never got pregnant. She was fed entirely on pasture and hay, no grain over the winter just decent grass hay, pulled right off pasture and weighed 840#live weight, 556# hanging weight. Absolutely, hands down, the best tasting, most tender beef I've ever eaten. Rib steaks marbled and decent sized (naturally not as big as a 1200# steer's would be), hamburger great taste, nice white fat. She is the first one we've butchered, honestly, because every year we think we're going to cut a bull calf and fatten him but they all sell too well as bulls! I truly think you'd be more than happy with Lowlines, just look at the breeder you buy from and go for the size you're looking for. I won't badmouth Dexters but I really believe you'll be happier with Lowlines if all you want is a smaller, grass finishing, beef.


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

I would love to get this heifer:

http://www.jandb-lowlines.com/sale-page.htm 

"Zarah" I think she is half and half and is at a price that I could afford.... to bad she is way too far away.


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## dbarjacres (Feb 2, 2004)

We just bought our first Dexters 10 days ago. The breeder we went with breeds for beef, but the herd has beautiful toplines, legs and udders. The temperament is great, I can touch the 3 yo cow all over, even her udder, the two yearlings are learning scratching is good and I can walk right up to both. Was the same when we went into his pasture with approx. 20 cow calf pairs. This is compared to the other herd we spent 5 hrs driving to and from. The lady said when we got there that they bred for dairy, but didn't milk them. Ugh, not what I wanted! I have goats for milk, don't desire to milk a cow. But I could see why they didn't milk them. Horrible udders, even the first freshener for sale had no rear attachment and rear teats hung 2-3" lower than the front, thin bodies, crappy toplines and even tho their cows were brought in the shed daily and tied for a bit of grain, they were spooky. They did have a two yo steer of their breeding that was very meaty and looked wonderful. However as they linebred on a certain line, I'm not sure why he looked like that and the cows so bad.

The man we bought the Dexters from gave us a sampling of beef, Tbones, sirloin and burger. The animal was 17 months old. So for me not being a big steak eater, the Tbones were perfect. No marble at all, but delicious! Hubby loved it and he LOVES fatty meat. I think we'll be very happy with our little cows. Plus it'll be a smaller half of beef for just the two of us vs a half from the others we've raised and butchered at 18 mos (Jersey, Hol/Ang x, Highland, and Longhorn (LH will be this fall), that lasts us 1.5 yrs.

Plus temperament was a biggie for me as I wanted smaller animals that we can handle with a halter for any purpose, including AI, vs having to have a chute system.


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## Sherry in Iowa (Jan 10, 2010)

No experience with lowlines. But we have had Dexters for several years. We are getting ready to sell out the herd persay, but not because we don't like Dexters..because of our hay situation.

The dexter bull we have is a chondro carrier. We actually bred a chondro to a chondro to get him. His dad was fairly meaty. His mother was REALLY meaty. Sammy is definitely for breeding meat animals. But..his momma also had an awesome udder..so Sammy's calves can be milked if the desire is there to do so. 

We are so hooked on Dexter beef..we plan to purchase Dexter steers to grow out after we sell the little herd off. We have 4 steers now and will hook up with a nearby Dexter breeder to buy his steers as we need them.

We are big meat eaters and this meat is so lean it is ridiculous. I thought Oh-Oh...lean meat = tough. NOPE..it is tender and has a great flavor. We do not grain our Dexters at all.

Whatever you get..I truly hope you enjoy them. I can't tell ya how much we have enjoyed ours..words fail me.


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## forester7 (Feb 1, 2018)

Very excited to find this old thread. I have a small barn with 8 tie-stalls. I MUST have a bull with very good temperament that will be easy to handle, collar, and keep chained to a tie stall. I currently have some Charolais and jersey crosses, but I will likely phase them out. I am interested primarily in beef, but might milk one cow and I like a cow that produces a good amount of milk for a calf anyway. Firstly, I am thinking of going either lowline angus or Dexter. I like Highland for the lean beef, but I hate the look and the long hair! Are there any other breeds I should consider? I might even go with some dexters and some lowlines, but I am wondering if I do, which I should choose for a bull? I suspect a dexter bull would handle easier, but do lowlines produce good volumes of milk? Any thoughts?


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

forester7 said:


> Very excited to find this old thread. I have a small barn with 8 tie-stalls. I MUST have a bull with very good temperament that will be easy to handle, collar, and keep chained to a tie stall. I currently have some Charolais and jersey crosses, but I will likely phase them out. I am interested primarily in beef, but might milk one cow and I like a cow that produces a good amount of milk for a calf anyway. Firstly, I am thinking of going either lowline angus or Dexter. I like Highland for the lean beef, but I hate the look and the long hair! Are there any other breeds I should consider? I might even go with some dexters and some lowlines, but I am wondering if I do, which I should choose for a bull? I suspect a dexter bull would handle easier, but do lowlines produce good volumes of milk? Any thoughts?


Wagyu ?


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## forester7 (Feb 1, 2018)

Wagyu... no, I could not do that. I am a fan of leaner meats and just looking at those cuts of meats turns my stomach a little!


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