# Breeding a heifer with her father.



## winton (Jan 6, 2006)

What are the risks of breeding a Dexter heifer with her father? Both have tested negative for all of the usual stuff. My goal would be to milk the cow, sell her heifer calves and steer her bull calves to raise for the freezer.


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## AR Transplant (Mar 20, 2004)

I asked a similar question a few months ago about an angus cross. I was told basically that is would be ok but not to plan on using the offspring as breeding stock.

We ended up with the son breeding the mother, calf is perfect. 

Hope this helps

ar


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

If you plan on selling off the heifer calves as breeding stock and just keeping the original cow/s, why not get an unrelated bull to keep and breed with??


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## Madsaw (Feb 26, 2008)

Well, its been done for years. Sometimes its called line breeding. It is done to increase a desired gentics in teh animals. We have done it some and never had any problems.
From what I remember when we raised rabbits thats how you got beeter pure breed stock. 
Bob


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## JeffNY (Dec 13, 2004)

The AI industry has done it. A bull named Damion (Erbacres Damion). He is linebred (inbred, linebred sounds better to them). 


I was also recently looking at a sale catalog, and one heifer forsale has some close breedings within the family. One of the dams is bred to the bull that sired a bull the heifer is from..



Jeff


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## Dexter_Cattle (Aug 6, 2007)

It really depends on the quality of the father and daughter.

It will make their good traits better, and their bad traits worse.

This happens ALL the time in Dexters if you look at pedigree's. It should be fine. Have you ever thought of selling your bull and buying another one or trading with a local breeder? Also you may want to look into AI.
Another thing people do from time to time, is you breed a cow for another dexter breeder and they breed yours.

Hope that helps!
Thanks
Dan


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## winton (Jan 6, 2006)

Thanks -- these are all helpful answers.


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## travlnusa (Dec 12, 2004)

When it works, its called Line Breeding

When it does not work, its called inbreeding.


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## JeffNY (Dec 13, 2004)

travlnusa said:


> When it works, its called Line Breeding
> 
> When it does not work, its called inbreeding.


Regardless, still inbred .



Jeff


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