# Dexter Cows - dual purpose?



## Coolwater (Nov 21, 2012)

I am trying to think of a good livestock animal. Dexter cows are small, can be milked but also can be eaten. Can you train them to be ridden? That may sound odd to some, but if something were to happen and I could not drive my car to pick up my disabled mother, can a cow be ridden. Sorry guys, grew up only knowing that horses could be ridden


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## DJ in WA (Jan 28, 2005)

Coolwater said:


> I am trying to think of a good livestock animal. Dexter cows are small, can be milked but also can be eaten. Can you train them to be ridden? That may sound odd to some, but if something were to happen and I could not drive my car to pick up my disabled mother, can a cow be ridden. Sorry guys, grew up only knowing that horses could be ridden


It would not work well to pick up your disabled mother on a cow.

As for milking, you can milk any female mammal. Question is whether it is enough for your needs. Dexters vary in milk production - some aren't very dairy.


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

if you're looking for transportation, you'd be better off getting some bigger type steers and using them as oxen pulling a cart.
And yes some folks ride cows, not sure what breed they use but 2-up on a Dexter may be a bit much.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Coolwater,

Check out this thread, scroll down a little for a Dexter under saddle. 

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/cattle/453643-told-ill-go-broke-dexters-2.html#post6090596

Yes, Dexters are dual purpose. You can learn more at the ADCA website:

American Dexter Cattle Association


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## Coolwater (Nov 21, 2012)

Thanks everyone, got some reading to do


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

I've seen dual purpose cars that could also fly. They weren't very good cars and not good airplanes. I've seen cars thatb were lso boats. They aren't good cars or boats. I had a motorcycle that was a street bike/trail bike. It was too heavy for trails and too rough for street driving.
With that in mind, I doubt the usefulness of a dual purpose animal. Obtaining useful information about an animal from the orgination that stands to gain much from glowing reports may be biased.


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## Maverick_mg (Mar 11, 2010)

Dexters have a milk line and a meat line. Ether should be fine for both but have been selectively bred to be better for the one. So decide what you want the cow to be better at, milk or meat and then pick a cow from a line that has been bred for that. Ether line should work as draft oxen. Instead of tring to ride one, train one or two to pull an ox cart. Another good breed for triple purpose is still the jersey. They do well as oxen, beef and dairy. We have a jersey cow that we plan to milk soon. But I considered Dexters as well. The only reason we have the Jersey was because of availability. It was too good an offer to pass up, so I may still look for a dexter later. 
I don't know where you are located, my phone doesn't tell me like it does on the computer, but of your anywhere close to MI or could plan a trip here sometime, there is a very good school here that teaches classes on handeling oxen. Check out www.tillersinternational.org
DH and I are members there and they have a very nice set up with a lot of good classes. They would also be a good source for DVDs and books on oxen and being a teamster. Good luck


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## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

average quality dexters are known to give between half gallon to a gallon per day with a once a day milking, and milksharing with a calf. Some milk better. While jersey beef may have some of the best marbling around, dexter beef has a good reputation for premium grass fed cuts on a smaller scale. (Tinier portions, less meat overall but succulent.) 

No breed should be a "sacred cow", they all have their unique purposes. A lot of people on this forum own dexters, and some people insist they are a worthless half a cow no matter if you want beef or milk.

Where dexters DO excel is in thrift, they were developed as an irish house cow that would be tied out during the day, probably brought in the house at night, grow a beef calf and provide milk and cream too. 

My in milk dexter is keeping her condition on 2 flakes of dairy alfalfa a day. My pregnant dexter on 2 and a half. My open/dry cow is still a bit fat on 1 and a half. 

A jersey may give 5 or 10 times the milk, but they eat that much more to make it.

They are a healthy, robust and low maintenance cow. You CAN only milk once a day, and you CAN own cows during calving season and still sleep at night. Dexter moms rarely need assistance. 

However... and here is a big caveat--- if it's thrifty milk you're after and not beef so much-- a good dairy goat will give you just as much and more milk on less feed and faster growth rate and breeding cycles than bovines.
Do not take into consideration that "you know you like cow milk" and "never had goat milk"--- big surprise with the first batch of whole cream from the teat... natural cow milk smells STRONG. I still don't like drinking it, but my little kids do.


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## Coolwater (Nov 21, 2012)

I am not a fan of goats, to me, their milk and cheese taste like them. I kept trying different brands and kinds and always came to the same conclusion. They are fun as pets, but really hard to control.

That being said, I have NEVER had natural cow milk either. Maybe I should go get some at our local farmers market.

I am wanting cows for meat and milk, 1/2 a gallon of milk a day would be MORE than enough. That is why I was leaning more to the Dexter over the Jersey. I am in TX, from what I have heard there are great breeders of both here.


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## lakeportfarms (Apr 23, 2009)

There are definitely various levels of milk production among different Dexters. We have a herd of 40, and we have a cow that will produce a little over 3.5 gallons/day, to a cow of similar age that I think we'd be doing well if we got 1 gallon/day. But the 1 gallon a day girl looks like a stretched limo Dexter, a whole lot of steaks along a back like that. 

Those are the extremes...most of them are in between. They are more "dual purpose" than any other cow breed out there and are very easy to maintain.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

When I first narrowed my choice of breeds down to a couple, I went to every farm I could find that had them and talked to the owners.

Some owners were happy with their cows, some were not. I eliminated the breeds with unhappy owners. I ended up choosing Dexters and have never regretted a minute of it.

You should go visit any cow you are considering buying, regardless of breed. Milking involves spending a lot of time in close contact with a cow. You wouldn't want to do that with a cranky one.

It's a 2-way street, too. Maybe you don't suit the cow's ideal of what an owner should be like. Move too suddenly, wear the wrong perfume, have a voice she doesn't like. It's best to find out these things before you get her home.

And try not to put too much faith in the opinions of someone who owns a different breed than the one you're looking at. We tend to have a lot of pride in our cows if they're good, and just might put down someone else's without really knowing what we're talking about.

I own Dexters. I've sold a number of dual purpose Dexters to people who milked them and beefed them. Both types of owners have been happy with the cattle they got. One milks 3 cows and sells the milk (1 gallon/day plus raising the calf). He eats the calves and swears that there is no better beef. An opinion that has been backed up in contests. Check the ALBC site for the results of their taste test.

A factor that has not been mentioned is temperament. Dexters are renowned for their gentle temperament. That was the big deciding factor when I bought my first ones, and it has been true for me. I have a lot of visitors come here and the most vivid memory they carry away is what gentle cattle they are.

Don't ask me about other breeds. I don't know a thing about them except they're not as good as mine.


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## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

I was just out in the barn checking my due heifer (her udder blew up today!!) And it occurred to me i forgot to talk about how sweetly tempered and easy to train they are. My current milk cow had been milked one time on a lark and otherwise essentially not handled at all. She is now the most docile and patient creature and she was quite gentled after only a few weeks. 
My heifer had never been halter trained but i had her dancing on that lead rope in 10 minutes.
My vet has been around dairy cows all his life and had never seen anything more friendly and easy to work with than my little dexters.


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## DJ in WA (Jan 28, 2005)

genebo said:


> A factor that has not been mentioned is temperament. Dexters are renowned for their gentle temperament. That was the big deciding factor when I bought my first ones, and it has been true for me. I have a lot of visitors come here and the most vivid memory they carry away is what gentle cattle they are.


It may be true that Dexters are generally gentler. Unfortunately the ones for sale are not necessarily so. The dexter cow I bought was a witch.

I was also told that British Whites are especially gentle, but two of the four I was sold were not (one charged me a few minutes after unloading).

I was also told that lowlines are especially gentle, but was disappointed after using a lowline bull's semen after several calves out of my gentle cow were skittish.

More important than breed is that the breeder culls the more skittish ones, and hopefully makes beef out of them instead of selling them. Not every heifer should be reproducing. I've found it is sometimes hard to evaluate them in a short time period when buying.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Unfortunately, the owner has a hand in determining how well a cow behaves. A well trained owner with a good physical presence can make a difference.

Cows are so sensitive to us. Our moods, our attitude, our smells, what we wear.

Wearing a scent made from musk can evoke mating behavior from every cow you come in contact with.

You must be the Alpha in the herd. Be the leader. If you are afraid of them you don't have a chance of controlling them.

And sometimes a cow just won't like you. Maybe you remind them of their mother-in-law.

But when you have a string of cows that don't behave around you, it's time to look at yourself to see what is happening. Ask an experienced cattle handler to watch and tell you what they see.

Read Temple Grandin's works. She gives terrific insight into how to control cattle behavior.


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## Tracy2manyhorse (Nov 26, 2012)

Yes, you can ride them! As a kid I rode ANYTHING with 4 legs  My 3 year old grand daughter & I both ride my 6 year old Limousine bull!! She rides the 2 Dexter calves whenever she is out. Try to break her to drive, it would be much easier to transport a second person if need be!

They do not eat a lot of feed in relation to the usual beef or dairy breeds. Less milk than other dairy breeds. I have found that they can be a little more cantankerous to deal with (although the Dexter cows I have were an SPCA issue & needed rescue & their earlier handling may have a part in that) than are my Jerseys.

Genebo is right in the owner has a great deal of influence with how the herd behaves & yes Temple Grandin has some GREAT info! Most all of my cattle had one or more owners before landing here & quite a few are now looking for attention where as before they would run to the other side of the corrals! My home raised ones...that is another story...like I said, the grand daughter rides them!!!


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## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

Long story short, a mule wandered into my yard, i caught him and located his owner-- she turned out to be a gal with a lifetime of amazing experiences, including training her little dexter steer to be ridden (that photo on the old thread of the gal in long dark hair and red tack and hat riding the little cow was her.)

She told me that he was a bottle baby, was castrated at the vets office on the way home from picking him up, and he was so tame from constant handling (she has dressed him up as a calf and yearling and led him around parades before) one day she tacked him up and climbed on and that was that. He never bucked-- just accepted it and learned the cues.


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## Coolwater (Nov 21, 2012)

That is so cute!!!!


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## gracie88 (May 29, 2007)

> Can you train them to be ridden?


It's probably way more practical to train them to pull.


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## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

gracie88 said:


> It's probably way more practical to train them to pull.


You can do both, training a dexter isn't like training a horse, they learn quickly.


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## notbutanapron (Jun 30, 2011)

Dexter milk is delicious and Dexters are super cute, that's all I need to know. Something about losing your cow in the paddock because the grass is hip height makes me giggle. Stumpy little cuties. Like big cows with their legs cut off.

I suppose riding one really depends on how nice your saddle is.


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## Hannah90 (May 2, 2012)

Dusky Beauty you don't like your cow's milk? In my short experience milking this year, my dexter's milk tastes incredibly similar to store milk. Most all who try it say it's about the same texture but a little sweeter. I notice it has a "barn" smell when it's warm, but dissipates when it's cold. My one and only complaint is there isn't enough cream. I have read some folks say their milk is almost naturally homogenized and the cream doesn't rise as well. I don't know about that, but my cow doesn't give a lot of cream. I am hoping to swap her out for a jersey cow that is bred back to a dexter. I am excited about this because my end goal was to get a jersey/dexter cross someday. I have enjoyed my dexter cow and her calf- getting closer to being a bull than just a calf- is calm and easily handled. Annabelle is a butthead some days, but mostly she's been great. Do you research and then jump in. It's fun!


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## ~Tomboy~ (Oct 13, 2005)

Coolwater, sent you a pm yesterday. I am a Dexter breeder not far from you in Spring Branch, TX. I know folks that are closer to you that you might want to contact and visit. Of coarse you welcome to come to my place. My neighbor also raises Dexters. He liked them so much it got rid of the majority of his commercial herd and bought about 15 Dexters.


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## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

Hannah90 said:


> Dusky Beauty you don't like your cow's milk? In my short experience milking this year, my dexter's milk tastes incredibly similar to store milk.


The fresh milk out of this cow has an incredibly strong dairy smell when it sits in the jar for a couple hours. My dissatisfaction might have to do with the fact I am pregnant and everything smells stronger-- but I haven't been able to get past it to drink it myself. My oldest dd also says she doesn't like the smell but does like the way it tastes. 

I also have a problem getting a cream line--- I'm trying the iced tea jar trick now.


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## Hannah90 (May 2, 2012)

Man, I could live on milk. I love everything about it. I will say though, I have only ever tried goat milk from the store and Ive hated it every time. I just brought home some dairy goats due to freshen in the spring. So I am anxiously awaiting to taste fresh goat milk. 

I have given up on cream from annabelle. I will be patient until I can get my hands on jersey milk. So, so curious of the quality of your belmonts milk/cream. Tell her to hurry up!


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

Yes, store bought milk tastes terrible. Milk from my nubians taste wonderful, even warm right out of the udder! Tastes like cream.


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## Hannah90 (May 2, 2012)

I have two saanens. I know their milk is naturally low in butterfat, but I have a feeloing I will warm up to it very quickly considering I may not have milk may-july nxt year.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Dexter milk is slower to separate. It may have to be allowed to sit a lot longer, 24 to 48 hours before skimming.

I've read a lot of people brag about the iced tea jar trick.

My friend uses a cream separator on both his Dexter milk and his goat milk. There's a thread about an affordable cream serarator here:

Irish Dexter Cattle - Finally got my cream seperator


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## Hannah90 (May 2, 2012)

Yeah, I have toyed with the idea of getting a cream separator. Just cant justify almost $300 at the moment. I have let the milk sit for 3 days before and had pretty much the same line at the 24 hour sitting. I think it is just my cow mostly. We all know every cow is different even within the breeds.


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## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

thread bookmarked till the next large set of money comes in. I'm definitely going to be needing a separator.


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

A. Calf taught to lead and wear harness or yolk while young are supposed tobe more steady and reliable than most horses .my grandfather being an expert teamster as were my uncles .my cousins would often ride the milk cows in I stead of walking behind makeing their father mad .unless you are very small in size I would not recome d rideing a dexter but there is no reason she could not be trained to pull a cart .cattle are much slower than horses my personal milk cow is a brown swiss cosiderd a dual purpos breed she is a good milker very gentle she will come when called . The main thing when getting a dairy animal is that she be gentile and acustomed to people it is dificult for a person inexperinced with livestock to break a cow to milk and be handled after it is older but its easy if you raise a calf and work with it often and it acepts you as its leader .if you have a pasture a dairy cow can be the biggest cotribituter to a homested providing all your beef dairy and if you don't use a lot of milk a pig will really grow if a little milk is added to it feed as will chickens .being in close contact with your cow and drinking the raw milk she will produce antibodies for you as well as her calf keeping you healthy .


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## Coolwater (Nov 21, 2012)

Dusky Beauty said:


> Long story short, a mule wandered into my yard, i caught him and located his owner-- she turned out to be a gal with a lifetime of amazing experiences, including training her little dexter steer to be ridden (that photo on the old thread of the gal in long dark hair and red tack and hat riding the little cow was her.)
> 
> She told me that he was a bottle baby, was castrated at the vets office on the way home from picking him up, and he was so tame from constant handling (she has dressed him up as a calf and yearling and led him around parades before) one day she tacked him up and climbed on and that was that. He never bucked-- just accepted it and learned the cues.


Just saw the pic, LOVE it!!!! They are even smaller than I thought. So I can see where some may not think they should be ridden, but I think that is really what I want someday. Still working on the DH LOL!!!


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