# jersey dexter crosses



## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Think there would be much interest in buying jerseyxdexter milk cows if they were available? 
I have a couple, about to start working with a first freshener in a week or so. 
Just wondered what you all thought abt them
They have docile tempermemts, smaller to handle while still giving a respectable amt of mild (our herd sire is a Lucifer of Nottingham grandson, throws very nice udders)
Plus they browse a lot of junk brush off your place that reg cows arent fond of.
Guess we'll see how it goes, and please give anyput or knowledge you may have that can help, thanks


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## copperhead46 (Jan 25, 2008)

I agree with you Cliff, it should be a great cross. You'd get the good features of both breeds, and a better butcher calf too. Disposition should be great and the Dexter should cut the amount of milk, too. I'd like that cross, I know !! I've been kinda half heartedly shopping for a Jersey or Gurnesy cow to breed to my Dexter bull for those very reasons. I don't think you'll have any trouble selling them !!
P.J.


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## Honeybee (Oct 16, 2002)

I plan to breed my dexter cow to a mini jersey bull next year 

Sure would like to see a photo of what the cross might look like.


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## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

I think the cross is coined the "belfair"


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## BlackWillowFarm (Mar 24, 2008)

lasergrl said:


> I think the cross is coined the "belfair"


I was just going to say that....


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## pasofinofarm (Apr 10, 2008)

I have seen a few of them. They are sturdy little cows with nice udders and lower production then a Jersey. Temperments seem to be nice too. My Jersey is currently bred to Angus (bought her bred) but will be bred next time around to my red/polled Dexter bull.


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## Frenchy (Sep 28, 2005)

where in TN are you Cliff ........might be just what I am looking for later on this summer


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## airmont (Feb 12, 2009)

I know that we would be interested and we live in TN!


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## Stoufferspizza (Feb 9, 2009)

It seems to be something people are looking for up here (MI) but no one is doing it right now


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## Ugly Cowboy (Aug 14, 2008)

I know somebody who'd be real interested in that.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Belfair, Belmont, Irish Jersey, Mini Jersey, Dexter/Jersey, Sundog, Toy Jersey, Sweetheart cattle and a lot more. If you run out of names, check with the perfesser. He has a million of 'em.

It's a nice cross, whatever you call it.

The calf can resemble a Dexter, a Jersey, or something in between. In general, expect a calf that is between the size of the sire and dam, that gives more milk than a Dexter, but less than a Jersey. Butterfat will be high. Beef will be good. It should be hardier than a Jersey and have a nice temperament.

Genebo
Paradise Farm


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Main farm is 65 or so miles south of nashville. 
We have 2 first freshener crosses due in the next month or so, was thinking abt. bringing them here to work with them though they are relatively calm.
Have one more Jersey cow due to freshen soon from a nice Dexter bull, but who knows what she'll have, she seems to have more than her share of bulls.


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## 6ncounting (Apr 23, 2008)

We have a jerseyxdexter bull right now and our Jersey is due in June by our herd sire Dexter bull. We're hoping for a heifer to make an nice cross-breed pairing and eventually a small herd.


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

While I'm not a fan of the dexter _(yet?)_( I might be interested in trying the darkside with this cross.)
I think that would be an awesome cross for the homemilker. I'm very fond of the idea that the butcher calf would be more marketable and that the cows production would be less than a jersey's but big enough for a family. I also like the fact that there has been a named coined onto the cross so you could tell an enquiring buyer, "it's a belfair". It's hard to explain to a non-farm knowing person that they don't need a full blood dairy cow to take care of their 4 member family. They think because grandma used to milk a jersey cow named "daisy" they should too. They just don't remember all the things grandma did to utilize all the milk like cream, butter, cottage cheese, and chicken and hog feeding. 
It's hard to educate the unknowledgeable milk cow raiser why ol' bessie isn't as fat as their neighbor's angus steers and why she has mastitis from no being properly milked out. 
I think I'll try one of these belfairs.


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## 65284 (Sep 17, 2003)

I've got 3 on the ground so far, two heifers and 1 bull, and more on the way. They are out of dun Dexter cows and are are sort of a light chocolaty color. Really cute, sort of dairyish Dexter/slightly chunky Jersey looking. The little bull is destined for the freezer,the heifers are, hopefuly, milk cows in the making. 

This wasn't entirely intentional, I found out late that my old Dexter bull was shootin' blanks, I couldn't find another that I liked so I just turned the cows in with Sultan my Jersey bull. I will try to get some pictures up if anyone is interested.


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## Judy in IN (Nov 28, 2003)

I would LOVE to see pictures of this cross.


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## 65284 (Sep 17, 2003)

Judy, I'm not very computer savvy so I hope this works.









The calf on left is the oldest heifer the other is the bull calf.









This is the youngest heifer and the bull.









Da bull again.









Oldest heifer and some of the other cows.


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## Maria (Apr 24, 2003)

I've got a 3/4 Dexter, 1/4 mini Jersey heifer. I hope she grows as big as her mama, or she will be too little to breed to my lowline bull.


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## Judy in IN (Nov 28, 2003)

65284, 

Thanks for the pics! Those are some chunky calves! What sort of milk output do you expect from this cross?


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

The only Dexter/Jersey cross that I have seen was a beautiful little cow. She had a Dexter profile with a Jersey udder. I have to admit that I coveted my neighbor's cow.


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## 65284 (Sep 17, 2003)

Judy,

They are chunky, but not as chunky as they look, they are in winter coat and fuzzy. 

I really don't know what kind of milk production to expect. I've milked only one of the dams, the dark dun cow on the right side of the first picture that seems to be looking at my shadow. With a very small amount of extra feed (1/2 scoop) at milking time she is an honest 1 1/2 - 2 gallon a day cow, pretty good for a Dexter. 

My hope is that with the Jersey influence these crossbreeds will be at least 3 gallon a day milkers with little or no decrease in meat quantity or quality.


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## oth47 (Jan 11, 2008)

Absolutely there's interest,I'd sure like to have one..Charles


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## 6ncounting (Apr 23, 2008)

my little cross bull looks like a small jersey, though he is now taking on his dam's (dexter) black coloring.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Here's a different looking Dexter/Jersey heifer. She was red and white when born, but the Dexter black eventually took over. She always showed red in her undercoat.










When she matured, she became a 2 gallon milker. Very calm and serene. A dream to milk.

Genebo
Paradise Farm


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## cathleenc (Aug 16, 2007)

I am getting pretty excited about this cross - sounds like a small homesteaders dream come true!


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Cathleenc,

Before you get too excited, notice the different types of cattle you get from this cross. A pedigreed animal carries an inherent guarantee as to what the calf will look like. Cross-breeds do not. You might get one like mine, that is built like a Jersey, you might get a stocky one, that resembles a Dexter, or something in between. It gets worse as you breed them together. No one can predict what you'll get. Most people would tell you that mine looks like a holstein. It's not.

So, if you are buying someone else's cross, you're in pretty good shape. You can look and pick one you like. If you're breeding your own, you get whatever comes, good bad or ugly.

Notice that mine grew to give 2 gallons a day. An average Dexter gives that much. So while she inherited the shape of a Jersey, she didn't inherit the milk production. It's all a gamble.

I now raise only pure Dexters. I've established lines that are true dual purpose, giving good quantities of milk and providing the world's best tasting beef. Plus the calves are very predictable.

I think that the dual purpose (milk and beef) Dexter is the small homesteader's dream come true.

Gentle, hardy, trouble free cattle with at least two other purposes: draft and pet. With their intelligent, friendly natures, they can provide many hours of pleasant companionship.

Go visit some Dexters and Jerseys before you make up your mind. There's plenty of each in your state. Come back and tell us what you find.

Genebo
Paradise Farm


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## cathleenc (Aug 16, 2007)

Genebo,
thank you for the heads up warning. For me, it's all theory at the moment but it sure is fun to think and dream!

and - if both parents were from milk lines (jersey and dexter) wouldn't you be pretty much guaranteed of getting milkier results than just the dexter? Genetics are interesting.

thanks
Cathy


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## Slev (Nov 29, 2003)

It seems like every year there are a couple threads on here about Dexter vs. Jersey, ...and the debate goes on, and on. The one thing I noticed was, (of course) breed favoritism with folks offering sworn testimony about one or the other, but it seemed to me that VERY few commenting actually had experience with BOTH breeds. I'm glad to see this thread where we are looking at crossing them. I have been a Dexter guy for a long time, but when I thought my Dexter wasn't bred, I went and bought myself a little Jersey calf. (Then the Dexter gave birth,...isn't that always the way it goes?) I did cross my Dexter to a Jersey, but can't offer any thoughts as the little guy was still born. We did however milk our Dexter for a bit, not real happy with the amount of milk we got, but it was our first time, (and hers). 

To be honest, I'm real happy with the temperament of our little Jersey, she's always looking into what we're doing. But then, my Dexter is THE NOSIEST think on the planet, (she will come check things out, but then run off a bit from me if I go to her) not far mind you, just enough to tick me off. When I mentioned getting rid of her, my wife spout up and said she didn't want to, because the Dexter lets her pet her. (Guess, I'd chased and cussed after her too many times when she's got out..!) 

I guess in the long run, I do like them both for now. And I know you can't judge an entire breed by just one or two cows of that breed. Plus, not to mention, what makes the "Best Homestead Cow?" -when there are so many factors that make up that equation, more than just the amount of milk coming out, it's what all is going in to get that milk out, as well as other factors. Since my Jersey is too young to breed yet, I can't offer much, other than perhaps if a person gets the best of both, then maybe they have something, but as Genebo suggests, gee, I guess a person might get the worst of both sometimes too? genetics are an odd duck, ya know...


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

Many Dexters don't give a lot of milk the first lactation, mine didn't. But with the second lactation production really picks up. I have noticed that my Dexter does slack off a lot towards the end of her lactation, whereas a Jersey will keep on pumping it out.


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

linn, I've notice that with most of my dairy heifers that become nurse cows.(jersey and jersey/holstein X) While they aren't getting fed like a dairy cow in production. They just seem to do better during their second and subsequent lactations. For the first lactation, I try to keep only about two and maximum of three calves on them at a time. After that, when they really bloom, I load them up to what they're able to handle while still maintaining good body condition on the marginal grasses I have to offer with a little grain 2x per day.


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## 6ncounting (Apr 23, 2008)

Here is my Quinn the Cross as we used to call him, lol


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

So, let me get this straight. If you breed a 50/50 jersey/dexter cross to a 50/50 jersey/dexter cross, don't you get a 100% belfair? And if you breed two 100% belfairs together, don't you get a belfair?

The genetic thing is puzzling to me because there are so many breeds out there such as the beefmaster, brangus, and the braford that have been bred into an established breed with calves being born possessing pretty standard traits. How long would it be before you would generally standardize your Belfair offspring? I realize that occasionally black angus cows bred to black angus bulls have red calves and we recognize the fact that there is an ancestor called a red angus, but it's not that often. 
Could a person effectively get a couple of really high quality, dual-purpose, grass-based genetic belfairs and use them as the core of their breeding program to establish a standardized appearance of offspring?


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## Jennifer L. (May 10, 2002)

francismilker said:


> So, let me get this straight. If you breed a 50/50 jersey/dexter cross to a 50/50 jersey/dexter cross, don't you get a 100% belfair? And if you breed two 100% belfairs together, don't you get a belfair?
> 
> The genetic thing is puzzling to me because there are so many breeds out there such as the beefmaster, brangus, and the braford that have been bred into an established breed with calves being born possessing pretty standard traits. How long would it be before you would generally standardize your Belfair offspring? I realize that occasionally black angus cows bred to black angus bulls have red calves and we recognize the fact that there is an ancestor called a red angus, but it's not that often.
> Could a person effectively get a couple of really high quality, dual-purpose, grass-based genetic belfairs and use them as the core of their breeding program to establish a standardized appearance of offspring?


You could probably call them a Belfair, but the offspring could have a wide variation in looks as some went back more to the Dexter and some went back more to the Jersey.

If you are going to try and establish a new breed, my guess is you are talking at least 7 or 8 generations before things started to settle down.

Jennifer


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

You've seen how much the first cross can vary in looks. The second cross canvary much more. I've seen second crosses that were indistinguishable from a pure Dexter. Others could look more like a Jersey. Some could look like neither.

Belfair is just a name for a Dexter/Jersey cross. There's no such thing as a "pure" belfair. They're all crosses between the two breeds.

Genebo
Paradise Farm


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