The Cattle Thread

[LHF2019]

I thought there should be a thread that folks could ask questions or get information if they were thinking about getting cattle for themselves. Or to post pictures of your herds.

We have Dexter's, Jersey's, and crosses of Dex/Jer. Got our first Dexters in 2018 and now have a herd of 40.

 

[grsthegreat]

I used to like working with cattle….back in the late 1980’s.


Now, i like looking at them…..especially sitting on my plate at texas roadhouse.

I had my fill of them years ago. But it sure looks like you have good pasture for them.

 

[TractorTech]

Some of our Santa Gertrudis crossbred cows

 

[Eagle1]

Nice looking bunch. We run a small herd of Dexters, 7 cows, 1 bull, 3-4 steers plus the calves until sold. Started with them in 2016 and then added our new bull WileyRay 2 years ago.

 

[tacticalturnip]

 

[RayIN]

We raised Charolais, they are strange cattle IMO. There is a learning curve to handling them without getting hurt.
This was funny several days after it happened, but not that day.
Dad and i were putting galvanized metal on a barn. I felt a push on my back and thought dad was horsing around. I turned around and was face to face with the big Charolais bull. He had pushed into the wall.
I had to go sit in the shade until I got relaxed enough to work again.

 

[Hay Dude]

Raised Irish Dexters and low line angus with my neighbor for about 10 years. I’d like to get back into it again if I can find the right situation.

 

[RayIN]

Raised Irish Dexters and low line angus with my neighbor for about 10 years. I’d like to get back into it again if I can find the right situation.

View attachment 5007072

That's difficult today, the price of cattle is through the roof, which means without insuring them it's easy to get hit with a $4,000 loss.

 

[Hay Dude]

That's difficult today, the price of cattle is through the roof, which means without insuring them it's easy to get hit with a $4,000 loss.

Hah, that’s why I got out.

 

[LHF2019]

We started in 2018 purchasing 7 head of Dexters. 3 were cow calf pairs. Previously we were buying Jersey steers from a friend of mine just to raise. Coincidently he moved the same year, we liked the Jerseys and bought 3 heifers from him. Also purchased some Holsteins from my cousin just to better utilize the pastures at the time.

We chose Dexters because,

We wanted something different,

More head per acre,

Not everybody wants or can afford 600-800 lbs of beef. We are close to 500 lbs whole hanging weight at 26 months. We are forage based. No purchased grain but if I can grow it I can feed it.

Weight wise Jerseys and Dexters are very close so they pair well, however they do have a totally different body build style. They amount of feed needed to maintain a Jersey is much more than a Dexter. When the Dexter's are done eating the Jersey's are still at the manger.

The couple we bought the Dexters from later on sold their milker and I found it on Craigslist. I then started milking a couple of the Jersey's during the winter for fun and to keep me from going back to milking professionally. Yes I do miss it and I could very easily do something stupid and go back to dairy. Drink the milk and cream, make butter. It is enjoyable. Sadly this was my first year since 2020 I have not milked. This spring had to put her down due to milkfever when she calved.

The original plan for the Jerseys were to sell them to Amish but they wanted ones milking. No interest in springing heifers or cows. Ended up only selling one to Amish and one to English. Wife and I decided then we would utilize them for ground beef and she opened a store. Use cows and crosses for the store and Dexters for wholes/halves.

Everything is AI and polled. Just last year had to switch to a new supplier for straws. https://www.grandmasdexters.net/shop

Wife wasn't happy but I added a white bull. Want all 4 colors. And to cross the Jersey's I got this one to add a little diversity. I will be look forward to getting a heifer out of this mix to milk.

https://www.grandmasdexters.net/product-page/ff-freedom-s-tux-n-tails-ai-straws-10-straw

We will have our first 10 year old this year.