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Post by jessejames on Dec 24, 2010 16:37:13 GMT -5
howdy folks i am new to this board and fairly new with cows as well. i have a small fold of highland hereford xs with a registered highland bull. i am wanting to get into dexters and have an oppertunity to trade one of my heifer calves for a dexter heifer of the same age i am just wondering if there would be problems if she was bred by the highland bull. ideally i would be crossing here with AI but accidents do happen. do you all think that the size of the highland wouold be an issue with calving. thanks jesse
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Post by Star Creek Dexters on Dec 24, 2010 20:33:38 GMT -5
I do not know much about Highlands, except they are pretty and shaggy! What is the normal size/weight of a Highland calf? What is the size/weight of a bull? These are the things you would want to look at. You would want it to be in comparison to a Dexter bull/calf.
I'm sure others on here will be able to post more info for you!
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Post by legendrockranch on Dec 24, 2010 22:30:58 GMT -5
I'm with Star Creek on this one. Need a few more questions answered on the bull. Plus, you mentioned that it would be a Dexter heifer, my preference would to use a cow instead of a heifer.
Good Luck,
Barb
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Post by rhonda on Dec 25, 2010 6:38:49 GMT -5
When I bought Mornstar Aila aka Daisy she was bred to a Highland/Devon cross bull. I was worried and kept a very close eye as it was her first calf...she had a very little heifer that grew like a weed..really pretty and very friendly.
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Post by jessejames on Dec 25, 2010 7:02:04 GMT -5
my goal is to bread her with a dexter but i am asking because accidents do happen and i may wait a year to get more dexters and am thinking of running her with my highlands. if there is anyone near kingston with a dexter bull that could board and breed her for me i would think about doing that and not bringing her home until she is bred. please keep the input coming though i am very happy to have found this board its the best xmas gift i could have got myself other than this little dexter heifer of course
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Post by marion on Dec 25, 2010 8:21:52 GMT -5
Hi Jessejames, I'm near Kingston and (altho I don't bring outside animals in), I do have a super little bull calf that could be a match for your heifer ;D Why not phase out those woolley mammoths and transition over to Dexters LOL? OK, it's Christmas and after all, this IS a Dexter board ;D ;D ;D ..marion
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Post by jessejames on Dec 25, 2010 8:27:05 GMT -5
hi marion, do you sell his seedstock? when is the earlyist i can bread her? she is i think 7 months now i have yet to do the trade but am confirming tonight. i am very excited! i have wanted a house cow fro awile now and i really like the look of the dexters i have seen.
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Post by cripple creek dexters on Feb 20, 2011 16:23:32 GMT -5
Has any one had dexter/Highlander beef? Ill bet it would be very good as they both appear at the top of taste test lists. I would be curious!
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Post by cowjunky on Jan 28, 2012 12:55:40 GMT -5
I I had a 2 year old highland bull breed a 3 year dexter cow.She had a nice little bull calf.He was quite tiny at birth but with that rich dexter milk he is growing faster and bigger than the highland x highland heifer born a month before him.I am goig to use him on my mixed heifers and my dexter and highland heifers for their first calf breeding
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Post by Clive on Feb 13, 2012 15:48:24 GMT -5
I use this bull on my long-leg Dexters, haven't had a problem yet in about 100 calves. He's fair bit bigger than a Highland. Calves are born bigger than a Dexter but usually still quite small.
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Post by midhilldexters on Feb 13, 2012 18:31:22 GMT -5
Hi Clive, what sort of weights do you get on the calves from that bull from your Dexter cows?
Carol
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Post by Clive on Feb 15, 2012 3:19:57 GMT -5
Hi Carol
The calves are about usually 20-25% bigger than a Dexter calf when born but the polled head shape seems to help calving, had no problems.....yet.
The adults are about half-way between a Dexter and an Angus.
Steers going to the butcher at about 24 months would be roughly 475-500kg live, some bigger some smaller, but not too much variation.
I only use the bull on long-leg cows, not heifers, shorts or anything small. He's still a bit big at mating now he's 6 years old though.
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