Post by honeybun on Apr 6, 2014 3:41:43 GMT -5
Hi all
After belonging to the Family Cow Forum for a year, I thought it was time to come to the Dexter boards.
I have been looking at Dexters from afar for the past 30 years (my past neighbours had Dexters in Cornwall, UK) and only in the past three, have we been able to consider keeping a cow. Now, on a shared farm with plenty of pasture, we can! Our reason was to get milking!
So, we have a purebred registered black de-horned cow, Sîan, and an unrelated 12mth old steer to keep her company. We are longing to get her back in calf, having had her dry for the past two years (housebuilding, etc. got in the way). So far, her last trip to the bull resulted in her aborting the calf on Christmas Eve and we are yet to get her back to the bull because of drought issues. This would be her fifth calf and her second since we had her. BUT, we have never had the chance to milk her yet. Her breeder, whom we trust absolutely, assured us (totally ignorant of all things cow) that she would be suitable as the house cow we were longing for.
I would say that Sîan is 'stand-offish' but calm and approachable. She will accept a halter and we can lead her when necessary but she is never going to be cuddly. She will do most things for a piece of bread but is totally suspicious of any fruit or vegetable she hasn't come across before.
Our constant worry is that there will be another drought. In our southern spring, getting hay last year was very expensive and difficult. There was just none and the grass was just crispy white stalks. At the moment, we have plenty but with the winter approaching and expected shortages again this year, we are anxiously looking for hay again to stockpile.
We are avoiding feeding grain and Sîan has survived pretty comfortably, as long as she has the hay.
I am looking forward to reading all I can to improve our knowledge of Dexters.
After belonging to the Family Cow Forum for a year, I thought it was time to come to the Dexter boards.
I have been looking at Dexters from afar for the past 30 years (my past neighbours had Dexters in Cornwall, UK) and only in the past three, have we been able to consider keeping a cow. Now, on a shared farm with plenty of pasture, we can! Our reason was to get milking!
So, we have a purebred registered black de-horned cow, Sîan, and an unrelated 12mth old steer to keep her company. We are longing to get her back in calf, having had her dry for the past two years (housebuilding, etc. got in the way). So far, her last trip to the bull resulted in her aborting the calf on Christmas Eve and we are yet to get her back to the bull because of drought issues. This would be her fifth calf and her second since we had her. BUT, we have never had the chance to milk her yet. Her breeder, whom we trust absolutely, assured us (totally ignorant of all things cow) that she would be suitable as the house cow we were longing for.
I would say that Sîan is 'stand-offish' but calm and approachable. She will accept a halter and we can lead her when necessary but she is never going to be cuddly. She will do most things for a piece of bread but is totally suspicious of any fruit or vegetable she hasn't come across before.
Our constant worry is that there will be another drought. In our southern spring, getting hay last year was very expensive and difficult. There was just none and the grass was just crispy white stalks. At the moment, we have plenty but with the winter approaching and expected shortages again this year, we are anxiously looking for hay again to stockpile.
We are avoiding feeding grain and Sîan has survived pretty comfortably, as long as she has the hay.
I am looking forward to reading all I can to improve our knowledge of Dexters.
