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Post by indexters on Jun 25, 2014 21:25:00 GMT -5
First, I hope this is the right place. I thought about the bull section, but here seems to be more steer info. Obviously, steer = beef!
Does anyone register their bulls that they know they are going to steer or even steer and still register? I know there are steers on the ADCA registery, so it is done. But why? I understand those who register a bull then decide he is not breeding material and steer him. But other than to show your cow is producing and has progeny or for shows, is there any reason to register a steer?
Wondering about this as we have two soon to be steers destined for freezers.
Thanks. And if this has been answered just point me to the thread. Nothing came back during my search.
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Post by kansasdexters on Jun 25, 2014 22:03:04 GMT -5
Jennifer,
We register our steers to have proof of their age when they are processed for beef and to track our breeding results. If there is no proof of age, the inspector will "mouth" the animal and determine if it is over 30 months of age. We've had 20-month old Dexter steers "mouthed" by the inspector and called out as being over 30 months of age -- but that's not an issue if we have a pedigree certificate with their birth date.
Cattle that are called out as being over 30 months of age at time of slaughter cannot have any spinal tissue (like T-bone steaks) or organ meats (heart, liver, tongue, kidneys, sweetbreads, or oxtail) kept, so it's a constraint on how the carcass can be cut and a loss of valuable product for us, if we don't have proof of the animal's true age.
Having a pedigree certificate and a publically accessible online record of each cow's progeny and breeding record is also valuable. It is an indicator of a herd's health and fertility. It is part of good record keeping and management of a registered Dexter herd.
Patti
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Post by indexters on Jun 25, 2014 23:01:01 GMT -5
So, next question. Is it correct to assume you do not need genotype for the steer? Only bulls need that, correct?
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Post by kansasdexters on Jun 26, 2014 6:51:44 GMT -5
That is correct. Steers are not required to be genotyped, in order to register them as steers with the ADCA.
Bulls born after January 1, 2010 are required to be genotyped, have their sire's genotype "on file" with the ADCA, and be "sire qualified", as a minimum, in order to be registered with the ADCA. Many breeders are currently also genotyping the bull calf's dam and having their bull calves "dam qualified" to complete the parentage record and assure their pedigree's registration validity.
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Post by indexters on Jun 26, 2014 11:55:07 GMT -5
Thanks so much for the replies. This is my first batch as the breeder/owner and I am trying not to have any of the problems from last time around as owner/transferer. And to not have any new problems. Might not be pc or association-approved, but I must say it seems quicker to get responses on this board. Thanks to all you knowledgeable people out there that make being a Dexter owner easier.
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Post by dexterfarm on Jun 27, 2014 14:34:28 GMT -5
this probably dependent on your inspector and the location. I have not had one called out yet, but was told it does not matter what I can prove on the age. the inspector makes the decision proof or not. Jennifer, We register our steers to have proof of their age when they are processed for beef and to track our breeding results. If there is no proof of age, the inspector will "mouth" the animal and determine if it is over 30 months of age. We've had 20-month old Dexter steers "mouthed" by the inspector and called out as being over 30 months of age -- but that's not an issue if we have a pedigree certificate with their birth date. Cattle that are called out as being over 30 months of age at time of slaughter cannot have any spinal tissue (like T-bone steaks) or organ meats (heart, liver, tongue, kidneys, sweetbreads, or oxtail) kept, so it's a constraint on how the carcass can be cut and a loss of valuable product for us, if we don't have proof of the animal's true age. Having a pedigree certificate and a publically accessible online record of each cow's progeny and breeding record is also valuable. It is an indicator of a herd's health and fertility. It is part of good record keeping and management of a registered Dexter herd. Patti |
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zephyrhillsusan
member
Caught Dexteritis in Dec. 2009. Member of this forum since Oct. 2013.
Posts: 1,502 
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Post by zephyrhillsusan on Jun 27, 2014 18:56:27 GMT -5
Wow, Mike! One can only hope that the inspectors think Dexters are cute young things!
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Post by kansasdexters on Jun 27, 2014 19:49:02 GMT -5
Mike,
You may want to ask for clarification on that from your processor. An inspector can "call out" and reject a carcass (or parts of a carcass or organs) for various reasons. Proof of an animal's age addresses the issue of whether or not the animal is over or under 30 months old and the inspectors do regard the pedigree certificate as valid proof of age. Inspectors know that "mouthing" to determine age is just an estimate and they tend to be conservative in their estimates to make sure that no animals older than 30 months get passed as being under 30 months old. But an inspector can still "call out" a carcass that fails to meet other inspection criteria, and that has nothing to do with the animal's age. An inspector makes the final decision on what is accepted and what is rejected from a carcass, regardless of the animal's age.
Because we meet all of the inspection criteria at time of processing, having the pedigree certificate for each steer is an important document for our processor's record of what we are bringing them. For us, the animal's age is the deciding factor on whether or not organ meats are kept or discarded, and whether or not T-Bone steaks are an option in the custom cutting order.
Patti
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Post by Olga on Jun 28, 2014 23:58:53 GMT -5
I think this is on the subject, correct me if I am wrong. But what about cull heifers? I believe that many a problem within the Dexter breed stems from the unwillingness of the breeder to cull inferior heifers - often due to lack of knowledge, sometimes due to fear of a financial loss, or other... I think many would agree, in principle. Yet there isn't an option to register the not-for-breeding heifers (not freemartins, just cull heifers). Don't we want to keep an accurate calving record on the cows in the registry? What do you guys think?
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Post by kansasdexters on Jun 29, 2014 7:15:18 GMT -5
Olga,
We regularly cull a portion of our registered Dexter heifers for beef. Since heifers have to be registered before they are 12-months old (in order to pay the minimum registration fee), and they typically don't get culled until they are 2 to 3 years old, they are already registered, before we decide to cull them. The pedigree certificate provides the proof of age to the processor, same as for the steers that we process.
Patti
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Post by Olga on Jun 29, 2014 10:21:16 GMT -5
I should have clarified. I wish we had the $10 registration option on cull heifers.
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Post by lakeportfarms on Jun 29, 2014 10:33:04 GMT -5
I should have clarified. I wish we had the $10 registration option on cull heifers. Olga steers are now $15. Frankly I think this is a mistake. I don't need a fancy certificate mailed first class for a steer. I would like a $5 registration option with the ability to print the record out online should the need arise. I think this would increase revenue and even net income. It can't be that much work to enter in the steer information to the registry. |
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Post by Olga on Jun 29, 2014 10:38:37 GMT -5
I totally agree! I think the online pedigree should be a record for all calves born - a cheap service, with no certificate. A certificate should be issued only if the owner decides to keep the animal for breeding purposes - at an extra price.
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Post by kansasdexters on Jun 29, 2014 21:47:06 GMT -5
Olga,
The Dexter Cattle Society (DCS) in the U.K. has birth reporting, which provides a way for the breeder/owner to report every birth (live or dead) from their registered cows. The DCS owner/breeders can decide later on whether or not to register the calf, but the record of the birth is "on file" with the DCS registry within 30 days of the birth -- so fewer errors are made in recording the correct birth date on the registration certificate (if and when the owner/breeder applies for registration). It costs nothing to birth report, a registration fee is collected when the registration application is submitted. When the ADCA is ready to improve it's registration process, I'm hopeful that birth reports will become a part of the updated process.
Patti
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Post by indexters on Jun 30, 2014 10:29:14 GMT -5
I agree on the ADCA needing to improve their system for records. If they truly want an accurate accounting of the breed, they need a cheap or free option for reporting animals that are not for breeding stock. I just cannot decide if the cost is worth it for something that is going to end up in my freezer.
And around here no one I know of has any problems with inspectors. It is like Redridge said, as long as they can walk off the trailer, they are good to go. So I would not need a registration for that purpose.
The only reason I can see for one is for the dam. If I should want to sell one of my cows, I can prove her breeding history with the registration. And with just a few head, it is not that big a cost, but it is the principle. If an association is truly interested in keeping the records for a breed (and not their bottom line), then they should make it an easy process to submit births.
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