Goodbye Dexters

[cjsfarm]

Judy & I are selling our dexter herd and retire. If you are interested in making a deal, you can see what we have on the ADCA website.

[littlecowfl]

I'm sorry to see you guys getting out of Dexters. Hope the sale goes well for you.

[herewegofarm]

Hi, looking on the ADCA website. What state are you in cjsfarm?

Thanks!

Adele

[legendrockranch]

Yes you will be missed. Enjoy retirement

Adele, the Nocks are in Parachute, Colorado

[Pinevalleydexters]

You have very nice animals and if I didn’t already have a full barn would love to add to our herd. 
Wish you the best on your retirement.

[cjsfarm]

Judy & I have been out of the Dexter crowd for a few years ( since she was region 4 director). We have not had a single bit of interest in selling our dexters. Has the market gotten that bad or is this just one of those strange occurances. We hate to send these to the sale barn, but that looks like the only course. Not trying to shame someone to buy, just never saw so little interest.

[littlecowfl]

I think Dexters were a trend in some areas and the prices were too high. Now, the market seems to have unregistered Dexters going for much cheaper. Near me, someone is selling five heifer for $500 each. No papers. They look like Dexters, but they have changed hands too many times.

Now, if I want $2,000 for my animals, I'm not going to find buyers here. Some people have, but I never asked for that much. I sell heifers at $1,000 and bulls at $800 to $900 (bred heifers are $1,200). Now these are halter trained, gentle animals. I've been doing this for over ten years and I still have buyers. Sometimes, I even have a waitlist.

The problem with specialty livestock is that the price goes up too high, too fast, and then the market bottoms out. When I started seeing other breeders (fortunately, not too close to me) selling for higher and higher prices, I was concerned. My area is not wealthy. I knew those prices were too high, so I kept them at the same price I bought my first Dexters for in southeastern Missouri (another market that would not tolerate high priced Dexters). This isn't just me. Many breeders I know have kept their prices down, to make sure the market didn't fall out. I have been worried about it as I have seen more polled and red go for more and more. I was afraid those prices would scare away regular buyers or people would assume our cows were defective because our prices are lower.

Now, this is just my two cents. You know your area better. Colorado was getting a steady influx of wealthy people from all over when I left there 20 years ago. I imagine those folks are still bringing in all their friends because it seems to be bursting at the seams whenever I go home to visit family.

I am really sorry you guys are getting out. I'm sure your land prices, and taxes, and everything else have gone up over the last twenty years. We couldn't afford to move back there now.

[cddexter]

Retiring? Judy, I know it comes to all of us sooner or later, sorry to see you join me as a 'used to have' Dexter owner. So many people simply bred animals and figured they were 'breeders', without working to fix bad traits and stabilize good ones. I know you worked hard at that, so your leaving has much more impact. Could you find someone to take the top few animals and keep your breeding? I did that with Paula Maras in OK. All the best for your next venture. Cheers, Carol D.

[farmerzeek]

It seems that in the East Dexters have not taken off....I list my cattle on ADCA sale page hoping that the folks looking realize that the animals I have for sale are worth the money. I live in Eastern Ohio, 45 minutes West of Pittsbugh and drove to Nashville for our herd sire. We were hoping that folks around here would see some new genetics and buy. Many of the Dexters around herego back to a few farms and wanted to introduce new and better genetics around here. It seems that people are not that intested in a $2500 bull or a $1200 heifer so I end up selling for cheaper after I try for a few months. It is frustrating but we hope to add some homo-polled heifers to our herd and try our hand at selling homo-polled Dexters for a few years before giving up on Dexters. At the end of the day I would like to make enough money from cattle sales to buy my hay each year, but when you are only selling 3 per year it is a challenge. Anybody want to buy some Dexters? I have 2 heifers a red and a black, both hetero-polled.
Zeek