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Post by lakeportfarms on Jun 13, 2013 22:58:38 GMT -5
Carol,
I didn't know that about the charging of the coats, though I knew about the double coats. There have been times I've gone into the pasture following a heavy snowfall and seen lumps of snow where there shouldn't be any...it was the Highlands, still slumbering with 12" of snow on top of their bodies. As far as the fat, we haven't analysed it ourselves, but have seen a number of places where the fat content is listed at 10 percent for the breed. Whether they all came from the same source I don't know. But we've milked Dexters, Jersey, and Highlands and the Highland milk is much creamier. It doesn't separate like the others do, however. After skimming off the top from a day in the fridge, the milk still has quite a bit of fat in it despite the length of time it has been sitting, compared to the others left a similar amount of time. We never have been able to get it as "white" and thin as either the Jersey or Dexter milk, though we get a comparable amount of cream from a gallon. My guess is that it would take a separator to get all the cream out without letting it sit an inordinate amount of time. Ours never lasted more than a couple of days (I love my just at the edge of freezing cold milk!). So if you like a (yellow) milk mustache, Highland milk is the ticket!
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Post by cddexter on Jun 14, 2013 8:51:43 GMT -5
Mike, I don't think I've ever seen anything as attractive as those dwarf highlands. Cute doesn't come close. No wonder they are in demand. I got the info about the double coat and electrical charge from reading Jan Bonsma years ago. I didn't know about the milk. I know there are lots who think Dexter milk is slow to separate, too. c.
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Post by cddexter on Jun 14, 2013 8:58:48 GMT -5
Mike: something to add to your list of things to ponder on: You may look at Oz and see a 40" bull, and measure him and get a 40" bull, but wysiwyg doesn't apply. The reality is Oz is one gene away from a bull that's genetically meant to be 47-8". Now what? cheers, c.
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Post by lakeportfarms on Jun 14, 2013 14:45:18 GMT -5
Carol, the little "Highlands" certainly get a lot of attention and we're nearly famous around here for having them! Even if they're at the back of the property and can't be seen, we have people knock on the door out of the blue asking to see them because they heard about them from somebody or saw a picture somebody else took. They are originally out of Mike, bred to our nicest Highland, who sired a little shortie bull calf who bred a couple of our other nicest Highlands. We have a very small pure Highland to breed any future shortie girls that we have.
My only complaint about the Highland is that they are difficult to do the managed grazing with. They don't respect the temporary step ins like the Dexters do. It must be the heavy coat of hair, or the hot fence doesn't seem to zap their horns like it would skin, and they flick their head and tear the wire down as they eat under it.
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Post by cddexter on Jun 14, 2013 16:34:44 GMT -5
haha always a down side, huh? still, pretty huggable and better than a fainting goat. cheers, c.
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Gorignak
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Post by Gorignak on Jun 19, 2013 18:43:17 GMT -5
Mike to Barb....I am not ignoring your question concerning the chondro carriers and what can be done better during transactions involving them, and Dexters in general.
IN FACT....I find this question to be SO important, so certain to elicit a long and drawn out conversation....with the potential for a lot of non-productive dialog, and so prone to offend multiple parties.....that I will beg some patience, as I consider and reconsider all that I would say. I have had interesting conversations with several forum members, AND.....I got to see the whole picture at the AGM.... I confess, I am nowhere near being able to discuss it intelligently.
We can create a little "Catalogue Description" of the subject..... Chondro to chondro breedings are inevitable in a "Wild West" atmosphere of e$calating prices and lax oversight. Genetic testing has altered both the ability and responsibilities to determine accurately the animal's status. $$$$Escalating prices have also aligned the "faithful" along more mercantile and self serving moralities. In between are varying degrees of semi-informed, hyper-informed, and unfortunately "Dumb and Dumber". And, I can say almost certainly....Many, many more Dexters are changing hands among the small scale uninitiated than the experienced.
This question and its "answer" are core to my first year of Dexter ownership.....that anniversary is in 27 days ( we purchased them May 11....brought them home July 16)..... I am going to aim to have my "answer" by then.
Thanks for the question
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Post by Olga on Jun 19, 2013 22:03:43 GMT -5
This is an example of a Salers cow that was bred by a chondro-carrier Dexter bull and produced a chondro-carrier bull calf.
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Post by Olga on Jun 19, 2013 22:09:17 GMT -5
This is Lee Valentine, a short-leg heifer from a chondro-carrier bull and this cow, Delilah:
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2013 22:15:24 GMT -5
Hans, You, Mike and Gale are the only posters recently on this thread to have experienced the joy of owning short legged Dexters. All the rest are avowed non-chondro owners. So I thought I'd step in and lend a hand. Awwwwwww gees Genebo, I'm on this page/screen and I have midgety midget moos..... 7 shorties, 1 x bull and 6 girls. 14 longies (also made up of 6 calves born: 3 were longie mums and 3 were from shortie mums) Only our shortie bull was a shortie born from a shortie mum And just to be clear - we have 6 bulls, only the one shortie bull and another who is 7 weeks old and yes, already tested and clear as a bell for BD1. (he is my avatar with his shortie mum) We love the shorties - so what are the odds that only 1 of possible 4 would be a shortie
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Post by tarsallat on Jun 20, 2013 4:03:27 GMT -5
Hey Olga, that little Saler /Dexter calf should turn into a corker of a steer. If he gets the best of both breeds he will have great weight and bulk without the height. Never thought about that cross before, have done Angus/Dexter and they grow like weeds. Born small but grow very quickly. We have both short leg and non shorts and love that there is the choice of being able to have both. Biggest disadvantage is having facilities to be able to manage having a mixed herd, and making sure that no short to short matings occur. Means that you have to be able to separate them out at a young age and sometimes wean early, as the bulls mature so young and can breed at 6 months. The other thing I don't like about shortlegs is that they don't breed true height wise, as you say add another 6 inchs or so to a shortleg to get a real idea of their height potential. I hand milk my cows, just tie them up and go for it, short legs are too hard, udders too close to the ground and it just kills my poor old back, so never milk a short, only the nonshorts. I don't think short legs will ever disappear from Dexters, too many people like them.
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Post by lakeportfarms on Jun 20, 2013 6:44:08 GMT -5
Lindon,
If you love shorties, too bad I can't export some semen from our bull Mike, as you'd get a much higher percentage. Since January, of 15 calves, ZERO non-carriers. Since last August, of 24 calves, only THREE non-carriers.
We're doing our best here to populate the Dexter breed with carriers!
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Post by Olga on Jun 20, 2013 9:19:49 GMT -5
Salers cattleI don't really know anything about them. A friend's daughter had shown her years prior at the fair and refused to part with her. She was a huge cow who was a total sweetie.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2013 16:39:38 GMT -5
Since January, of 15 calves, ZERO non-carriers. Since last August, of 24 calves, only THREE non-carriers. We're doing our best here to populate the Dexter breed with carriers! Holy cow!!!!! WOW, 24 and only 3 nons..............that is amazing, go Mike !!!!! And 15 shorties for a season..............good grief. I have never heard of such odds but there doesnt appear to be too many breeders who we have had contact with who do 'concentrate' on shorties. Mmmmm why cant you export?
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Post by otf on Jun 20, 2013 17:34:30 GMT -5
Here's one that was born here that I wish I'd kept intact to sell as a bull (pictured with two other bull calves, all about 6 weeks old). Live and learn! Same boy about 9 months of age:
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2013 18:44:11 GMT -5
Lindon, I didn't mean to leave you out. I know about your herd. I'll not forget to include you in any subsequent list of those who've enjoyed the best of both types of Dexters. Oh I know you do I was just having a little poke and dig at you *S* Its all good! Many breeders here have been breeding for the shortie look without them being BD1 carriers. We have one of those in our senior bull Bundy (well he is nearly 2yrs, but he is the oldest and knows it) After more than a few people asking if he was a shortie made us hold our breath until his test results came in………… he is not a carrier. The OH has his heart set on our one and only shortie born, little bullcalf Brom. He is just soooo……..its hard to explain. Theres just something about him that draws you to him each and every time. And I was thinking it could just be the shortie-personality until we went back to the original breeder and purchased his last 2 Dexter cows (in calf) who are longies. Midori and Kesha have been with us now for nearly 8mths, and Midori is like the family dog. She runs towards the car each and every afternoon as soon as she hears / sees it. Then she does this half jumping half trotting alongside it as we drive to the house, mooing in excitement. Quite a few of our longies has something special about them, and our longie calves are just adorable and so sweet. 7mth old Aleala walks in your shadow wherever you go around the property The majority of our herd came from (our) original breeder in two separate purchases, and along with their now calves, they have the most trusting and adoring personalities which is a fine tribute to him for the time and care he took with all of them. Nothing bothers them. Off Track: I have to say the Australian Dexter world lost one of its best possible future advocates for the breed the day we picked up his last two Dexters…………………….he moved onto Charolais instead as cost became a major issue. He has just turned 18 years old and is beginning to embark on a life of his own. While its not expensive to have Dexters as bovines, the expense comes in the form of membership, registrations etc and this needs to be urgently addressed here. Off my soapbox now and back on Track: We probably picked up half shorties and half longies from him. So its really hard to say really who are our favs. We do really love the carrier look. OH has commented a few times that he thinks the longies have too much height especially when you go back to the “old” videos and photos.
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