Dexter History

Dexter cattle are an ancient breed descended from the black cattle kept by the Celts and are believed to date back to the Bronze Age. During the 18th century the people of Ireland saw the benefits of these small, compact cattle which they named Dexters, domesticated them and found they suited their lifestyles perfectly.  Large families on small acreage needed a cow which produced enough milk to raise a calf for their meat requirements with plenty of milk left over for the family milk, butter, and cheese needs.  Soon after, the English aristocracy began to appreciate the beauty and versatility of the Dexter and they became a popular choice for grazing on English country estates.

Dexters can now be found in many parts of the world such as Europe, USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

For more breed information, visit The Livestock Conservancy.

Benefits to Homesteaders

The Dexter is a true dual purpose breed. Dexters are renowned for their efficiency and are the best converters of feed for both meat and milk production. Dexter beef is tasty and tender with small cuts of high quality, lightly marbled lean beef ideal for the home freezer. Because Dexters are small boned, there’s little waste, resulting in a high bone out percentage.

A Dexter cow can raise her own calf and also supply milk for the household or just graze and raise a good beefy calf, all the while keeping pastures nicely trimmed.  Cows can give from 2–4 gallons of high protein milk a day.  Dexter milk has smaller fat globules (similar to goats milk) than that of mainstream dairy cows, giving a degree of natural homogenization which contributes to the fine texture of Dexter butter, yogurt, and cheese.

They are naturally small (not miniaturized) and are less intimidating to new handlers. Dexters respond well to a little extra attention and the true delight and enjoyment of owning a Dexter can only be fully appreciated after spending time with them.

We have Dexter cattle for sale year round. Visit our BUY page for more information.

Breed Characteristics

Dexter cattle are whole colored animals occurring in three colors: black, dun, and red, with black being the most common. Traditionally a horned breed, de-horning is common cattle husbandry practice and polled Dexter’s are now being bred more widely.

Mothering
Dexters are early maturing, highly fertile and long lived and therefore cows have more calves per lifetime. Dexter cows are strongly maternal and generally calve easily with gorgeous little calves.

Genetic Consideration
When considering breeding Dexter cattle it is important to be informed of the inherited conditions affecting Dexters. All cattle breeds suffer from different inherited conditions, Dexters are affected by Chondrodysplasia (Bulldog Dwarfism) and Pulmonary Hypoplasia and Anasarca (PHA). An invaluable DNA test is available for Dexter cattle that identifies carriers for these conditions. The Old Crowe Farm Dexter herd is genetically free of both Chondrodysplasia and PHA.

We have Dexter cattle for sale year round. Visit our BUY page for more information.

Conservation Priority