Dexter Calf

Jurassic Cyclist 24

Thinking about investing in a dexter calf
Do the need much minding or can they be left outside grazing and how much room do they need

Markcheese

Jurassic Cyclist 24 wrote: »

Thinking about investing in a dexter calf
Do the need much minding or can they be left outside grazing and how much room do they need

Well you'll need to get a herd number from the department ( and a crush ) .
If you haven't got any other cattle you'll need more than one ( cattle are social animals) .
They won't take a lot of minding but calves need shelter and meal as well as being checked regularly - and good fencing -

Jurassic Cyclist 24

Markcheese wrote: »

Well you'll need to get a herd number from the department ( and a crush ) .
If you haven't got any other cattle you'll need more than one ( cattle are social animals) .
They won't take a lot of minding but calves need shelter and meal as well as being checked regularly - and good fencing -

Would they need a load a checkups or anything of the sort.

Kovu

Jurassic Cyclist 24 wrote: »

Would they need a load a checkups or anything of the sort.

Do you mean check-ups as in the sort a cat or dog would be given?

Cattle would have to be checked/looked at by someone every day if at all possible.

Markcheese

Jurassic Cyclist 24 wrote: »

Would they need a load a checkups or anything of the sort.

Not really - although they do like a nice cup of coco with their bedtime story before you tuck them in at bedtime -

Seriously though- have you got decent grass ( not just scrub) . If your thinking of getting calves- what sort of set-up are they coming from - and make sure they're off milk and eating meal- but who the hell would be selling dexter calves anyway ?

Jurassic Cyclist 24

i mean like vet check ups

Kovu

Cattle don't get check ups unless they're sick but they have to be tested every year to make sure they're free of TB.
Other than that it's up to the owner to notice if the animal isn't right or requires enough treatment to call a vet.

Jurassic Cyclist 24

would the have to be kept indoors at night and at winter or are they a hardy breed

Kovu

Jurassic Cyclist 24 wrote: »

would the have to be kept indoors at night and at winter or are they a hardy breed

Ideally they'd have access to a shed/dry bedding & hay/silage, if not, then dry land and some sheltered hedges to provide relief from the wind, along with extra feeding as well.

ihatewinter

How much land have you access to? Have you a decent shed. A calf will need proper minding and attention till they are at least 4 months. A calf can go down fairly quickly with an ailment, do you know anything about looking after calves. Can you recognise if a calf is sick or poor health.

If not, then I would advise against getting a calf

Aghoney

Markcheese wrote: »

but who the hell would be selling dexter calves anyway ?

I sold one very pretty red heifer calf a couple of weeks ago, and a bull calf born yesterday is going with his mum to a new owner in a week. There are almost 2000 registered dexters in Ireland, their calves are born every day. They are not as common as calves from other breeds, but they are not impossible to find.

While they will go out grazing and doing their cattle things in all kind of weather during the winter (one of my dexter cows went out to the middle of the field in the wind and snow of two nights ago to have her calf, for example), they seem to be much more content with some way to shelter from the cold and the wind at night. Most of them have a very nice winter coat, but not all of them.

Markcheese

Aghoney wrote: »

I sold one very pretty red heifer calf a couple of weeks ago, and a bull calf born yesterday is going with his mum to a new owner in a week. There are almost 2000 registered dexters in Ireland, their calves are born every day. They are not as common as calves from other breeds, but they are not impossible to find.

While they will go out grazing and doing their cattle things in all kind of weather during the winter (one of my dexter cows went out to the middle of the field in the wind and snow of two nights ago to have her calf, for example), they seem to be much more content with some way to shelter from the cold and the wind at night. Most of them have a very nice winter coat, but not all of them.

I wasn't saying no dexters would be available- but wouldn't have thought many calves would be available without their mothers -
Most suckler farmers aren't go to the trouble of putting a cow in calf and then weaning the calf off early to sell seperatly -