Post by cascade on Dec 7, 2014 21:36:56 GMT
If you want to protect the Dexter breed, then understand exactly what makes the dexter breed special and unique, and then select for those traits generation after generation:
1. 100% consistent, compact-framed animals, not too tall.
2. VERY friendly, safe, and easy-to-manage bulls.
3. VERY friendly and easy-to-manage cows that will let you work with their calves.
4. Cows that give birth easily to robust calves in all sorts of weather, with NO assistance (even as heifers)
5. Cows with good udders that can give a reasonable amount of milk, but not so much that they MUST be milked.
6. Maintain their weight easily on good-enough grass (and minerals) alone.
7. Hardy and have a good degree of naturally resistant to disease and parasites.
8. LONG LIVES... Dexter Cows should live 20 years, Bulls should live to their teens with no arthritis (unless you eat them first)
9. Generally nice cattle conformation (good feet, strong legs, strong backs, etc.)
We all have less than perfect animals on our farms so it's always a work in progress. The famous bulls have provided most all of these above traits (that's why they're famous), but lots of other less-famous bulls have these traits too.
Certainly, there will always be people who love horns vs. polled and that's simply a personal choice. If you want to promote horns, then do so. They're very nice to look at and physical dehorning can be very painful for an animal.
That's it.... That's my agenda in my own words.
Is your agenda much different?
1. 100% consistent, compact-framed animals, not too tall.
2. VERY friendly, safe, and easy-to-manage bulls.
3. VERY friendly and easy-to-manage cows that will let you work with their calves.
4. Cows that give birth easily to robust calves in all sorts of weather, with NO assistance (even as heifers)
5. Cows with good udders that can give a reasonable amount of milk, but not so much that they MUST be milked.
6. Maintain their weight easily on good-enough grass (and minerals) alone.
7. Hardy and have a good degree of naturally resistant to disease and parasites.
8. LONG LIVES... Dexter Cows should live 20 years, Bulls should live to their teens with no arthritis (unless you eat them first)
9. Generally nice cattle conformation (good feet, strong legs, strong backs, etc.)
We all have less than perfect animals on our farms so it's always a work in progress. The famous bulls have provided most all of these above traits (that's why they're famous), but lots of other less-famous bulls have these traits too.
Certainly, there will always be people who love horns vs. polled and that's simply a personal choice. If you want to promote horns, then do so. They're very nice to look at and physical dehorning can be very painful for an animal.
That's it.... That's my agenda in my own words.
Is your agenda much different?
