Dexter cattle - established breed standard
Feb 16, 2015 17:52:23 GMT
genebo, lonecowhand, and 1 more like this
Post by jamshundred on Feb 16, 2015 17:52:23 GMT
The Royal Dublin Society. continuing the work began by the Farmer's Gazette in 1887, continued to organize, promote, and register the first Kerry and Dexter cattle, set the original breed standards, and published the first rules and regulations governing the breed.
In the preface to RDS herd book number 1, published 1890, one can find historical references by various sources relating to Kerry cattle on each of the eight pages of the preface many with reference to changes attributed to widespread crossing with other breeds and the neglect of owners in both nourishing the stock of the breed or preserving the purity
.
It is not until we begin reading the last paragraph of page seven of the preface that Dexter owners will find the first mention and description of Dexter cattle taken from the 1853 work of Professor David Low “ On The Domesticated Animals of the British Islands” where it was written,
“A few honourable exceptions, however, exist to this general neglect of the mountain diary breed of Ireland. One attempt had succeeded to such a degree as to form a new breed, which partially exists with the characters communicated to it It has been termed the Dexter Breed. It This gentleman is said to have produced his curious breed by selection from the best of the mountain cattle of the destrict. He communicated to it a remarkable roundness of form and shortness of legs. The stops, however, by which this improvement was effected, have not been sufficiently recorded; and some doubt may exist whether the original was the pure Kerry, or some other breed proper to the central parts of Ireland now unknown, or wheterh some foreign blood, as the Dutchm was not mixed with the native race. One character of the Dexter breed is frequently observed in certain cattle of Ireland, namely, short legs, and a small space from the knee and hock to the hoofs. This has probably given rise to a saying sometimes heard of, :Tipperary beef down to the heels”. However the Dexter breed has been formed, it still retains its name, and the roundness and depth of carcase which distinguished it. When any individual of a Kerry drove appears remarkably round and short-legged, it is common for the country people to call it a Dexter”.
The description of the leg length with emphasis from hock to first joint, and the roundness of the body on short legs, is the first published standard defining Dexter cattle as a dwarf breed. Animals of similar appearance without the dwarf characteristics were considered Kerry cattle.
For decades there was no published height standard, just weight and color standards, the first being color which was established in RDS herd book #1, where is is written, “ Dexter Bulls and Cows may be either black or red, with a little white”. This was the only required standard published by Royal Dublin Society as to color or phenotype.
In 1899, the Dexter Cattle Society was established in England and Kerry and Dexter cattle were accepted for registration and the first herd book published.
In Volume 1 of the DCS herd book, there is a preface and on page eight the Dexter is described as follows; “the Dexter is more round and plump, on shorter legs, and lacks that fineness which the head of the typical Kerry possesses.
Volume 1 of the DCS herd book establishes the first standard for the Dexter breed, with requirements described for the head and neck, horns, body, skin, and weight standard of 900 lbs for bulls and 800 pounds for cows. There was no height standard.
For decades after the breed was organized . . . . . the Dexter breed was still required to meet a weight standard, along with descriptions relating to the phenotype with no height standard. Sometime during the decade of the 1950’s the DCS defined the weight standard in bulls to the age of three, and during subsequent decades did not publish the breed standard in the herd books.
For a number of years the DCS did not publish the breed standard, until it appears again in 1992 at which time the color dun is added to the acceptable colors, Dexters are described as two types, short legged and non-short legged, both of equal merit, slight changes to the head, neck and horn descriptions, more descriptive body standard, and a height is added. . “preferred height for cows to be 38-42 inches and bulls “proportiately” larger than cows. Since 1992, this height standard has been changed on at least two occasions.
The original phenotype and intent of the founders of this breed have been so corrupted the breed is all but unrecognizable when compared to historical photos. The most often affirmed identity repeatedly described in all articles and standards are the dwarf characteristics which define the Dexter as an established breed of dwarf cattle.
Judy Sponaugle
In the preface to RDS herd book number 1, published 1890, one can find historical references by various sources relating to Kerry cattle on each of the eight pages of the preface many with reference to changes attributed to widespread crossing with other breeds and the neglect of owners in both nourishing the stock of the breed or preserving the purity
.
It is not until we begin reading the last paragraph of page seven of the preface that Dexter owners will find the first mention and description of Dexter cattle taken from the 1853 work of Professor David Low “ On The Domesticated Animals of the British Islands” where it was written,
“A few honourable exceptions, however, exist to this general neglect of the mountain diary breed of Ireland. One attempt had succeeded to such a degree as to form a new breed, which partially exists with the characters communicated to it It has been termed the Dexter Breed. It This gentleman is said to have produced his curious breed by selection from the best of the mountain cattle of the destrict. He communicated to it a remarkable roundness of form and shortness of legs. The stops, however, by which this improvement was effected, have not been sufficiently recorded; and some doubt may exist whether the original was the pure Kerry, or some other breed proper to the central parts of Ireland now unknown, or wheterh some foreign blood, as the Dutchm was not mixed with the native race. One character of the Dexter breed is frequently observed in certain cattle of Ireland, namely, short legs, and a small space from the knee and hock to the hoofs. This has probably given rise to a saying sometimes heard of, :Tipperary beef down to the heels”. However the Dexter breed has been formed, it still retains its name, and the roundness and depth of carcase which distinguished it. When any individual of a Kerry drove appears remarkably round and short-legged, it is common for the country people to call it a Dexter”.
The description of the leg length with emphasis from hock to first joint, and the roundness of the body on short legs, is the first published standard defining Dexter cattle as a dwarf breed. Animals of similar appearance without the dwarf characteristics were considered Kerry cattle.
For decades there was no published height standard, just weight and color standards, the first being color which was established in RDS herd book #1, where is is written, “ Dexter Bulls and Cows may be either black or red, with a little white”. This was the only required standard published by Royal Dublin Society as to color or phenotype.
In 1899, the Dexter Cattle Society was established in England and Kerry and Dexter cattle were accepted for registration and the first herd book published.
In Volume 1 of the DCS herd book, there is a preface and on page eight the Dexter is described as follows; “the Dexter is more round and plump, on shorter legs, and lacks that fineness which the head of the typical Kerry possesses.
Volume 1 of the DCS herd book establishes the first standard for the Dexter breed, with requirements described for the head and neck, horns, body, skin, and weight standard of 900 lbs for bulls and 800 pounds for cows. There was no height standard.
For decades after the breed was organized . . . . . the Dexter breed was still required to meet a weight standard, along with descriptions relating to the phenotype with no height standard. Sometime during the decade of the 1950’s the DCS defined the weight standard in bulls to the age of three, and during subsequent decades did not publish the breed standard in the herd books.
For a number of years the DCS did not publish the breed standard, until it appears again in 1992 at which time the color dun is added to the acceptable colors, Dexters are described as two types, short legged and non-short legged, both of equal merit, slight changes to the head, neck and horn descriptions, more descriptive body standard, and a height is added. . “preferred height for cows to be 38-42 inches and bulls “proportiately” larger than cows. Since 1992, this height standard has been changed on at least two occasions.
The original phenotype and intent of the founders of this breed have been so corrupted the breed is all but unrecognizable when compared to historical photos. The most often affirmed identity repeatedly described in all articles and standards are the dwarf characteristics which define the Dexter as an established breed of dwarf cattle.
Judy Sponaugle
