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Cascade's
Dexter Cattle
Dexter Cattle
Cascade Meadows Farm
Dexter Cattle Frequently Asked Questions
1. How big do Dexter Cattle get?
3. What do Dexter Cattle eat?
4. What sort of shelter do Dexter Cattle need?
7. Do you need to do anything special with mothers when they are pregnant or
getting ready to have calves?
1. How big do Dexter Cattle get?
- Average Adult Dexter Cattle are about belt-buckle high to a typical adult man.
Some lines are smaller with bulls at 38-42" tall at the hip and weighing around
900-1000 pounds, and some are larger with bulls at 46-50" at the hip and
weighing around 1200-1300 pounds. Our Dexters are small to medium sized.
- Dexter Cattle come in black or red (the original colors of the breed) or dun (a
brownish color added to breed standards relatively recently).
3. What do Dexter Cattle eat?
- They like to graze grass and clover. In winter, they will eat hay plus a little
supplemental grain-based feed or protein tub supplement if the hay is very
poor. Only feed a little grain if they are getting skinny.
4. What sort of shelter do Dexter Cattle need?
- They can make do with no shelter, but need shade from the hot summer sun,
and a wind break of trees in winter is nice. Also, they need a place to bed
down in winter, that has decent drainage and isn't terribly muddy.
- Our Dexter Cattle are selected to be naturally resistant to parasites and
diseases. We only vaccinate or use de-wormers when absolutely necessary or
required by law. We vaccinate animals for buyers, if they wish.
- Well selected Dexter bulls are friendly and very easy to keep and they will
easily impregnate your cows each year to keep you in beef (and milk if you
desire).
7. Do you need to do anything special with mothers when they are pregnant or
getting ready to have calves?
- Dexter Cattle are famous for being hardy and requiring no special care. Mother
Dexters are famous for giving birth unassisted, but it can be wise to keep an
eye out. Once in a blue moon, a mother may need assistance in giving birth.
- No, the mothers do all the work. Just make certain the mother is fed well (not
too fat, not too skinny), and make certain the mother has access to clean water
and minerals at all times. It's a good idea to tag calves with cattle tags in the
left ear at birth, for identification purposes.
- We have a sizeable herd and almost always have some Dexter Cattle available
for sale