PDCA - One Blog

PDCA 2007 AGM

2007-09-15T22:32:00.000-05:00

Great job by our PDCA hosts in putting together this year's AGM, Show, Sale, and Educational event in conjunction with the Utah State Fair. There was a fine representation of Dexters as the breeders showing did the breed proud. Check out the photos on the PDCA website as they were brought to you along with the show results almost live from the event.

This is what it's all about.

2007 Dexter Cattle Show at the Nebraska State Fair

2007-09-11T22:13:00.001-05:00

The debut of Dexter Cattle at the Nebraska State Fair was a resounding success. Seven breeders from Iowa, South Dakota, Missouri, and Nebraska entered 39 animals.

The Nebraska State Fair Beef Department Staff were very pleased and appreciative of the excellent response and participation by Dexter breeders in this first showing of Dexter Cattle at the Nebraska State Fair. Of the eight breeds represented during the beef show, Dexters outnumbered all but three other breeds - one of which was a national point show for the breed!

Dexters of both the PDCA and ADCA have been enthusiastically invited to return to the Nebraska State Fair in 2008. The fair staff has also asked about the possibility of having both an open and a youth show.

Dexter breeders from across the midwest took advantage of the opportunity to proudly display their dexters, to meet with other breeders and persons interested in the breed, and to do what they all enjoy doing the most - be around and talk about their special breed of cattle.

The second annual Dexter Show at the Nebraska State Fair will be held the 4th week of August 2008 and will be another great opportunity for midwest breeders to meet, show and discuss all things Dexter. Mark it on your calendar.

Dexter Cattle Steer-A-Year 2005-2006

2007-08-18T21:29:00.000-05:00

Steer-A-Year

Dry July

2007-07-27T20:04:00.001-05:00

PDCA Regional Director John Colhoun's Dexters were pictured in the Baltimore Sun with his area experiencing a drought this summer.

"Grass for grazing is drying up at John Colhoun's Ivy Neck Farm in the Harwood area. The drought has been particularly severe in Southern Maryland and the Lower Eastern Shore."

Nebraska State Fair Dexter Show

2007-07-10T20:10:00.000-05:00

August 27th – August 29th 2007
Lincoln Nebraska
Open to All Dexter Cattle Breeders
Dexter owners and breeders this is a new venue for Dexters and a great opportunity for our breed to become a staple at the State Fair in the “Beef State”.

Entry Deadline Friday, August 3, 2007 – 5:00 p.m.

Entry Form - http://www.statefair.org/upld/file_beefcattleform.pdf
Online Entry will be available soon at this address.
Entry Book with class listings - http://www.statefair.org/upld/file_beefcattlebooknewestt.pdf

Show: Tuesday, August 28 at 10 a.m.
Begin Arrival: Sunday, August 26 at 8:00 a.m.
In Place: Monday, August 27 at 12:00 noon
Released: Wednesday, August 29 at 8:00 p.m.
Nebraska State Fair Website - http://www.statefair.org/index.asp

If you are interested in more information or plan on attending please contact:
Roger Shaw
9275 Blue Hill Rd.
Bladen, NE 68928-2806
(402) 756-4411
hilltopacres@gtmc.net

SUMMER - 2007

2007-06-21T21:57:00.000-05:00

2007 PDCA Annual Dexter Photo Contest

2007-06-19T22:16:00.001-05:00

There will be a Dexter photo contest at the 2007 PDCA Meeting, Show and Sale. We all love to take pictures of our cattle through out the year, so here is a fun way to show them off favorite photos, and participate in the 2007 Annual PDCA Meeting. This is a great way for those who can’t join us in Salt Lake City, Utah this year to be a part of the Show. Pictures will be displayed at the fair grounds during the PDCA Meeting, and Show along with the rest of the exhibitors. The contest is open to all PDCA members.
Entries must be 5 x 7 or 8 x 10s. Each photo entry is $3. Please send checks or money orders made out to the PDCA, along with your name and address to:

Dawn Bittner
865 W. Hwy. 118
Monroe, Utah 84754

Classes will be offered in the following categories:

1. Individual cattle pictures

2. Dexters in a scenic setting

3. Dexters and people

4. Working Dexters

5. Dexters on display, (Shows, field days, etc)

6. Dexters for beef

7. Milking Dexters

8. Dexter calves

9. Dexter cow-calf

10. Dexter herd bulls

The PDCA reserves the right to use photo entries for the purpose of promotion of the breed, but will give appropriate credit to owners if photos are used. No photos will be returned. Awards will be given in each class and participants at the PDCA meeting will select a Grand Prize Photo. The winner will receive a one-year free membership in the PDCA.

PDCA ANNUAL MEETING - 2007

2007-06-10T18:16:00.000-05:00

2007 PDCA Annual Meeting, Show/Sale
& Educational Event
Salt Lake State Fairgrounds
155 North 1000 West • Salt Lake City, UT 84116
September 6 – 8, 2007
The annual Meeting, Show, and Sale will begin on Thursday, September 6 and go to Saturday, September 8. The show will be held at the Salt Lake County Fairgrounds in Salt Lake City, Utah. Cost for the event will be $50.00 per person which will cover admission to the meetings and classes, dinner on Friday night, and lunch on Saturday.
Make Your Reservations
Please make your own airline and hotel reservations. There is one major airport in Salt Lake City. The Salt Lake International Airport is just off of the Bangerter Highway and is less than 15 miles from the Fairgrounds. Here is a list of some of the hotels and campgrounds in the area:

• Salt Lake City KOA – 1400 West North Temple, SLC. (801)328-0224

• Super 8 Motel Airport – 223 N. Jimmy Doolittle Rd., SLC (801)255-5559

• Microtel Inn & Suites – 61 North Tommy Thompson Rd., SLC (801)236-2800

• Ramada (SLC Airport) – 5575 Amelia Earhart Dr., SLC (801)537-7020

• Days Inn (SLC Airport) – 1900 W. North Temple, SLC (801)539-8538

• Sleep Inn – 3440 Decker Lake Dr., SLC
(801)975-1888

DNA Testing Available to all Dexter Breeders/Owners

2007-05-19T09:38:00.000-05:00

The Purebred Dexter Cattle Association is offering a special chance for all Dexter breeders to test their cattle for the “bulldog dwarfism” gene. You do not need to be a member of the PDCA. ADCA members or non-members of either Association may be a part of this test. We must have all samples no later than June 1. Send your hair samples along with a check for $35 for each animal to the PDCA, 25979 Hwy EE, Prairie Home, MO 65068. We hope to have your results by July 1. If you want to put a bull with your cattle, this is your chance to test him. If you have animals you want to sell, this is a plus, guarantee buyers the status of your animals.

A form to complete to use with your samples can be found at:
http://www.purebreddextercattle.org/Forms/PDCAChondroTest.pdf

Region 4 PDCA Show

2007-04-22T19:44:00.000-05:00

The 6th annual show will held in conjunction with the McHenry Highland Festival, at McHenry, Maryland, on Saturday June 2, 2007. Show time 2:00 pm. Dexter talk and Celtic fun all day.

See the festivals website: www.highlandfest.info
McHenry, Md., is in Garrett County, the western most county of Maryland, on top of the Eastern Continental Divide. We usually have cool weather in early June. The Garrett County Fairgrounds are on US 219, South of I-68, between Morgantown, WV and Cumberland, Md.

I encourage Dexter breeders and friends to attend and bring some critters. We are provided with a nice barn near all the other Celtic activity, RV sites and about 5,000 to 6,000 festival visitors who come thought the see the "tidy little cows" (a name given my Dexter cows by a festival visitor 7 years ago). We will have PDCA banners and brochures. Judge Jim Johnson will share his vast experience with the Dexter breed. Region 4 Area Manager John Colhoun will be Ringmaster.

Dexter exhibitors are provided with free passes to the festival, I will need conformation of your bringing cattle and number of passes required by May 18th so I can mail same. When confirming, indicate the number of animals you plan to bring. I can supply advance festival tickets at $10.00 for our friends and PDCA members not bringing cattle.

This show is a lot of fun and a good exposure to a lot of visitors from the mid-Atlantic area. Come and help us show-off our Dexter's. We need a lot of experienced Dexter folks to explain the breeds fine points to the public.

Contact: Tom Donaldson,
Phone: 304-735-3102 or 240-321 -1312
Email: hollifieldfarm@myway.com
Hope to see you all on June 2nd!
Tom Donaldson

PS: Maryland Animal Health requires a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection for both instate and out of state cattle. Your local Vet can supply you with same and just bring the certificates with the cows. A Maryland Dept. of Animal Health Representative will check the animals and certificates on Saturday morning. Cattle can come in on Friday and stay through Sunday.

"Calves beef up the interest at old farm"

2007-04-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Journal - UK

'Down on the Bede's World farm, two new additions are making history.

Chad and Wilfred are a pair of calves with a lot to live up to - they'll be following in the hoof-prints of the only working oxen in the North.

The Dexter cattle will be taught to plough the land using traditional medieval methods, continuing the farm's aim of creating an authentic working Anglo-Saxon farm.
The 10-month-old calves have been officially named, after visiting children voted for Chad and Wilfred from a shortlist of 7th Century names.

Chad and Wilfred were both Northumbrian saints, but their new namesakes are anything but.

The Dexter breed are notoriously hard to train, but having already succeeded in training the old boys on the farm, Edwin and Oswin, farm manager Christine Fitzgerald has high hopes for the ploughing protégés. She said: "When we're selecting new animals I always look for a good temperament and these calves are very well-handled.

"We use this breed because they are so similar to what the Anglo-Saxons would have used. They're a naturally small breed.

"They are definitely more difficult to train than other cattle, let's just say that they're characters."

The veterans of the farm, Edwin and Oswin, have been at Bede's World, near Jarrow, for 10 years and have become proficient ploughers, having been built up into the bodybuilders of the oxen world.

The new twosome, who will take over when the old guard retire, will not be able to start heavy training for at least two years when they're strong enough, but they're already getting used to life on the farm.'

Happy Easter

2007-04-08T08:56:00.000-05:00

Spring issue - 2007

2007-03-18T15:06:00.000-05:00

Have a happy...

2007-03-16T22:21:00.000-05:00

PHA in Dexters

2007-02-21T21:31:00.000-06:00

Hydrops fetalis associated with pulmonary hypoplasia in Dexter calves - Abstract
PA WINDSOR, JAL CAVANAGH and I TAMMEN
Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales

"The occurrence of severe fetal dystocia due to hydrops fetalis associated with pulmonary aplasia in two male and pulmonary hypoplasia in one female Australian Dexter fetuses from two herds is described. Obstetrical intervention by caesarean section was required for delivery of the fetuses, with mortalities in one dam and the 3 calves. Clinical, pathological and genetic features are tabulated to assist in distinguishing pulmonary hypoplasia-associated hydrops fetalis from the more prevalent disorder of chondrodysplasia in Dexter cattle. Anasarca and complete absence or presence of only rudimentary lung tissue in a large thoracic cavity clearly distinguishes this entity from the lesions of Dexter chondrodysplasia that include severe micromelia and abundant lung tissue in a small thoracic cavity with shortened spine and rib cage. Pedigree information suggested that Dexter hydrops may be transmitted in an autosomal recessive manner."

*****
This is caused by an abnormal gene and has also been found in other breeds of cattle. We recently had confirmation of pulmonary hypoplasia with anasarca (PHA) with some Dexters here in the U.S. Pulmonary hypoplasia in general means underdeveloped and poorly formed lungs while anasarca translated means retained fluid. Usually this results in a calf being born dead and severe cases can result in the death of the cow. Since the aborted calf may sometimes have the appearance of a "bulldog" calf this may be why on occassion there's been reports from a breeder believing they had a "bulldog" from a tested free of chondrodysplasia Dexter.

The exciting news is that they just discovered the marker in Dexters which means this can be tested for. So while testing for chondrodysplasia, Bova Can labs will likely be able to also run a Dexter PHA test at the same time saving the expense of having to have two tests.

PDCA AGM

2007-02-15T19:23:00.000-06:00

A page from the Winter 2006 Record highlighting photos from the PDCA's 2006 AGM in Ohio. PDCA's 2007 AGM will be in Salt Lake City, Utah, followed by the 2008 AGM in Nebraska. For those tired of winter, the Spring 2007 PDCA Record is now at the Printers and so you can be looking forward to its arrival in your mailbox in about two or three weeks.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2007-02-14T07:23:00.000-06:00

2007 Classification Tours

2007-01-06T14:21:00.000-06:00

Click on schedule to enlarge.

Happy Moo and...

2007-01-01T00:03:00.000-06:00

Calendar for year 2007 (U.S.)

New Born Dexter Cow

2006-12-28T07:28:00.000-06:00

Wishing All...

2006-12-24T16:51:00.000-06:00

Winter 2006

2006-12-22T15:24:00.000-06:00

Breed and Sales Promotion – Individuality

2006-12-20T15:25:00.000-06:00

'Financial success in the purebred cattle business depends nearly or quite as much upon business ability and sales promotion as it does upon the breeders ability to produce superior livestock. Nobody else is going to sell your cattle for you. Local, state, and national breed organizations form the frame work through which you can operate. All are important, but all must serve all breeders impartially and cannot generally be expected to make sales for an individual, although they may sometimes in special cases.

The purebred cattle business, like any other business, is that of producing something of value and this value must be presented and proved to the prospective customer. There is one important difference between the product of the livestock breeder and the product of a manufacturer. This difference is that of individuality. All of the products of a given type or class in factory operations are alike. One Ford sedan of a certain date of manufacture is identical with another except, perhaps, in color. No two animals are identical and this individuality affords both opportunity and difficulty. The difficulty arises from the fact that each animal must be sold not only on its merit as a representative of a class but also upon its exceptional features as an individual. The opportunity arises from the fact that people like to have the things which they own reflect their personal preferences, and this is possible in livestock to a greater degree than it is in the products of any factory.

To sell something it is necessary to have something to sell, and to prove its value to a prospective purchaser. In the case of registered dual-purpose cattle there are three general criteria of value. Type, production, and pedigree. Type is evidenced by show records and by classification. Production is proved by records. The presumption of breeding superiority is based upon pedigrees which show the possession of values which may be inherited. All registered cattle have pedigrees, but if you want to prove your particular cattle for type and/or production it will be necessary for you either to classify or show, and to test. All have been discussed and evaluated in so far as one man’s opinion goes. The time is past in which it is possible to sell at prices which afford a fair profit to the breeder of purebred cattle simply because they are registered. It is necessary to prove individual superiority.'

--Claude H. Hinman, “Dual-Purpose Cattle”.

Event notice from the ALBC...

2006-11-24T07:28:00.000-06:00

A group of local residents interested in historic reenactments is putting together a historic timeline event in Fredericktown, Missouri. The event is going to be held in Wanda Priest Park on March 23, 24 & 25, 2007. After realizing the rich heritage of this area it was decided to hold the event in what was the original St. Michael’s Village.

A timeline event is one that covers several time periods in history. An encampment will be set up covering the French Colonial Period, Fur Trade Era, Native Americans, Civil War, Scottish Clans and Cowboys.

Many local artisans as well as from other areas will be here to demonstrate their crafts and skills. These people will only use methods and materials that would have been available during the time period that they are portraying. Some of the demonstrators will be blacksmith, gun builder, leatherwork, woodcarving, spinning and weaving, flint knapping, rope making, as well as many others.

In addition to the demonstrators we are going to have Scottish game demonstrations as well as games for kids. At this time we are hoping to have enough camps set up on Friday the 23rd to be able to invite the local schools for a field trip. We are also pleased to have Noel Barton of Team Thunder, four time National Champion and four time World Champion here to shoot an anvil. Team thunder is sponsored by Dixie Gun Works of Union City TN. There will be an candy cannon for the kids. Traditional music will be played throughout the weekend. We would like this to be a very hands on and educational experience for the children as well as adults.

The event is open to the public free of charge on Saturday (9 am - 4pm) and Sunday (9am - 3pm). We will also have a candle light tour of the camp on Saturday from 6pm - 8pm. This is also free to the public. It is a wonderful time to visit camp. In addition to this the Unnerriner House, Log Schoolhouse, Berryman Cabin and the Aviation and Transportation Museum will all be open for tours on both days. Wagon rides will be available to move about to the different sites. There will be food available as well as handmade items for sale.

If you are interested in history or the history of this area, this is an event you won’t want to miss.

For further information or comments, please contact Fred Manning 783 - 7868 or Jeff Lake 783 - 3662 or e-mail at fredstimeline@yahoo.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T00:01:00.000-06:00

Dexter heifer calf

2006-11-20T13:56:00.000-06:00

One week old.

In Memoriam

2006-11-15T18:57:00.000-06:00

Sheila Katherine Boatman, 50, of Morrisville died Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2006, in her home after a short illness.

She was a teacher at Kickapoo High School, teaching those with various disabilities and life skills.

She was a member of the Doberman Pincher Club of America, Dexter Cattle Association, American Quarter Horse Association, Missouri Fox Trot Horse Association, Therapy Dogs Inc. and the Brighton Saddle Club. She was a breeder of Doberman Pinchers and her puppies were sold to people all over America as pets, but some also became show dogs. Just recently she donated two puppies to Guide Dog Program.

She rode Quarter horses most of her life, and recently purchased her first Fox Trotter, Danny Boy. She won several blue ribbons riding him. Over the past few years, she had shown several dogs to A.K.C. Companion Dog titles, two were International champions, and most recently she was nominated for the Award for Canine Excellence in recognition of dogs in the service of mankind. Her companion dog, Rudy, was known by so many people for his work with her students.

Sheila was preceded in death by her parents, Louis W. and Katie Brock; and two brothers, Max Mims and Dale Mims.

She is survived by her husband, Dennis Boatman of the home; their son, Brock Boatman of Washington, D.C.; and her sister, Leah Mims Pachl of Willard.

Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at the Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church, 800 AB Highway, Willard, with the Rev. Lorraine Dill officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior from noon to 1 p.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Goss Cemetery at Phelps. Services are under the direction of the Butler Funeral Home of Bolivar. Friends may sign the guest book or send private condolences at www.butlerfuneralhome.com.

Woman Farmer of the Year

2006-11-14T15:29:00.000-06:00

Three farmers from Mid and North Wales have been shortlisted for this year's Woman Farmer of the Year title.

They are Lesley Wickham of Llanafan Fawr near Builth Wells, Julie Davies of Crai, Brecon, and Eleri Wyn Williams of Tywyn.

The winner will be presented with the NFU Cymru/NatWest trophy and a cash prize of £500 at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair later this month.

Now in its tenth year, the competition aims to celebrate the contribution that women make to Welsh farming. Previous winners have gone on to hold key roles in the industry and win other awards.

Lesley Wickham of Cwmchwe- fru Farm, Llanafan Fawr, specialises in coloured sheep, pedigree Dexter cattle and goats.

Story continues...

Retail Beef Cuts

2006-11-01T06:54:00.000-06:00

Retail Beef Cuts -

This site lists all the retail beef cuts, each linked to a picture of the cut.

Happy Halloween!

2006-10-31T06:55:00.000-06:00

A Happy Bovine Halloween

Perth Royal Show

2006-10-14T16:32:00.000-05:00

Australia

'The commercial cattle competitions and sale at the Perth Royal Show boasted a bigger yarding this year.

The increase was in contrast with other show livestock sections which recorded a downturn in numbers due to the dry season.

Entries for the led and prime steer and heifer competitions were up by about 25 head on last year, to 197 entries, for the Sunday judging.

A few traditional buyers were absent for the following auction on Monday, but those present stepped up to lend strong buying support.

As usual, the selling spectacle drew plenty of interest from show goers, with prices reaching a top of $2800 for a Dexter/Limousin-cross steer.

Mark Rawlings, trading as Homegrown Dexter Beef, bought the 385 kg steer, which had been sashed champion lightweight steer.

Mr Rawlings breeds and lot feeds pure-bred and cross-Dexter cattle at his Southern Brook property.

They are processed in Northam, then sent to Meckering for boning and distribution to customers.

He said Dexters produced a high yielding carcass and top quality beef.

The steer was entered by Mick and Trish Cabassi, of Oldbury, who run Dexter and Limousin studs.'

Farm Shop in UK to Sell Rare Meats

2006-10-12T06:48:00.000-05:00

Farming UK -A new Northumberland farm shop and coffee shop selling rare Dexter beef, Berkshire pork and Shropshire lamb will open its doors to the public for the first time on Saturday, October 21.

Dress warm!

2006-10-11T21:26:00.000-05:00

If you're headed to Ashland, Ohio this weekend the temperature may be a little bit cool so be sure to bring a jacket. Unfortunately, work issues have come up that will prevent my driving there tomorrow. I'll be in contact by phone but I'm going to miss out on all the fun stuff.

Speaking of phones, someone called and asked me if we've had any trouble sending samples across the border for chondrodysplasia testing. The PDCA has had no problem sending samples across the border. The only problem I'm aware of is that there's sometimes a delay in test results returned but that's understandable due to the nature of the testing. If the other association is having problems I suspect it's like the same problems that they had back in 2004. Caveat emptor. The next chondro batch will be sent out for testing December 15th.

I may not be blogging as frequently because of work and also in my free time I'm working on a few Dexter articles for some publications. Hopefully I'll be able to bring some clarification and truth about the Dexter world to the general public in time for the Spring issues.

On another sad note, I heard some disturbing news this evening about a long time Dexter breeder here in Missouri that has cancer of the pancreas. A few months ago a blogger acquaintance of mine, Karbonkountymoos, lost her husband from this same illness and Karen has set up this site that you may wish to visit -

November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

DEXTER CATTLE SALE

2006-10-02T15:14:00.000-05:00

What's HOT in October?

2006-10-01T09:08:00.000-05:00

October 14, 2006 - Ashland, Ohio

BSE Cases

2006-09-30T10:26:00.000-05:00

From the Cattle Network - Where's The Beef?
Click on image to enlarge.
Reference: Edward A. Morse (pdf file)

Forage, Hay and Pasture Seeding Guide

2006-09-29T15:38:00.000-05:00

(Cool Season Grasses Only)

Missouri Department of Conservation Guide

Five Minutes With Mary Zanoni

2006-09-27T10:43:00.000-05:00

Director Of Farm For Life speaks to cattlemen regarding the proposed National Animal Identification System at the National Institute of Animal Agriculture's Animal Identification/Information Exposition.

Cattle Network

ALBC Annual Conference & Members Meeting

2006-09-26T11:59:00.000-05:00

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
29th Annual Conference & Members Meeting
November 16, 17 & 18, 2006
To be held at the Indianapolis State Fairgrounds, East 38th Street and Fall Creek Parkway, Indianapolis, Indiana and Conner Prairie, 13400 Allisonville Road, Fishers, Indiana.

ALBC Conference

Ashland County Fairgrounds

2006-09-23T09:12:00.000-05:00

2006 PDCA AGM
Show & Educational Event
October 12th - 15th
Ashland, Ohio

Autumn here - Spring there

2006-09-20T14:27:00.000-05:00

Australia's latest Dexter breed publication has some excellent illustrations that cover some of the basics for standards such as for color. Along with PDCA's The Record, Australia and the U.K. also provide some top-of-the-line Dexter publications. Dexter enthusiasts worldwide share the same interests in this old and unique breed of cattle.

Cow Patty Bingo

2006-09-19T19:37:00.000-05:00

For added entertainment we'll be playing Cow Patty Bingo on Friday and Saturday at the upcoming PDCA Annual Meeting, Show, Sale, and Educational event. Should be a fun fundraiser for the association and the winner will go home $100 richer. Hope to see everyone there!

The Record has arrived!

2006-09-18T14:33:00.000-05:00

Great job by all the PDCA members that contributed as this Autumn issue contains lots of outstanding Dexter photographs.

Gene Chips for Cows

2006-09-18T08:53:00.000-05:00

Applying cutting-edge genomics techniques to cattle might produce more milk and tastier beef. - By Emily Singer

Steak fans may soon reap the benefits of the genomics revolution. A new project will help scientists create bovine breeds genetically selected to produce bountiful supplies of perfectly marbled steaks.

Scientists at several U.S. and Canadian research institutes are collaborating with Illumina, based in San Diego, CA, to develop a bovine gene chip, similar to those used to study the genetics of human disease. The DNA chips, expected to be on the market early next year, will dramatically speed the search for the genetic variants that underlie desired traits, such as the level of marbling in a cut of meat or the efficiency of a dairy cow's milk production.

"This opens a whole new scale of gene identification in cattle," says Jerry Taylor, professor of animal genomics at the University of Missouri-Columbia and one of the researchers on the project. "We'll be able to tackle genetics of all of these traits--reproductive capability, milk production, milk composition, and quality of meat--in ways we never before envisioned."

The sequence of the cow genome was released last year, but scientists have made little progress in identifying genes associated with desirable bovine traits, for the same reasons that have slowed human studies of complex genetic diseases: vast amounts of genetic data are needed to narrow down the gene variants linked to a particular trait.

Now scientists are planning to pool data from revised drafts of the bovine genome and other studies to create this genetic tool--a tiny glass chip coated with thousands of short sequences of DNA that can detect sites in the genome that frequently differ among individuals. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, University of Missouri-Columbia, and University of Alberta are now choosing the specific sequences that will be included on the chip.

The chips will allow scientists to quickly and cheaply gather genetic data on huge numbers of cattle. Scientists can take a DNA sample from an animal and use the chip to simultaneously detect thousands of genetic variations, giving a detailed profile of that animal's genome. Thousands of individual profiles are then analyzed in conjunction with data on each animal's phenotype (its observable, physical characteristics) to determine the variations associated with a particular characteristic, such as growth rate.

Breeders of dairy cows are particularly excited about the gene chips. Currently, they can't tell if a bull produces high-quality progeny--meaning cows that make lots of milk--until the bull's female calves grow up. If scientists can find a genetic pattern that quickly and cheaply identifies desirable bulls, the breeding process would be much more efficient. "We're looking at changing the costs from tens of thousands to under one thousand dollars," says Curt Van Tassell, a geneticist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, MD, and a collaborator on the chip project. Van Tassell and the team plan to start such an analysis as soon as they finish designing the chip. "We hope to have genetic prediction machinery within a year of having collected data, with a higher-resolution model in two years," he says.

The chip could also shed light on how breeding has shaped the bovine genome. Missouri-Columbia's Taylor plans to characterize the genetic variation in different breeds of cattle, creating a bovine map that's much like the human HapMap released last year, which mapped the genetic diversity of people from all over the world (see "A New Map for Health"). The researchers also plan to look at related species, such as bison, water buffalo, and the now-extinct auroch, an ancestor of modern cattle.

Early results of the bovine genetic testing suggest that breeding for particular qualities, such as high milk production, hasn't selected for two or three specific variants associated with that trait. Rather, years of breeding have produced selection pressure across the genome in a complex pattern. "Small differences in many genes leads to big differences in underlying phenotype," says Taylor. "It's much more subtle than you might think."

-- Technology Review

Cow Power!

2006-09-16T08:42:00.000-05:00

Central Vermont Public Service customers who want to support renewable energy and Vermont dairy farms have a new energy choice – CVPS Cow Power™. The Vermont Public Service Board has approved CVPS Cow Power™, which is intended to help promote development and reliance on renewable energy in Vermont by creating a market for energy generated by burning methane from cow manure.

By enrolling in CVPS Cow Power™, customers will help support Vermont dairy farms that develop generators that run on methane from cow manure, renewable generation in the region, or incentives to farmers to get into the business.

Customers who sign up will receive a free "Energy Happens" bumper sticker to show their support for farming, the environment and renewable energy!

Cow Power website

Selecting for size only...

2006-09-15T10:24:00.000-05:00

“Genetic diversity is essential to the health of any species, and variation in characteristics allows the species to adapt to changes in the environment. Human selection has greatly emphasized subspecies diversity, and most domestic species contain a beautiful and useful variety of genetically distinct breeds. There are, however, biological parameters. Animals that are too small, for example, do not reproduce and persist in nature.

Of particular interest in livestock production has been the characteristic of size. The livestock industry has made great progress in increasing the size of production breeds of all species, because bigger is considered better. We know that size limits have been reached, however, when birthing problems, skeletal deformities, and physiological diseases result. Selection for extremely small size can lead to even more pitfalls. This is because many different abnormalities can result in retarded growth. If size is the only selection factor, then undesirable qualities will also be included in future generations.

Twenty years in veterinary practice demonstrated to me an amazing range of anatomical and functional disabilities associated with selection for tiny dogs. Serving as a companion animal is not taxing, but genetic infirmities can still lead to lives of suffering for the animals and heartache for their unsuspecting owners.

Selection of livestock for the single trait of small size makes even less sense, since these animals have real work to do.” ---Excerpt from “Dexters Threatened by Genetic Diversion Gimmick” by Don Bixby, July-August, 1996, ALBC NEWS.

Boring cows...

2006-09-14T21:22:00.000-05:00

Conservation Grazing

2006-09-13T08:28:00.000-05:00

Picture taken in May 2006 at the Rutland Water Nature Reserve.
Conservation Grazing

Breeding Philosophy

2006-09-12T10:54:00.000-05:00

Many of the points made in this article by a Milking Devon breeder could be just as applicable to Dexter breeding.

Our Breeding Philosophy

Maasai cattle forge 9/11 bond with US

2006-09-11T13:47:00.000-05:00

Maasai oxen in Tanzania. They are as well trained as any Drew has seen in America. The key: understand your cattle and work them. Photograph by Drew Conroy.
One of the highlights of the 2001 Dexter meeting in New York state, hosted by PDCA's Kathy Smith, was Drew Conroy recounting his experiences of living with the Maasai. Cattle are highly valued among the Maasai, a community of herders who live in Kenya and Tanzania, and the gift of a cow is regarded as among the most precious one can receive from a Maasai - ranking alongside a child or grazing land. Kenyan Maasai cattle forge 9/11 bond with US

Seeing double...

2006-09-10T07:15:00.000-05:00

"It is absolutely impossible to attain marked success in breeding domestic animals without breeding them to a certain standard. The man who makes the attempt to do so is like the mariner who sails the seas without a compass. He, himself, cannot tell whither he is drifting. He is playing at what may be termed a game of chance."
--Thomas Shaw, published 1913.

Matched pair...

2006-09-09T11:29:00.000-05:00

This son and grandson might make a good Dexter oxen team.

DEXTERS: Horned, Polled or Scurred

2006-09-08T15:39:00.000-05:00

Somewhat dated as I believe now the CDCA also accepts polled Dexters, but this Australian Dexter breeder has some good general information regarding horned, polled, and scurred, on their website.

DEXTERS: Horned, Polled or Scurred

Green grass to cut cow flatulence

2006-09-07T11:56:00.000-05:00

'An Irish scientist has proposed replanting pastures with modified grass in an attempt to cut down on cattle flatulence, a major source of the country’s greenhouse-gas emissions.

The recommendation is made in a study commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which this month will outline options for dealing with greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector. Apart from replanting pastures with special grass that would reduce the amount of methane produced by cows, another proposal is to breed cattle that can be slaughtered at a younger age, thereby reducing the amount of time they are alive and releasing gas.'
...

The Sunday Times - Ireland

Another day... another Dexter...

2006-09-06T10:45:00.000-05:00

Fergie's boy

'Hairy buttercup, happy cow'

2006-09-05T08:12:00.000-05:00

'Pasture weeds such as Californian thistle and hairy buttercup have a high mineral content of nutritional benefit to grazing animals, says Dr Kerry Harrington.

Dr Harrington, a weed expert in the University’s Institute of Natural Resources, conducted a study of the mineral content of weed species chicory, narrow-leaved plantain, dandelion, broad-leaved dock, hairy buttercup and Californian thistle. Some of which are grazed alongside perennial ryegrass and white clover pasture species on the University’s organic dairy farm.

Magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, cobalt and selenium were found in significantly higher levels in the weeds. The crude protein levels of these species, as well as in Yorkshire fog, were also higher than those in ryegrass.

“Advisers and farmers within the organic industry are often keen to increase the diversity of plant species within pastures, with mixtures called herbal leys that have a higher mineral content,” Dr Harrington says.

Dr Harrington says cows on the farm graze hairy buttercup, broad-leaved dock, dandelion and Yorkshire fog, and that Californian thistle will also be eaten if it is mown prior to grazing. For weeds often avoided by cows, Mr Harrington recommends block grazing over winter to ensure they are eaten.

He says organic farmers introduce alternative pasture species such as chicory and narrow-leaved plantain because of their high mineral content, but typically prefer to eliminate docks and dandelion. This difference prompted his closer look at the unwanted species.

He says the high mineral content of these weed species may be useful in keeping animals healthy on organic farms where only a limited range of health remedies are available should cows get sick.' --Massey News

Hey!

2006-09-04T00:11:00.000-05:00

Sasha, dun heifer calf

2006-09-03T13:16:00.000-05:00

One can see from this photo of a dun heifer calf maybe why the early Dexter registries listed the color dun as red. I believe that it was in the 1970's the distinction of being two colors, dun and red, was made in the UK. There were dun Dexters in the early and original American Dexter herds and in the 1980's dun was given a separate color distinction in the U.S. registry. Registrations were listed as red/dun since many breeders weren't sure of which. While originally black was the popular Dexter color, later importations increased the number of dun and red Dexters in North America.

Cows Named Sass and Rosi

2006-09-02T08:11:00.000-05:00

By Richard Edwards

A LEEDS farm is now home to two laughing cows – thanks to a Yorkshire Evening Post reader and the paper's We Love Summer campaign. The Dexter cattle, which live at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, Leeds, have full, posh pedigree names. They were bought using £500 donations from the YEP and the Radisson SAS Hotel Leeds. Early last month, staff at the farm challenged YEP readers to come up with everyday names for the bovine brace.

Ideas poured in, with some readers coming up with classic cow titles like Daisy or Ermintrude. One reader suggested the animals should be given Indian names, as the cow is a sacred creature in India. But the winning idea, sent in by Annette Burnham, was to name the cows Sass and Rosi. Using the 'and,' the names are an anagram of Radisson SAS.

Farm director Sue Reddington said: "We were delighted with the response. There were some really good ideas and it was nice to see so many people taking an interest. Animals always catch peoples' attention and we are hoping to see lots of people coming to see Sass and Rosi, along with all the other animals living here." She added: "They are quite sophisticated cows so they are pleased to get their names. They have been mooing all the way to the hay trough."
...

September's first

2006-09-01T08:31:00.000-05:00

Cow Phobia

2006-08-31T08:20:00.000-05:00

'A Welsh farmer is launching an "aversion therapy" course to help British walking tourists who are afraid of cows.

Geraint George, from St Elvis, near Solva in Pembrokeshire, is to host a cow-friendly course on his farm that he hopes could spread to other farms across Wales.

He claims there are hundreds of animal phobias, including a fear of snakes, pigeons and flying insects but "cow phobia" is preventing many people from visiting or even living in the countryside.

A professional phobia expert and a psychologist from the Shropshire-based No Panic Phobia Association will also be on hand in his farmyard when the courses get under way.'

Continued...

August 2002

2006-08-30T08:06:00.000-05:00

7th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, August 19-23, 2002, Montpellier, France

IDENTIFICATION OF THE GENE CAUSING CHONDRODYSPLASIA IN DEXTER CATTLE. J. A. L. Cavanagh, I. Tammen, P. A. Windsor, F. W. Nicholas and H. W. Raadsma. Reprogen, The University of Sydney, PMB 3 Camden 2570, Australia.

Dexter cattle are a small breed of cattle originating in Ireland in which there have been reports of chondrodysplastic foetuses, an incompletely dominant form of lethal dwarfism. The aim of this study was to find the gene responsible for chondrodysplasia, and develop a DNA-test. A combined homozygosity mapping and candidate gene approach was used. A candidate gene located in a region of interest was screened and a disease causing mutation was identified. The mutation is a 4 bp insertion causing a frame shift, which in turn leads to a premature termination codon. A DNA–test was developed to identify animals heterozygous for the mutation. The DNA-test will be available to the Dexter breeders this year. The test will be an invaluable tool for Dexter breeders, potentially eliminating the occurrence of chondrodysplastic calves.

Never Hug A Swiss Cow

2006-08-29T17:54:00.000-05:00

Geneva, Switzerland - After increased "reports of unpleasant meetings between hikers and cattle" along Switzerland's Alpine trails, the Swiss Hiking Federation has released some rules. The organization's Web site, posted some recommendations.

"Leave the animals in peace and do not touch them. Never caress a calf."

"Do not scare the animals or look them directly in the eye. Do not wave sticks. Give a precise blow to the muzzle of the cow in the event of absolute need".

Source: cnn.com

Grassfed Beef Genetics

2006-08-28T13:21:00.000-05:00

What to Look for:

Your future success with grassfed beef production hinges on 3 things:
Access to quality pasture
Management abilities
Genetics

There are plenty of good resources on the web for the first two items, so on this Grass-fed beef genetics webpage we'll cover in detail the nuts and bolts (or is that the D's,N's and A's ?) of genetic selection.

Size, Bloodlines, Environment, How are they raised?

1. Size. Size does matter, and less is more. You want your breeding stock to be below a 4.5 frame score, ideally somewhere between 3-4.5.

So, what is a frame score? Frame scores are the measurement of the animal's hip height charted against a given age. Thus you can measure an animal's hip height at 11 months of age (charts are gender-specific) and if he measures a 4, he will still measure a 4 at 18 months or 24 months of age.
For a printable frame score chart as well as detailed information about frame scores, visit: http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/ansci/beef/as1091w.htm

Now, why do we care about frame scores and hip heights? Because these are practical, objective tools at our disposal to better predict the ability of an animal to function in a grass-fed beef program. They do this by helping us to assess the likely mature weight of the young cow or bull, and the probable weight at maturity of their offspring. These are vital parameters for the grassfed beef producer. As grassfed beef producers, we need early maturing cattle, typically the lower frame score cattle.

You do not want animals that are going to mature at 1400 pounds! The time required to finish this on forage alone will put him well beyond 3 years of age. Not only will meat quality be affected, but your bottom line will be also. In terms of turnover, how long can you afford to have cattle around using up pasture resources before they convert into cash flow for your operation?

There is also an economic incentive for keeping those 'short, squatty' cows around: they tend to be easy keeping. Which model gets better gas mileage, a Hummer or a BMW? Its no different with cows: bigger cows have much higher energy requirements, and their ability to be productive, i.e. breed, birth, milk and re-breed in a low input system, is greatly impaired.

2. Bloodlines: No, we're not interested in fancy pedigrees, but we are keen on knowing the body type of our prospective breeding stock's ancestors. Why? It has to do with prepotency. Prepotency is the ability of a parent to consistently pass along its characteristics to its offspring. A single frame score 4 animal that suddenly materializes out of a herd of frame 5-6 cattle is very unlikely to be prepotent for this frame score and maturity type. Using such an animal, particularly if it is a bull, you run a high risk of many 'throwback' calves, calves that are representative of the true gene pool of the herd that produced the bull in the first place.

Continued, (part2)

Cows moo with a regional accent

2006-08-27T09:54:00.000-05:00

'DAIRY farmers in Somerset claim their cows moo with a regional accent.

The cattle are said to have copied their owners' distinctive West Country twang by calling “moo-arr" to each other.

John Wells, Professor of Phonetics at the University of London, said it was feasible.

He said: “This phenomena is well attested in birds. You find distinct chirping accents in the same species around the country.

“This could also be true of cows. In small populations such as herds you would encounter identifiable dialectical variations which are most affected by the immediate peer group.”'

Judge for yourself

On the road...

2006-08-24T06:54:00.000-05:00

...back in a few days.

Beef Dexter Cattle

2006-08-23T07:29:00.000-05:00

Production Characteristics
"The value of production characteristics as indicators of different genetic types within the Dexter breed is limited by lack of data to demonstrate whether the differences are due to the effect of complex interactions within the genome, or simply are expressing an influence of the 'dwarf' gene" (Alderson, page 144). Nevertheless, Alderson believed the differences to be significant. Wilke (1996) compared a short-legged with a long-legged bull and found they showed marked variation in growth and feed conversion efficiency. Wilke suggested that the short-legged bull had no or very little muscle growth during most of the test, and was laying down fat. The animals showed some differences in conformation, especially for length of leg and withers height (see Table 4 below).

Table 4: Performance results for two Dexter bulls (from Wilke 1996)

The Rare Breeds Survival Trust operates a Traditional Breeds Meat Marketing scheme which includes an assessment of meat quality. These assessments show that, "while the meat quality from medium and long-legged Dexter cattle achieves a good standard, 'dwarf' type animals produce worse results. If they are slaughtered at a young age they show a poor meat/bone ratio; if they are slaughtered later they show a poor meat/fat ratio" (Alderson, page 145). While these differences are genetic in origin, it is not possible to determine whether lack of muscle in short-legged Dexters reflects a mixed breed ancestry, or whether it is directly associated with the "achondroplastic condition".

Excerpt from "Dexter Cattle: Origin and Relationships" by Lawrence Alderson

National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium

2006-08-22T07:07:00.000-05:00

National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium (2006)

Freemartinism

2006-08-21T07:59:00.000-05:00

'Freemartinism is recognized as one of the most severe forms of sexual abnormality in cattle. This causes infertility in the female calf born twin to a male. When a heifer (female calf) twin shares the uterus with a bull (male calf) fetus, they also share the placental membranes connecting the fetuses with the dam (mother).

A joining of the placental membranes occurs at about the fortieth day of pregnancy, and fluids of the two fetuses are mixed. This causes exchange of blood and antigens carrying characteristics that are unique to each heifers and bulls. When these antigens mix, they affect each other in a way that causes each to develop with some characteristics of the other sex.

Although the male (bull) twin is only affected by reduced fertility, in over ninety percent of the cases, the female (heifer) twin is completely infertile. Because of a transfer of hormones and/or cells, the heifer's reproductive tract is severely underdeveloped, it sometimes contains some elements of a bull's reproductive tract. A freemartin is genetically female, but has many characteristics of a male. The ovaries of the freemartin do not develop correctly, and remain very small. The ovaries of a freemartin do not produce the hormones necessary to induce the behavioral signs of heat.

Freemartinism cannot be prevented, but can be diagnosed in a number of ways. The cattleman can predict the reproductive value of this heifer calf at birth. In some cases, there are no symptoms of freemartinism because the male twin may have been aborted at an earlier stage of gestation.

The estimated percentage of natural beef cattle births that produce twins vary. One estimate puts the percentage at about .5% or 1 in every 200 births. Approximately one-half of the sets of twins should contain both a bull and a heifer calf.'

How old to breed a Dexter heifer?

2006-08-20T16:29:00.000-05:00

Someone sent an email this week asking about how early they should breed their heifer and I also received a phone from a breeder wanting to know when she could let her bull out with her heifers. While bulls have been known to jump the fence and breed a Dexter heifer as young as five months old, you want to try to avoid this. This long time Dexter breeder's advice is what I've followed:

"A heifer can be bred at 9 mos. We had a heifer that had her first calf at 18 months and 9 or 10 days. However it might be better to have the calf arrive when the dam is 24 months old. I would say it's your choice when to breed."

So while ideally you may want your heifer to calf at 24 months of age, generally if she calves at 18 months or older you should be okay.

Royal Cornwall Show

2006-08-19T08:58:00.000-05:00

June 2006 Dexter Cattle

Children’s Barnyard in Oklahoma

2006-08-18T08:01:00.000-05:00

Bartlesville Examiner

Come visit the Children’s Barnyard during the Washington County Fair Aug. 24-26 at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Dewey.

The barnyard is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and until 7 p.m. on Saturday. The Children’s Barnyard is a service and leadership project of the members of the Washington County 4-H program.

A variety of animals will be housed in the Barnyard. They have rare Dexter cattle, miniature horses, hatching baby chicks, goats with babies, and many others in the critter corner.
...

Brisbane's big day out

2006-08-17T07:57:00.000-05:00

Courier Mail - Australia

'At the Ekka about 100,000 people streamed into the showgrounds, while crowds at the Eagle Farm races were so big organisers had to close the gates.

.....
Highlight of the day was the Grand Parade of prize-winning cattle, horses, goats and even llamas in the main arena.

Hundreds of animals kicked up dust clouds as they entered the ring for an impressive, braying display of the best of Queensland farming.

Leading his champion Dexter bull, Bircham Sir Winston, was Samford farmer Ian Manly.

The 60-year-old's eight cattle won a staggering 16 ribbons at this year's show.'

Most complete cow genome is assembled

2006-08-16T16:46:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON,(UPI) -- A U.S.-supported research team says it has produced the most complete sequence of the cow genome ever assembled.

The achievement is expected to assist scientists in improving the health and disease management of cattle and enhance the nutritional value of beef and dairy products.

Developed by an international consortium of research organizations, the new bovine sequence contains 2.9 billion DNA base pairs and incorporates one-third more data than earlier versions.

Ross Tellam, of the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization, said the new map marks the end of the sequencing phase of the project, with the focus now turning to analyzing the available data.

"This is very valuable information," Tellam said. "We could potentially achieve as much improvement in cattle breeding and production in 50 years as we have over the last 8,000 years of traditional farming."

Heritage Cattle Blog

2006-08-15T20:49:00.000-05:00

Here's a relatively new blog I discovered by a cheesemaker in New York that shares my historical interest in Dexter and Kerry cattle.

Heritage Cattle

You're On Notice!

2006-08-14T21:56:00.000-05:00

Internet Hay Exchange

2006-08-13T08:39:00.000-05:00

Internet Hay Exchange
A good internet resource for those in areas that might be facing hay shortages due to the drought and are having difficulty locating hay.

Tiny Tim's mouth wash

2006-08-12T11:21:00.000-05:00

by rhiangabriel

British cattle genetic analysis

2006-08-11T07:51:00.000-05:00

A technical but interesting British cattle genetic analysis which indicated measurable differences between breeds according to structure analysis and the high breed integrity values. Breed integrity values are shown in Table 5. The breed with the highest breed integrity was Jersey (0.924) and that with the lowest was Ayrshire (0.726).

Breed relationships and definition in British cattle: a genetic analysis.

Notched Ears & Testicular Deformities

2006-08-10T07:27:00.000-05:00

Gabriella Nanci has composed and added a couple of new articles that may be of interest to breeders on her website:

Notched Ears in Dexter Cattle
Testicular Deformities

Full Sturgeon Moon

2006-08-09T09:42:00.000-05:00

"Some Native American tribes knew that the sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were most readily caught during this full Moon, while others called it the Full Green Corn Moon or the Full Grain Moon." Old Farmer's Almanac.

Photograph by "The Eclectic Travelers".

Good Cows & Bad Cows

2006-08-07T18:04:00.000-05:00

A couple of interesting stories where cows grazing had two very different conservation results.

Good cows - How the cows came home and saved the adonis blue

Not so good - Did a cow eat the rare Ulster orchid found only 14 times in 110 years?

Dexter Cattle - Ohio October

2006-08-06T15:12:00.000-05:00

Purebred Dexter Cattle Association of North America, Inc.

Autumn Issue of 'The Record'

2006-08-05T09:29:00.000-05:00

Time once again to start putting together the Fall issue of The Record. PDCA Editor, Patrice Lewis, is always looking for good photos for the "centerfold" color spread. So now is the time to send Patrice any of your Autumn Dexter photos, articles, comments, or useful cattle and ranch tips that you would like to share in this upcoming issue. I'm sure that not only membership and subscribers, but also those that inquire to the Purebred Dexter Cattle Association of North America about Dexter cattle and receive a complimentary issue of The Record, appreciate the many great contributions from our Dexter family. Send to:

The PDCA Record
Patrice Lewis, Editor
1305 Canyon Ridge Lane
Plummer, ID 83851
(208) 686-0627
plewis@smgazette.com

Grass Fed Beef Recipes

2006-08-04T07:56:00.000-05:00

California State at Chico has developed some grass-fed beef marinades and a pictorial guide of Grass Fed Beef Recipes.

Click image to enlarge.

WEED ID

2006-08-03T16:04:00.000-05:00

Good resource providing internet links useful for plant 'weed' indentification.

WEED ID

If only they had a name...

2006-08-02T06:55:00.000-05:00

'The Dexter cattle, which live at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, Leeds, have full pedigree names. They were bought thanks to donations from the Yorkshire Evening Post and Radisson SAS Hotel Leeds.

But farm staff are keen for the cows to answer to something udder than their longwinded titles, and want them to have everyday names.

So they have challenged Yorkshire Evening Post readers to come up with something that slips more easily off the tongue.'

Let the moos take you..name our cows!

Dog Days of Summer...

2006-08-01T07:47:00.000-05:00

...with another over 100 degree hot day.

Think Snow!

Cow Depot

2006-07-31T22:21:00.000-05:00

Mostly black & white bovines but an udderly moovelous selection of cow gifts.

Cow Depot
Little cow soap

Poster

2006-07-30T09:03:00.000-05:00

This "Breeds of Beef Cattle" poster is available from the Ontario Cattlemen's Association.
Dexter

Royal Welsh Show - UK

2006-07-29T07:32:00.000-05:00

Click here to find out more about the Royal Welsh Show 2006
Dexter
T Drew's heifer Higher Keaton Ruby; res, M P Eagling's heifer Mostyn Beauty.

Farmer crushed by tractor

2006-07-28T18:01:00.000-05:00

UK FARMER is seriously ill after being crushed by a tractor.

'Jan McCourt whose Northfield Farm in Cold Overton is nationally renowned for the quality of its meat, was airlifted to hospital in agony and is awaiting surgery. Farm spokesman Jo Allen said Jan had broken his pelvis and suffered internal bruising. "He is on an intravenous drip," she added. "Surgeons have delayed an operation until today because he is still in trauma." Jan, 47, earned national headlines 10 years ago when he gave up his job as a City stockbroker to run the 70-acre "rare breed" farm at Cold Overton, where the stock includes Dexter cattle and Gloucester Old Spot pigs.'

"Green" Beef Catches On

2006-07-27T10:42:00.000-05:00

"Green" Beef Catches On

Principles of Milking

2006-07-26T10:10:00.000-05:00

The Babcock Institute provides some useful dairy information such as about lactation and milking.
Figure 1: Milk ejection reflex-when the cow is stimulated by touch on the udder skin, the sound of a milking machine or the sight of a calf, nerve impulses pass to the hypothalamus in the brain. The hypothalamus stimulates the posterior pituitary gland to discharge oxytocin. Blood carries this hormone to the myoepithelial cells that surround the alveoli. The contraction of the myoepithelial cells forces the milk into the duct system and the gland cistern. Excitement or pain inhibit the milk ejection reflex.

Full feeding of beef cattle in drought

2006-07-25T07:38:00.000-05:00

NSW Department of Primary Industries links to the following:

Full drought feeding principles
Vitamin and mineral additives for sheep and cattle in drought
Calculating quantities for full hand feeding of beef cattle
Feeding triggers
Full hand feeding management of beef cattle
Production feeding in drought
Checklist for good beef cattle health and management in drought
Survival feeding in drought
Grain poisoning of cattle and sheep
Feeding pelleted rations
Value of feeds
Cane tops as cattle fodder
Hand feeding cattle in drought — grain
Hand feeding cattle in drought — grain/hay
Feeding calves in drought
Risks in grazing or feeding canola
Processing grains for cattle in drought

What were they thinking?

2006-07-24T08:05:00.000-05:00

The History Channel video: Cownicorn

Kent Show Results

2006-07-23T07:48:00.000-05:00

UK -

CATTLE
Interbreed KG Freeman and Son's Holstein cow Quality Raider Franbo; res, Buriton Estate's Limousin heifer Miscombe Vanthe.
Interbreed Group Holstein; res, Hereford.

BEEF
Interbreed Buriton Estate's Limousin heifer Miscombe Vanthe; res, M Hind's Sussex cow Maplesden Snowdrop 20.
Blonde Jones and Garratt's cow Egerton Pandora; res, P de Giles' bull Bilsington Argent.
Charolais R Taylor's bull Burnside Taz; res, RL Potter's heifer Coningsby Ursula.
Simmental CH Carter's bull Astcote Ranger; res, D Wakefield's heifer Oakhill Nelly 17.
Hereford Messrs B, H and MR Myers' heifer Boundless 1 Symphony; res, P Noel and R Snelling's bull Sarabande Bafca.
Limousin Buriton Estates' heifer Miscombe Vanthe; res, Thorndean Farms' bull Quaish Volcano.
Longhorn SE Coleman's bull Blackbrook Newt; res, GH Wild's cow Rifhams Belle.
Sussex M Hind's cow Maplesden Snowdrop 20; res, CE and WS Milson's heifer Trottenden Buttercup 6.
Any Other Native Wetland Trust's Aberdeen Angus bull Rosemead Bill B229; res, W Murphy's Gloucester cow Castlemast Cherrypie.
Crossbred Beef Rupert Taylor's Limousin cross heifer Mini Me; res, Messrs J Wareham and Sons' Limousin cross steer Cheeky.

DAIRY
Interbreed KG Freeman and Son's Holstein cow Quality Raider Franbo; res, JPMH Evelyn's junior Jersey cow Wotton Lemvigs Willow.
Ayrshire MDM and J Howie's junior cow Ridley Hill Lillet; res, Boty Farms' junior cow Haresfoot Bo Peep.
Dexter PW Hunt's cow Saltaire Sharp; res, DL Smith's maiden heifer Moomin Jinglebell.
Holstein KG Freeman and Son's cow Quality Raider Franbo; res, JR Warnock and Sons' junior cow Capelleferne Dante Nerissa P14.
Channel Island JPMH Evelyn's junior Jersey cow Wotton Decadences Yolande; res, JPMH Evelyn's junior Jersey cow Wotton Lemvigs Willow.

A little rain & cooler temps

2006-07-22T07:23:00.000-05:00

Dexter cow grazing with calf

Return to the good life

2006-07-21T07:52:00.000-05:00

UK - Return to the good life

'Susannah will take green-top milk and hand-made butter to market each week, and she may use the cellars in the house to make cheese, because Badlesmere Blue has rather a nice ring to it. Ivon will grow sweet peas and together they will put Dexter cattle in the paddocks for organic beef. "It's best not to think about how much work is involved because otherwise you would never do it," she says.'

Hot!

2006-07-20T07:04:00.000-05:00

Source: NOAA National Climatic Data Center