About
Dexter Cattle
Dexter Cattle
Early Dexter Cattle were selected for their naturally small size
from the indigenous breeds found in the kerry area of Ireland in
the early1800's. They were originally bred to be a "cottage cow"
providing households of small landholders with their supply of
milk and calves for beef. The Dexters' Popularity increased, and
by 1905, Dexters were exported to Brittan, South Africa,
Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada.
Today, Dexters are classified as a rare breed (Watch Status) in
the United States by the American Livestock Breeds
Conservancy. There are also two U.S. registries dedicated to
preserving the integrity of the Dexter Breed and maintaining herd
records; The American Dexter Cattle Association (ADCA), and
The Purebred Dexter Cattle Association of North America
(PDCA). Our Cattle are currently registered with both the ADCA
and the PDCA. Links to these organizations can be found on our
links page.
There are strains of polled and horned Dexter Cattle which
naturally occur in three colors; black, red, and dun. The dun color
(varied hues of blond and reddish brown) is unique to Dexter
Cattle. They are always solid in color with occasional white
spotting on the utter or mid-line. DNA Coat Color testing is
required to register red Dexter Cattle in the U.S.
The most notable characteristics of Dexter Cattle are their size
and their dual-purpose production. Dexter Cattle are the world's
smallest naturally occurring breed of cattle and are thrifty
producers of both high quality milk, and tender, lean beef.
Dexter Cattle have not been "miniaturized," but developed a
naturally small efficient frame to thrive in their native Ireland on
scarce resources. At maturity, Dexter cows will reach a height of
about 38-44 inches at the shoulder, and a weight around 750
pounds. Dexter bulls mature between 40-46 inches and weigh
approximately 1000 pounds. Dexter Cows can produce 1-2
gallons of 4% butterfat milk daily and bulls will reach 250 pounds
lean carcass weight in a year. Dexters are efficient in their
production and will produce 2/3 the milk and beef of larger
breeds on about half the feed. Many farms have also used
Dexter Cattle steers as draft animals, which demonstrates the
extremely versatile nature of the breed and an additional
triple-purpose.
from the indigenous breeds found in the kerry area of Ireland in
the early1800's. They were originally bred to be a "cottage cow"
providing households of small landholders with their supply of
milk and calves for beef. The Dexters' Popularity increased, and
by 1905, Dexters were exported to Brittan, South Africa,
Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada.
Today, Dexters are classified as a rare breed (Watch Status) in
the United States by the American Livestock Breeds
Conservancy. There are also two U.S. registries dedicated to
preserving the integrity of the Dexter Breed and maintaining herd
records; The American Dexter Cattle Association (ADCA), and
The Purebred Dexter Cattle Association of North America
(PDCA). Our Cattle are currently registered with both the ADCA
and the PDCA. Links to these organizations can be found on our
links page.
There are strains of polled and horned Dexter Cattle which
naturally occur in three colors; black, red, and dun. The dun color
(varied hues of blond and reddish brown) is unique to Dexter
Cattle. They are always solid in color with occasional white
spotting on the utter or mid-line. DNA Coat Color testing is
required to register red Dexter Cattle in the U.S.
The most notable characteristics of Dexter Cattle are their size
and their dual-purpose production. Dexter Cattle are the world's
smallest naturally occurring breed of cattle and are thrifty
producers of both high quality milk, and tender, lean beef.
Dexter Cattle have not been "miniaturized," but developed a
naturally small efficient frame to thrive in their native Ireland on
scarce resources. At maturity, Dexter cows will reach a height of
about 38-44 inches at the shoulder, and a weight around 750
pounds. Dexter bulls mature between 40-46 inches and weigh
approximately 1000 pounds. Dexter Cows can produce 1-2
gallons of 4% butterfat milk daily and bulls will reach 250 pounds
lean carcass weight in a year. Dexters are efficient in their
production and will produce 2/3 the milk and beef of larger
breeds on about half the feed. Many farms have also used
Dexter Cattle steers as draft animals, which demonstrates the
extremely versatile nature of the breed and an additional
triple-purpose.