dexter cattle mississippi

[GrimshelsGrazingGoats]

Hello everyone. I am looking at the dexter breed. I have worked with cattle before but nothing registered. Was wondering if any one had any info on how well Dexter breed does at markets. Is this breed mainly a milk breed or can they be sold at stockyards and come out ok? Also does anyone know of any breeders in the Mississippi area I might could contact. Thanks in advance.

 

[Latestarter]

The Dexter is a smaller breed, not a "mini" but tops out in the 700-900 pound range. It is a "cross" used for milk and meat, so not as much milk as a dairy cow would give, nor as much meat as a beef cow would give. They've grown in popularity for small homestead farmers. They are also priced accordingly (expensive). You might start here looking for registered breeders: http://www.dextercattle.org/adca/adca_directory_ads.html

I did a basic google search and the following breeders came up:
http://www.aspenhillqtrs.com/index....ttle-Heritage-Cattle-Grass-Fed-Beef-Mid-South
http://www.foggybottomfarms.com/dexter-cattle-for-sale/ <--- Located in Alabama

 

[farmerjan]

Dexters don't do much here at the regular stock yards because of their smaller build. Pretty much here in this part of Va it needs to be black, and have a solid beefy build. The dexters are more angular due to the "dual purpose" of their breed. There are a couple at our local frontier culture museum which showcases "old -timey stuff" and old homesteads etc. Like a living history museum with different homesteads to portray all the different influences that made the Shenandoah valley the mixture that it is. Irish, English, German, and such.

We run a cow/calf operation and have mostly angus and crosses. I have several dairy cows, jersey, guernsey, and some holstein mixed in and their calves don't do very good at the markets but they are good for people that want to raise their own beef.
Go to the stock markets near where you are and ask around and observe what is being sold there.

 

[greybeard]

When you say 'stockyards', do you mean the local salebarn?

You wouldn't get much for a Dexter here where I sell and buy. No specific market for them from the feedlot buyers and not much interest in Dexters from the 'back to farm' buyers either. If it's not CharX, Angus or AngusX/BrangusX or has some ear and leather on it here, it doesn't draw much interest.
I haven't seen a Dexter go thru the ring here since the massive selloff in 2011/early 2012. About the same as everything else then--$0.50-$0.99/lb. I saw lifetimes of work go thru the rings back then, for pennies on the dollar.

 

[farmerjan]

Yep, @greybeard , stockyards means local sale barn in this area. Most have "stockyard" in their name, like "Staunton Union Stockyards" here in Staunton Va., or "Livestock Sales"...