Legacy Dexter Cattle
|
When we first decided to produce grass finished beef, we researched all breeds of cattle that were available. Our first criteria was a breed
that would perform well on forage alone without the use of supplemented grain. Next we wanted a breed that could be used for beef as well as
dairy. Dexters fit our needs perfectly being a triple purpose breed being used for beef, dairy and draft. To top it off they also happen to be
rare heritage breed so we would also have the benefit of preserving a piece of history at the same time. From the beginning we decided that we were looking to preserve the natural horned type dexter. A lot of time was spent researching our foundation animals. A natural dexter historically was horned and could be either short legged (Chondrodysplasia-carrier) or Long legged (Chondrodysplasia-non-carrier). Our herd consists of both short and long legged by choice. All of our cattle will carry horned genetics with no polled ancestry. Pulmonary Hypoplasia with Anasarca (PHA - A.K.A. "waterbaby") was also a concern for us. Our stock were confirmed to the best of my researching abilities to not have any PHA carriers in their ancestry. We are also breeding for type A2/A2 Beta Casein in the milk. Although none of the above requirements matter beef or dairy produced, our breeding program is designed to maintain the genetics of natural dexters for future generations. Our purebred dexter grass finished beef is produced on forage alone using Management Intensive Grazing (MIG). Each day our cattle are moved to a new paddock and provided with all of the fresh water and mineral they want. Using MIG enables us to build soil instead of denegrate soil by using conventional farming practices. We strive to produce the healthiest beef possible while also insuring our cattle are raised in a humane manner. Dexter beef is naturally lean and high in quality. Our Dexters are grass fed AND grass finished, never using grain. We also only ever use western medicine on an individual basis as emergencies only. The beef is deeper red in color, lean and marbled to a greater extent than store bought beef. Our Dexters are reared by their mothers in the herd and are ready for your freezer between 24-27 months. We are not certified "organic" but practice what we feel is better than organic standards. Fall beef is available in early November each year. We begin taking orders each Spring on a first come, first served basis. Each year, an email is sent to previous customers providing an order form. We are building our herd now and will be keeping all heifers born for a few years. This means there will only be a small number of steers available. Buying Beef: We do not ship beef. All sales are local and we encourage you to support your local food producers. On farm sales at this time are by appointment only. In the near future, we hope to have farm store hours. All beeves are sold by whole or 1/2 only. A mature dexter steer is roughly 1/3 the size of Holstein dairy cow. The average dexter steer has a live weight of 700-750 pounds and will dress out at around 56% yielding around 265 pounds of packaged beef. Of course a half would be around 133 pounds.
|