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The very first “farm animals” that we had while we still lived in town were chickens that we raised in our backyard. But, while still living in town the second “farm animal” that we began purchasing were our Dexter Cattle. Obviously we weren’t able to keep them in town (the police even made us get rid of our chickens), but my dad only lived a little more than an hour away and had plenty of pasture, so that is where we began our herd. Before I knew it we had way too many Dexters because I had been finding way too many “good deals”. At that time (around seven years ago) I was completely enamored with the Dexter breed, with grassfed cattle, and with having cattle as the center piece of our farm. Times have changed quite a bit and while we still do have our Dexters I am beginning to question their place on our farm. Not cattle as a whole, but the Dexter breed specifically.
While I very much appreciate the smaller size of Dexters, the tri-purpose use that they can have, the great flavor of their meat when raised solely on grass, and of course their stately looking horns … there are somethings that are beginning to make me question whether or not they are the best fit for our farm. Over the years I have often had this thought pop into my head in regards to high price for breeding stock compared to the amount of meat you receive from each steer, but recently a few other questions have begun bouncing around my head and they have me thinking maybe it is time to shift my focus when it comes to cattle.
Generally speaking, while I do love my little Dexters the economic realities of wanting to have a wholly viable and financially sustainable farm has me question where they fit into the picture. I think the real question then becomes what are your goals for having cattle on your farm. Do you just want a small herd to provide a few steers for you, your friends, and a few customers? If that is the case then maybe they are a perfect fit for you. But, if you would like grassfed beef to be more than a small sideline to your business then I think you should at the very least consider other options … or maybe even write-off Dexters completely.
What does that mean for this beginning farmer and for Crooked Gap Farm? Well, the jury is still out and honestly I probably won’t be quick to make a decision on this one because I have quite a bit invested (time, money, and emotions) in even my small herd of cattle! I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Leave a comment below or join in the fun on The Beginning Farmer Show on Facebook.
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First off, congratulations on the new baby.
Since you asked for thoughts on the subject of cattle, I guess I’ll share some of my thoughts about why I have the cattle that I have.
My cattle are ordinary commercial black Angus because that’s what the majority of cattle are in my area. With black Angus cattle, I can easily find bulls whenever I need to buy new bulls, I can sell calves or feeders (800-900 lb.) at the stockyards and get a decent price (especially now that cattle prices have went up), I can finish steers and direct market the beef, and I can sell cows at the stockyards at a fair price as cull cows, bred cows, etc. Like almost everything else I do on the farm, I want as many options as possible with my cattle.
I don’t have anything against breeds like Dexters or other similar breeds, but I can imagine that I wouldn’t have as many selling options as I do with a British breed like Angus (red or black) or Hereford.
If I was starting over, I would give serious thought to getting some red-hided cows (Red Angus or Hereford) and using black Angus bulls to get black-hided calves (I still half-believe the whole “black-hided cattle sell for more” argument) . And, if I wanted to, with a herd of red-hided cows, I could easily switch to a Red Angus bull and have a straight-bred Red Angus cattle herd. With Black Angus cows, it’s a little harder to switch the herd to red-hides if I ever decide to switch (not impossible, but difficult).