I am hatching a plan. You know I have been thinking of buying a bull. Now don’t go getting all upset again. Just listen for a minute. Without a bull I am dependent on OTHER people to breed my cows, using AI, this is not sustainable. These people work, they are far away, it is always a panic and NOT always successful. And I am not breeding for a pedigree I am breeding for beef and milk. AI is so fraught with difficulty when you live so far out. I always have trouble – every year. So – as I am not afraid of taking risks – (or heights) –
How about a Little Bull.
“Oh come now Cecilia”, I hear you say, “they don’t stay little for long, you know.”
Maybe they do. How about a bull who will not grow any bigger than the kitchen table. A gentle and very small giant. What do you know about Irish Dexter cattle? They are a small old Irish breed. Really small. There are not many of them but they are grown for both milk and meat and all my research points to the reassuring fact that a mature Dexter bull could cover my Dutch-Belted/Holstein cross Lady Astor and Aunty Del (the Ayrshire) if necessary. (Though Naomi will still endure the AI treatments in the hopes of producing a belted Dutch Belted calf.) Dexters are half the size of a regular cow but eat half as much and are such good mothers that they will readily adopt another calf. The pure breds will grow to be about as tall as a kitchen bench – up to 42 inches (110 cm) . My crossed animals will be a bit taller. A cross with a full Dairy cow will give me a beefier bull calf for beef or a good heifer for milking and more chance of an easy calving. AND an animal who is easier on my pastures, gentle and small.
So TA DAAA I have bought a 6 month old Dexter bull calf – he is coming next week PLUS a bred Dexter heifer. YES! When he is Two he will be big enough to breed my girls (and his own girl even earlier than that). I am excited.
I will keep and milk my big house cows (Lady Astor and Aunty Del and Naomi) but will be breeding smaller animals, saleable easy to manage house cows. I will also milk Alex (the new heifer) she is bred to a miniature Angus/Hereford cross bull so we will be the United Nations of cow herds. And on the side we will be breed a few pure bred Dexters to sell as well.
There is one hiccup with this breed if it is pure. The breed itself was created by selective breeding for smaller and smaller animals and this has caused some mutations in the gene which can cause miscarriages of abnormal fetus’s. The people I am working with have not seen this problem occur in recent years because this is more likely in the short legged Dexters. Both of my new animals are the Long Legged variety. I don’t particularly need a mini animal I just want a bull of a manageable size. Our new heifer (her name is Alex) is a bonus. The wee bull will be called Carlos IV. (Carlos the Fourth).
The milk is wonderful, they say, plus the meat is lean and we will not be producing huge mammoth amounts of beef. I just don’t need that much meat.
So how about THAT for a plan! And I know of a woman who has one of these little guys and he breeds Holsteins for a dairy farm. Though surely he must carry his own bull stool! (Maybe Ton can carry the stool for our new boy.)
Remember that my plan is to grow enough food to keep my families fed. And to be sustainable I will not overload my land. So from now on any extra female animals will be grown with lots of handling, then sold to other little farms to be house cows (I have had enquiries already) – small scale farming is a growth industry in this country. And if you have two acres you can run a Dexter and her calf!
I am still in training but I am making my own breeding decisions now and it feels good!
The other day we went Climbing. I love Climbing Walls and can get myself up to the top gently and carefully without much effort as long as the wall is not too hard but Hugo just soared up and down like a monkey. He literally walked up the walls.
We had a great day yesterday with out hostess with the mostest Kristy from Family Food Adventures.
She is a tough little climber herself!
Lots of love,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
70 responses to “A most exciting plan”
Bully for you! 😉 Morning miss c…t
That is exciting news, looks really nice adorable too!
Good morning, c! So while you’re climbing the wall, you’re thinking bull, eh? Sounds like a jolly plan to me. 🙂 >
What an excellent plan! f you’d been going for just dairy I’d have said a Jersey, but Dexters are even smaller and versatile, and as you say, they’ll be gentler on your grazing. I look forward to meeting both of them online!
That sounds like a great plan. I used to have a girlfriend who was very keen to breed Dexters – I’ve heard very good things about them 🙂
Sounds like a good plan. You are ever the optimist. Which is what we love about you. Looking pretty good on that wall too, brave woman!
I can feel your excitement and see your reasoning, I wish you all the best with the new project.
Well I think it’s an exciting plan 😀 Can’t wait to meet the new farmy members. Also, I love climbing, and completely know what you mean about monkey children. You should see Chloe climb up that climbing wall…sideways…upside down…standing on her head even!!!
Your news justified the suspense! Dexters are popular in Britain, and the meat is sought after for posh restaurants.
I’m glad you had a good time at the climbing wall. Both my offspring and grandson number 2 are climbers and I enjoy … watching.
love, ViV xox
Just never forget he is a bull and can do the same as a full sized bull. He is still stronger than you and has big bull thoughts. If you are worried about him being able to cover the larger cows you just need an area in the pasture/pen that has a depression for the cow to get into. You (and a helper or two) may need to assist the first time until he and the cow get the point of the depression’s use. I’ve seen it done with using young bulls and mature cows, usually with someone in control of each party. But that could have been because of the value of the animals involved. Dexters are an interesting breed, their shape kind of reminds me of the Scottish Highlands without all the hair. I think that should be your next addition, Scottish Highlands, the calves are so stinking cute. They are FUZZY. You can truly become the United Nation of Cow Herds or at least the northern/western European contingent.
When I was young a friend of my mothers was killed by her bull. She was a very, very capable and experienced cattle-woman in her 60’s who had managed a big sheep and cattle station for years. I am only telling you this so you will know that I have seen what a bull can do and I will NEVER EVER treat them with anything but respect and caution. There is a rule on every farm I have been on in New Zealand – DO NOT walk through the bulls paddock. So don’t worry. I will be more than careful. Thank you for the tip about a depression in the ground, that is a good idea. c
That was also the rule on my grandparents’ farm in Australia and even I from the earliest age I can remember knew it.
Sounds like a fabulous plan Celi!!! Very very exciting!!! xoxox
Dexters are great! Much more efficient to grow out an animal that is not all leg. Lots of folks have them up here in Maine where very small family farms are more the rule than the exception.
Excellent. I will tell John he is sceptical but I am sure it is the way to go! c
Maine!!! I lived in Gorham, Portland and South Portland for years! Which town is the one you live in? Love, Gayle
Sounds like an excellent plan. 😀
If you can handle that wall Celi , you can handle a bull.
Wall climbing – aha. What an adventure you had: Super super shots with lion-hearted Celi (and Kristy and Hugo) hanging on (in?) the wall…
Your new Dexters: Whatever you do must be or better will be right. And I am looking forward to all that beautiful shots to come of all that beautiful animals mingling on the Farmy in the future. What a big name: Carlos IV. Sounds great.
My question’s just : Would you be able to manage all that extra work all by yourself and – in summer – with the Whoofers ? It seems to be way to much work for one person alone. Or would you have to employ someone? Time will show how it works…. – Anyway it’s getting interesting and for sure very exiting.
Happy succeeding!
NB – what is a bull stool? A throne for King Carlos IV?
I can manage! And the bull stool is more of a joke really in case he is too short to reach the ladies! c