Our Missing Link

If you have kept up with our livestock, you might know that we have Dexter cattle. These are a smaller breed of cattle that come with a number of reasons people would want them. They can be used as oxen, milk cows, for beef, or some people just have one or two for the family's pet cow. As of now, there is a market for them also as seed stock, or breeding stock.

The reason that we decided to get this breed though, is because they are great foragers (they do a great job converting grass into weight gain), and because they are the perfect size for a family freezer.

Even though we don't plan on breeding them for seed stock, Ethan and I have still kept a careful eye on the genetics that we are bringing into our herd. If we are buying them, we might as well get ones that can be sold for different purposes if need be.

Over the last year, we have picked up almost all of the genetic variations that are available in this breed: with and without horns, long and short legs, and black and dun. The only thing we were really missing was a red heifer/cow - the most uncommon color. Our bull is a carrier of red (although he is dun in color), but without a red heifer/cow, we wouldn't be getting any red calves.

Ethan has been telling me all summer about the red calves that come up for sale. I have always been a bit hesitant about them, and Ethan has just moved on. Well, a couple of weeks ago, the price got dropped considerably on one of these little red heifers since the owner really didn't want to winter it over. So Ethan asked again, and I found myself saying to go ahead.

So on Saturday we went to pick her up, and she is a cutie! It worked out quite well since I was needing to go see my new nephew before my due date gets any closer. Ethan also helped my brother do some reshingling while we were in the area, and we introduced my aunt to our Dexter too. They have been tossing around getting some for their farm, and they now plan on having some by winter.