# Dexter processing, when is too late?



## jjack010 (Aug 25, 2022)

I've got 2 dexters, 3 yr heifer and 6yr cow.  

I understand it's best to process around 24-28months.  Since we're past the prime,  I'm looking for info to help me in case they aren't bred and need to head to the butcher.

Will the meat be different?  Tough cuts forcing us to consider all ground?

Thanks for any info you can provide.


----------



## farmerjan (Aug 25, 2022)

The  "filet" or backstrap or tenderloin, as it is often called will be fine for steaks... You can probably do NY strips and ribeyes on the younger animal with no problems.  Realize that the "muscle groups" that get the most exercise will be the "tougher" cuts.  
If you do stews or cook moist heat... then most of the roasts will work... I would certainly do stew meat... it gets cooked in some sort of liquid...===tenderness.  Cube steaks get pounded quite well so will be a possibility... most are cooked in a gravy anyway...
I would do more ground beef on the older one... but again, the ribeye and the filet or tenderloin should still be pretty decent.  And, anything that is going to be cooked in moist heat....stew meat.....
Face it... deer meat (venison) gets cut up into all sorts of cuts and no one asked the deer to provide proof of age..... or did they eat more of the farmers corn silage or did they rough it out in the mountain side.  
You cannot get any cuts with the backbone after 30 months so no T-bones... no backbones for cooking like ribs (they have lots of meat on them)....


----------



## Alaskan (Aug 26, 2022)

farmerjan said:


> Face it... deer meat (venison) gets cut up into all sorts of cuts and no one asked the deer to provide proof of age..


 

All meat is tasty...  IMO.  Just the older it is the more important it is to cook it low and slow,  and yes, add moisture.


----------



## Ridgetop (Aug 26, 2022)

If they are registered Dexters, can you sell them as breeding stock?


----------



## farmerjan (Aug 26, 2022)

If they are open, I certainly would not foist them off on someone else as breeding stock.


----------



## Ridgetop (Aug 26, 2022)

How long since the cow was bred?  Is the 3 year old heifer her last calf?  Dexters are a "dwarf?" breed so can't use a regular bull.  Why weren't they bred?  No Dexter bull in the area?

I agree that if the cow has been open for the past 3 years it would be hard to get her settled.  But what about the 3 year old heifer?  Is she too old to breed now?   I would have kept them bred and calving.


----------



## farmerjan (Aug 26, 2022)

You can use an easy calving angus on a dexter.  They are not so "mini" as to not be able to handle an easy calving bull.  They should weigh in the 750+/- weight range as an adult animal... bulls a little bigger.  

 I had a "lowline" angus... considered more in the mini catagory... bred her angus every year.  She weaned a calf off that stood near as tall as her at 7 months.  Once an animal has had at least one or 2 calves, they can handle most all normal sized animals as the cow has more influence over the growth of the calf than the genetics except in extremely large breeds.  I would go with any of the easier calving breeds.  A Dexter can easily handle a normal jersey bull in natural service and the calves are smaller and more slender at birth... I have never seen a jersey calf over 75 lbs... they are all long and lean, slender built. 
Limi's are a long lean calf also.  I would stay away from herefords, simmentals, charolais for being more blocky built.


----------



## jjack010 (Aug 30, 2022)

Thanks for the great information friends. They just arrived 3 days ago and are doing great. I even got a Jenny as the part of the deal just so she wouldn't be alone. There is a possibility that these two are bred. Previous owner was not 100% sure but they were both running with a  bull for the past few months.

They are not registered

The six-year-old has calves a few times, I believe last year was the most recent. Not sure why the heifer has never been bred.

I was more so curious about age and processing.

So these girls are safe to be bred with an angus? That's great info my neighbor has a very healthy herd of black angus.


----------



## jjack010 (Aug 30, 2022)

Here are the girls


----------



## farmerjan (Aug 30, 2022)

I am assuming the cow is the one in the forefront?  Looks like a dry cow udder.  She is also a little on the thin side... I think worming would be in order.  I would also want to get her in and look at her teeth, she looks like an "older cow"....
If you have a way to confine them in a chute/head catch/stanchion I would get the vet out and preg check them.... and if they are cycling or have any problems that would prevent them from breeding....

And if the neighbor has a good herd of angus, ask if he has a "heifer bull" or an easy calving bull... to use on them to produce "smaller calves"...We have 2 easy calving bulls... they are 7 and 8 yrs old so not young smaller bulls... but are very "easy breeders" (gentle on the cows and not rammy or rough)  and we use them on heifers every year... yep, on 700 lb heifers and they weigh in the neighbor hood of 15-1800 lbs.  Their genetics are what designate them as easy calving as their calves are never over 60-70 lbs... the heifers just "spit them right out" and they get up and go to nursing... no problems calving and have never pulled one from a heifer except one that had only 1 leg out... the other one was bent back and we had to get it straightened out and then she had it without problems.  That's over the last 7-8 years... about 100 heifers I guess.  Had 22 heifers calve a year ago and they just had them lickety split.


----------



## The Farming Carpenter (Aug 31, 2022)

jjack010 said:


> I've got 2 dexters, 3 yr heifer and 6yr cow.
> 
> I understand it's best to process around 24-28months.  Since we're past the prime,  I'm looking for info to help me in case they aren't bred and need to head to the butcher.
> 
> ...



HI, I have Dexter's also, I am new to it as well. Always had Pollard Heifers.  They say that this breed actually gets better with age. So your safe to butcher her. I watch JUST A FEW ACRES on YOUTUBE, he's excellent 
 resource for knowledge on this breed.  Good Luck.


----------



## farmerjan (Aug 31, 2022)

What are Pollard Heifers????


----------



## Alaskan (Aug 31, 2022)

farmerjan said:


> What are Pollard Heifers????


I was thinking autocorrect got them...

And they meant polled Herefords.


----------



## MTKitty (Aug 31, 2022)

My thought on processing age recommendation is that it’s more of an economic decision. For this breed, two years is likely the best scenario for potential growth vs feed costs to get more of that growth. Going longer probably won’t do much other than cost more in feed than you would get in additional meat — outside of the issues of toughness mentioned earlier.


----------



## The Farming Carpenter (Aug 31, 2022)

farmerjan said:


> What are Pollard Heifers????


Polled Hereford, sorry


----------



## farmerjan (Aug 31, 2022)

OH...


Alaskan said:


> I was thinking autocorrect got them...
> 
> And they meant polled Herefords.


. never got to that reckoning....


----------



## Ron Bequeath (Sep 1, 2022)

farmerjan said:


> The  "filet" or backstrap or tenderloin, as it is often called will be fine for steaks... You can probably do NY strips and ribeyes on the younger animal with no problems.  Realize that the "muscle groups" that get the most exercise will be the "tougher" cuts.
> If you do stews or cook moist heat... then most of the roasts will work... I would certainly do stew meat... it gets cooked in some sort of liquid...===tenderness.  Cube steaks get pounded quite well so will be a possibility... most are cooked in a gravy anyway...
> I would do more ground beef on the older one... but again, the ribeye and the filet or tenderloin should still be pretty decent.  And, anything that is going to be cooked in moist heat....stew meat.....
> Face it... deer meat (venison) gets cut up into all sorts of cuts and no one asked the deer to provide proof of age..... or did they eat more of the farmers corn silage or did they rough it out in the mountain side.
> You cannot get any cuts with the backbone after 30 months so no T-bones... no backbones for cooking like ribs (they have lots of meat on them)....


I definately agree with the cuts and the cooking although you may have to cook the roasts, steakes and such a little longer. I spoke to one of the butchers here in pa and he said that the older the animal the more flavor is in the taste of the meat.


----------



## jjack010 (Monday at 9:11 PM)

All great feedback. Thank you.  

I'm a fan of Pete on YouTube channel Just a few acres.

We've been focused on getting through this tough winter but all the animals are doing well.  

The latest they should calve is april so only a few more months until we either have calves or I figure out plan b.


----------



## farmerjan (Monday at 9:19 PM)

Glad for the update.... one thing... if you wait to see if they calve and they don't... you are looking at a possible wait time of 4-12 months to get into a butcher... here we schedule year to year because of the back up time... I would call the potential butcher and if the wait time is long... get a date now... You can always cancel it and if they are that busy, they will have a waiting list of people wanting a "cancellation date".... 
How are they looking now?


----------



## jjack010 (Monday at 9:38 PM)

Good point.  I just dropped some pigs off to the processor and I know they are always booked very far out.  

Cows are looking good.  Older one is still a little thinner than the younger heifer.  Bellies are getting a bit bigger in both it seems. This pic is about a month ago.  I'll have to take some new ones tomorrow.


----------

