Dutch belted cattle

[BeardedChick]

Does anyone keep this breed? I'd be interested in any information.

Galloways have always been a favorite of mine, and these look so similar but in a smaller package (which is better for my property).

 

[CowCop]

Half of the beef producers in the State of Maine have Dutch Belted.
Very popular breed there since before 1922 when they called them Lakenvelder cattle . Just before you get to the original L.L.Bean store there are several large herds of Belties. Quite the sight~!!

My neighbors, here in Vermont, purchased 13 Belties 2 years ago from breeders in Maine & Vermont.

There are many large herds of belties here in Vermont because these cattle do well on poor, hilly land and in our harsh winters.
They are thrifty, long lived and have a very tasty meat.

Here is a local breeder with good info on his website:

http://www.andersonhill.com/breed.html

There is lots of great info on the Internet about these cattle, including a registry with breeder info so you can find someone near you to chat with.

 

[BeardedChick]

The link was interesting, but was for Belted Galloways.

I read elsewhere that there are fewer than 200 registered Dutch Belted in the US, so I wasn't sure if the large herds you are referring to are Galloways or Dutch? Galloways are more of a beef breed...

 

[CowCop]

Vermont also has the largest herd of "Dairy" Dutch.
In Irasberg VT.

 

[BeardedChick]

Do you know the farm name? I'd be interested to look them up...

 

[BeardedChick]

I talked to a local person who has Jerseys and she said that the closest breeders she found were in Neb., Tx., etc. None in Colorado, though you can occasionally find them for sale 'here and there'.

She has a yearling Jersey bull that I can use on my cow this Spring - that will make life easier.

 

[CowCop]

Diamond Heart Dairy ~ Irasburg VT

I could not find a website, but there is lots of great info about this farm.
They got the Dairy Farm of Distinction award.


Check out this website in Colorado for J- Cows

http://www.islefarms.com/

Just talk to one breeder and they will tell you where the other breeders are.

 

[BeardedChick]

I emailed the farm you referenced. I am a long ways from that area of Colorado, though.

When I spoke to the person that has Jersey bottle calves for $650, she said she brings them in from Oregon because there are no breeders in this area & there is a decent market. She has someone in Oregon that gets them from the dairies and feeds them until she can go out to pick them up.

So that would be one option.

She also brings in Jersey/Holstein and Dutch Belted. The DB are $850 for a 2-3 week old calf.

 

[wynedot55]

ouch she is making a bloody killing selling heifer calves.i dont know if id drop $650 on a 3wk old jersey heifer calf.

 

[BeardedChick]

Yeah, it's expensive!!!

I found another person with a Jersey cow in my area (she's keeping the calf) and she paid $1,500 for the cow. There's an outfit in NM that rescues the broken down cows from dairies and retrains them as family milk cows - they sell for around $3,500.

Crazy!