Getting Started with Dexters

My advice, if you're thinking about getting cattle or any kind of livestock, is to plan ahead, do the research, ask a lot of questions, and get your place ready for them before you buy the first critter. You'll be really glad you did. Here's how we did it.

Get your place ready first

Before we bought our first cow, we did months of planning and preparation. The ranch already had very good fencing and cross fencing but needed a few repairs and changes to accommodate our herd. We modified the working pen and added a sweep tub and a Priefert squeeze chute. We tore out the goat pens (or whatever they were) in the barn and rebuilt to give us multiple pens under roof. Then I got to thinking about working a sick cow in the working pen and chute in the rain, so we put a less expensive Tractor Supply squeeze chute in the barn. That was a really good decision. It's not a great chute, but it's great to have something under roof when you need it.

We added a 25 x 60 lean-to onto the shop building to give us a place to store hay and equipment.

We bought water troughs and automatic waterers, alfalfa pellets, feed tubs for feeding the pellets, mineral tubs, and a whole gaggle of other supplies. We don't regret any of it. It made it so much easier when the cows arrived to have everything already in place. Yes, we still had to buy some more supplies like hay and hay rings, various meds and paraphernalia, and there always seems to be something else we need. But the core components were all in place from day one.

A short checklist

Good perimeter fencing and cross fencing, repaired before the cattle arrive
A working pen with at least an alley and a headgate. A squeeze chute is better, and a sweep tub if you can swing it.
Somewhere to work a sick animal under a roof. We have one of the cheaper squeeze chutes in the barn, but you'll want some way to restrain them, even if it's just some cattle panels and a headgate.
Covered storage for hay and equipment
Water troughs and automatic waterers
Feed tubs, mineral tubs, and hay rings
Basic medications and supplies on hand

Finding your first Dexters

It can be challenging to start a herd of Dexters. With Angus or some of the more prolific breeds you can often buy a whole herd from one breeder. With Dexters it's often only one or two available from a breeder at any given time. We had good luck running an ad in the ADCA sales list saying we were looking to buy several cows or heifers.

Learn more

For stocking rates, temperament, calving and good places to learn more, see our Dexter Cattle page. And if you're looking for registered, tested breeding stock, see Cattle for Sale.