Dexter Cattle Farmers Handbook: A Practical Guide to Breeding, Feeding, Calving, Grazing, Herd Health, Small-Farm Management, Beef Production, and Dairy Potential

Small acreage does not mean you have to give up the benefits of raising productive cattle. Compact, hardy, versatile, and genuinely useful, Dexter cattle offer small farmers an opportunity to produce beef, milk, calves, breeding stock, and grazing value from a manageable herd. But their smaller size does not make them miniature pets or maintenance-free livestock. Dexter Cattle Farmers Handbook is a practical guide for new and developing cattle keepers who want to build a healthy, productive, and financially sensible Dexter herd. Discover how to select breeding cattle, understand Dexter genetics, manage fertility, prepare for calving, protect newborn calves, raise replacement heifers, feed cattle efficiently, maintain body condition, develop rotational grazing systems, plan seasonal forage, improve herd health, strengthen biosecurity, and create safer fencing and handling facilities. The book also examines important Dexter-specific genetic topics including horned and polled cattle, short-legged and non-short types, chondrodysplasia, PHA, genetic testing, pedigrees, and responsible mating decisions. For beef producers, it covers grass finishing, supplementation, carcass development, marbling, meat quality, processing, direct-to-consumer sales, pricing, and the advantages of moderate-sized Dexter carcasses. For family milk producers, it explains udder and teat selection, calf-sharing, hand and machine milking, milk hygiene, dairy nutrition, mastitis prevention, butter, cream, yogurt, cheesemaking, and balancing milk production with cow and calf health. The handbook also connects cattle management with the business side of the farm through herd records, feed costs, pasture expenses, labor, marketing, pricing, breeding-stock sales, budgeting, and long-term profitability. Dexter Cattle Farmers Handbook shows how thoughtful breeding, productive pasture, disciplined husbandry, accurate records, and realistic economics can turn a small Dexter herd into a practical and sustainable farming enterprise.