BIG isn't always best and for smallholders with limited acreage, Dexter cattle have a number of advantages over their larger counterparts. Known as the "cottagers cow", one animal can easily keep a family in milk and rear a calf on a relatively small patch of land, requiring very little extra feeding other than hay during the winter months and perhaps some roots if available.

This thriftiness has done much to build a popular following amongst smallholders looking to produce beef for their own table or for local niche markets and the breed can be seen in all areas of the country and at most county shows.

The smallest of the British cattle breeds, Dexters are both good for milk and beef production which again makes them an ideal smallholders cow. They are about half the size of a Hereford with the average weight of cows around 300 - 350 Kgs. Although the breed is predominately black, red and dun are both common and there are two distinct types, short legged and longer legged, both have their advantages, but crossing the two is not recommended.

The head should be short and broad, tapering towards a wide muzzle. The neck needs to be deep and thick carrying the head above the spine. Dexters are a horned breed, but maybe de-horned or naturally polled. If the later, this must be stated in writing. Cows grow between 38" - 44" at the rump and bulls between 42" and 48". Piebald or skewbald animals are not acceptable although a small amount of white on the tail tassels, udder and vulva is permitted, but no white hairs should be seen forward of the navel. The Dexter breed society has a more detailed standard sheet available for owners and prospective purchasers.

Where do they come from?

Dexters originate from the south west of Ireland and are the descendants of indigenous, black, celtic cattle. The breed as we now know it, however, owes much to a Mr Dexter, a land agent to Lord Howarden who produced the modern Dexter by selecting from the best of the mountain cattle in the area.

As far as England is concerned, Dexters first made there appearance in 1882 when 10 cows were purchased by a Martin Sutton of Oxfordshire. Their first show appearance was at the Royal show at Norwich in 1886. They quickly grew in popularity and could soon be found all over the British Isles.

Good and prolific mothers Apart from being thrifty and very hardy, Dexters make excellent mothers. They calve easily and the youngsters are soon up on their feet. They mature young and can be bred from at 15 -18 months. They are also long lived so expect at least 14 calves!

The proof of the pudding though, is in the eating, so what does Dexter beef taste like? Excellent, claim their supporters who point to high demand through farm shops, farmers markets and other specialist outlets.

The breed produces, dark, marbled beef with a killing out percentage of over 56%. This is achieved at a finishing age of 20-24 months providing grazing is good otherwise supplementary feeding may have to be provided or a longer finishing period tolerated.

As a house cow the Dexter milks well providing around 8 - 12 litres a day over a 305 day lactation and some individuals have been known to produce more. The milk itself is of excellent quality with a high butterfat so watch your cholesterol levels! Might be better to put temptation aside and buy in an extra calf and let her rear two, which most are quite capable of.

How to source quality stock Due to their ever increasing popularity it isn't difficult to source quality stock. The Dexter Cattle society keeps an up to date register of breeders with stock for sale and you can also try the Dexter Cattle For Sale website. (Yes that really is its name, someone obviously knows about search engine optimisation!).

This is an excellent website listing stock for sale from all over the British Isles. When I looked there were over thirty heifers listed ranging from £175 to over £600. Bulls and cows were also on the site with many having photographs uploaded.

You should also be able to source stock from shows and sales that take place throughout the country. The Native Breeds show and sale held at Melton Mowbray a couple of months back saw a very strong entry of Dexters with good prices being paid for topic quality animals. As always, inferior stock proved harder to move. The breed stands accompanying these sales provides a wealth of advice and there is also plenty of opportunity to chat to other owners so well worth attending if you are a complete beginner.

Returning to the Dexter Cattle For Sale website, there is an excellent discussion forum running alongside the stock for sale which provides a fund of knowledge straight from the er . dexter's mouth! One new owner who had just sent his first beast for slaughter wanted to know if 200 Kg of meat was correct for his steer. He was assured that it was, but should expect to get about half that amount once it was boned and packaged. Another wanted to know whether there was a law against keeping horned and non-horned animals together! A third simply wanted to escape to a good B & B! Having just coped with a mass break out from my non-dexters I know how he feels!

Joking aside, the site also has details of bull hire and the availability of semen and embryos.

Marketing the meat As with most specialists breeds, marketing the meat isn't quite the straight forward option that goes with keeping commercial cattle. You are unlikely to see finished Dexters in your local cattle market for instance as prices are likely to be poor. Most keepers sell through farm gates, farmers markets or to specialists outlets such as restaurants, hotels or niche butchers.

As herds tend to be small with finished animals averaging between 1 to 6 available during each year this is a feasible option with many breeders taking orders well before slaughter date.

A Dexter's meat isn't its only marketable commodity. The animal itself is often used by country parks and other countryside schemes to help manage and conserve wide open spaces. If left to themselves, these areas can easily become over run by scrub or tree growth to the detriment of other habitat.

A controlled grazing programme helps to preserve balance and avoids one species gaining an advantage over another. Dexter cattle are regularly used, along with other native breeds, to achieve this. All in all, the future looks rosy for this little cow.

Mrs Yvonne Froehlich, Dexter Cattle Society,1st Floor, RASE Offices, Stoneleigh Park, Warks, CV8 2LZ, Tel: 02476 692300,Email: dextercattlesociety@btopenworld.com, http://www.dextercattle.co.uk/, Dexter Cattle For Sale, Website bringing owners and buyers together, iseful discussion board, http://www.dextercattleforsale.co.uk/