Dexter Cattle
(Bos taurus)

Classification and Range
All domestic cattle are descendants of the now extinct aurochs (Bos primigenius), a giant, humpless relative of the African buffalo and the Asian gaur. Domestic cattle belong to the order of hoofed animals, Artiodactyla, including giraffes, hippos, camels, deer and other bovines. Dexters and other cattle are in the family of animals called Bovidae, which also includes antelope, cattle, goats and sheep. They belong to the genus Bos, of which there are five subgenera (B. frontalis, B. grunniens, B. javanicus, B. sauveli, and B. taurus).* All breeds of domesticated cattle occur within the species B. taurus.

 
Habitat
Dexters became popular with small landowners in Ireland and England, who were able to use them for meat, milk and labor as oxen. They require less pasture and feed than other breeds, survive well on limited and rough rocky acreage, and thrive in hot or cold climates. They were imported to North America around 1910. Dexters are now mainly distributed in Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Canada, Ireland, South Africa and the United States. 		 Shoulder Height
Bulls: 38-44 inches (95-110 cm)
Cows: 36-42 inches (90-105 cm)		 Weight
Bulls: not more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg)
Cows: not more than 750 pounds (338 kg)		 Life Span
Roughly 20 years

Diet
Originally: Dexters are good browsers and were sometimes used to rid pastures of pest plants. They were specialized to live on low-quality vegetation and to forage for their food.

At the zoo: Roughly 12-15 pounds (5.4-6.8 kg) of grass hay per day, as well as romaine lettuce

Great Debate: The Origin of the Dexter
An 1845 publication by Professor David Low attributed the breed to a “"Mr. Dexter," an agent of Lord Howarden. The mysterious “"Mr. Dexter" supposedly bred high quality mountain cattle to produce the Dexter breed. Others pointed out however, that Lord Howarden and “"Mr. Dexter" lived too far away from southwestern Ireland to be involved in the development of the Dexter breed. It was also shown that the Dexter was described in literature long before “"Mr. Dexter" became involved with the breed in the mid-1800s. Another theory as to the origin of the Dexter was that it was developed from the black Kerry of Ireland, which are thought to be descendants of an ancient breed of small, black Celtic cattle that were pushed to southwestern Ireland by the Romans. Others contended that the Dexter was a hybrid between the Kerry and red Devon, which was imported to Ireland as early as the 17th century. Although the true origin of the Dexter may never be known, the Dexter is considered a distinct breed of cattle.

Fascinating Facts

  • A Dexter cow can produce more milk for its weight than any other breed, averaging 1.5-2.5 gallons (5.7-9.5 l) per day!
  • The Dexter is the smallest breed of cattle in North America!

 

Dexter cattle are listed with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy as a rare breed, with fewer than 1,000 annual registrations in North America. Their global population is estimated at less than 5,000. Due to the specialized meat and milk production of other select breeds of cattle, the Dexter is no longer in favor. Along with other domestic livestock, certain domestic breeds are no longer thought to be useful. Consequently, certain breeds of many domestic animals are seldom bred.

Many of the more common cattle breeds can be overbred or overspecialized to emphasize production; these breeds are vulnerable to early aging, parasites and disease. Examples of such overbred cattle breeds include the Hereford or Angus for meat, and the Holstein, Jersey, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire or Guernsey for milk. For this reason, it is important that “"nearly original" minor farm breeds, like the Dexter, be conserved to refresh and strengthen the domestic animal gene pool.

How You Can Help!
The effort to save endangered domestic breeds requires cooperation and support at the international, national, regional and individual levels. Read as much as you can about farming practices. Support the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy efforts to keep our herds healthy. It can be contacted at its Web site.

Contact Woodland Park Zoo at webkeeper@zoo.org to find out about ways you can support conservation programs at the zoo. Learn more about how you can help conserve domestic breeds, as well as wildlife and the wild habitats they require for survival by visiting our How You Can Help page.

Sources and Suggested Reading
American Dexter Cattle Association. Route 1 Box 378, Concordia, MO 64020. (816) 463-7704. Hays, John. 1984, Dexter Cattle, American Dexter Cattle Association, 63 p.

* Taxonomic classification varies between references. Classification information used in this fact sheet was taken from Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic And Geographic Reference, edited by Don E. Wilson and DeeAnn M. Reeder, Second Edition, 1993.