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14) The New and Unusual

1. FIRST DEXTER BLOG http://pdca-one.blogspot.com - A "blog" is a "weblog", a personal diary and scrapbook open to whoever wants to look at it. One Internet site which runs awards for different types of Internet sites, including "Best Personal Blog", made the following comments in late 2004 on blogging and what makes a good blog:

"Blogging is where it is at on the Web right now! And there have been some amazing examples given world attention in the past year. We're looking for enthusiasts who have created their very own content-packed diary on the Web. The subject matter may vary from personal thoughts to daily life experiences written in a way to enthrall the reader, making us come back for more. Age or occupation is secondary; of primary importance is the interest factor created by the content. Who amongst you is keen to make an impression on the Net?" (www.netguide.co.nz)

Richard Henry in the U.S. has started a blog related to the Dexter organisation he belongs to (Purebred Dexter Cattle Association of North America) but also with the ambition of making available material of relevance to everyone interested in Dexters. The first entry was made on 31 August 2004. He introduces his blog in the following way:

"Welcome to the first Dexter cattle blog to disseminate information for members of the Purebred Dexter Cattle Association of North America (PDCA) and for those with a curiosity about Irish Dexter cattle. The gradual metamorphosis into a more generalized Dexter cattle information source provides one more communicational pasture for the PDCA membership. Hopefully you will find something here of interest and don't overlook browsing through the archives. Please feel free to leave your comments."
 

So far, Richard has managed to maintain a high level of regular entries, with a range of PDCA-related news as well as a great variety of material on Dexters and raising Dexters, including photos.

Any other Dexter Blogs you know about? Please Email the Web Master.

2. THE DEXTER TRAIL - Debbie and Mark Quinn of Queensland Australia set up www.dexter.com.au in 2004 as a commercial operation for the promotion and sale of Dexter cattle. As a result, they developed contacts with Dexter breeders from many different places. They found themselves hosting a number of them and often organised for them to visit a number of other Dexter studs. This led to the idea of "The Dexter Trail", a list of Dexter breeders across Australia that openly welcomed visits from Dexter breeders from home or abroad - www.dexter.com.au/theDextertrail.htm. The Trail's success is dependent on volunteers making themselves available - so far, the Quinn's have been able to list breeders from Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia. Dexter breeders have traditionally offered hospitality and an informal stud tour to other Dexter breeders (and potential Dexter owners) visiting from near or far. The Dexter Trail is aimed at facilitating this process making use of the Internet's availability to everyone - a great idea which will hopefully develop further in Australia and perhaps even be adopted in other countries.  

3. AUSTRALIAN DROUGHT - Some Dexter breeders in Australia have been hit hard by severe drought in recent times, so much so that some herd numbers have had to be significantly lowered, with even some herds having to be sold entirely. A vivid idea of the drought and its impact can be seen from the photos on the Stonehaven Stud (South-east Queensland) website of Chris and Ann Burns - from the Home Page, click on the "Photo Album" link on the left hand side of the page, then click on "1. Property Photos" to see before, during and after photos of their 2004 draught (home page = www.stonehavenstud.com.au). Stonehaven Stud is located on a 40 acres farm in the Sunshine Coast hinterland - it is listed on the "Dexter Trail" noted in 2) above .

4. DUKE THE DEXTER STEER - AN INVITATION TO A VIRTUAL SPONSORSHIP - The Associated Humane Societies provides the largest animal sheltering system in New Jersey in the United States, with four Animal Care Centers and Popcorn Park Zoo. Popcorn Park is a sanctuary for abandoned, injured, ill, exploited, abused or elderly wildlife, exotic and farm animals, and birds. "We have quite a few farm animals saved from a variety of circumstances, many from slaughter, others from starvation, cruelty, injury, etc. These gentle animals let people see how sweet farm animals really are." Recently, Duke the Dexter steer came into their hands after his owner struggled to provide for him - "Duke's breed is a small one among cattle, but he has a personality as big as anyone twice his size. One can't help but notice how very handsome he is, and he's hoping you'll notice, too. And sponsor him!" Virtual Sponsorship is offered to anyone who cares enough - only US$18 for 6 months. Read more at

www.associatedhumanesocieties.org/shop/item.asp?itemid=19&catid=23. Humane Societies and livestock farmers don't always view animals in the same way, but the Humane Societies often do good work in caring for neglected and suffering animals. 

5. SCHOOL PROJECT "LOCAL HISTORIES ONLINE" - DEXTERS ON AN ALBERTA FARM - In 2003, a small school in Alberta, Canada, took part in a project to put Canada's local histories online. Called "Investigating Our Rural Roots", pupils did a photographic essay of their rural homes. Erin Mortreuil from Rockyford shares her farm life, including feeding a herd of Dexter cattle. Her page is www.galileo.org/schools/rockyford/farms/farmers4.shtml, and information about her school and home town can be found at www.galileo.org/schools/rockyford/farms/index.shtml.
 

6. TAXONOMY OF DEXTER CATTLE - Karen and John Kohut III are Dexter breeders from Jennings, Oklahoma, who share with all other Dexter breeders an abiding passion for the breed as well as for the individual animals in their herd. The Kohuts have developed a very informative website for their BT Farm Dexters at  www.angelfire.com/ma4/dexters. It includes a Taxonomic Table identifying the place of Dexters in the web of life, a series of categories from the most general (all living things) through to breeds of cattle - see www.angelfire.com/ma4/dexters/taxonomy.html.
 

7. DEXTERS AS THE NEAREST CONTEMPORARY CATTLE BREED TO CELTIC IRON AGE CATTLE - Butser Ancient Farm in southern England is a venture which seeks to provide a replica of a Celtic Iron Age farm of about 300 B.C. Its website can be found at www.butser.org.uk - it is a large and interesting site, with great photos (for example, www.butser.org.uk/bulletin15.html and www.butser.org.uk/iafimg6_hcc.html) and well-worth browsing though. Butser Ancient Farm is a working farm, based around buildings, animals and crops of the kind that existed in that period. It is primarily an experimental research farm, a large open air laboratory where investigations into the agricultural methods of the Iron Age can take place, using the farming techniques and materials which were available at that time. Among the Research Reports to be found on this website is one on Iron Age ploughing www.butser.org.uk/iafplo_hcc.html - two Dexter oxen were used to pull a replica of an ancient plough, and a photo of them at work can be found here. In another page on the site about Livestock, it is noted:  "The Celtic Shorthorn cattle which were raised in the Iron Age are now extinct. The cattle were relatively small in comparison to most modern breeds but both female and male were horned. The medium-legged Dexter cows on the farm are the nearest modern equivalent to the Celtic cattle. Two of these have been trained to pull the replica ards (prehistoric ploughs) to cultivate the fields. They are normally yoked around the horns." Those who worked with these two Dexter oxen were impressed with their character and strength: "Although they are quite small, they are extremely powerful and can plough over half an acre per day with relative ease." With a high-speed Internet connection and Adobe Acrobat, at www.archaeology.co.uk/ca/issues/ca171/current_archaeology_171.pdf you will find an issue of the "Current Archaeology" journal which has an article about Butser Ancient Farm, including their Dexters, at For another web page on ancient Celtic farming with a reference to Dexters, see www.gallica.co.uk/celts/farming.htm. 
 

8. A DEXTER STEER SADDLED AND RIDDEN - In a Homesteading Today forum, in a discussion on Dexters and milking, a young woman, "Rogo", posted a photo of herself riding her Dexter steer. The steer is saddled and has a bridle and bit - see www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=113932. 
 

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Any New and Unusual Dexter Websites or Use of the Internet? Please Email the Web Master.