Wagra Dexter cattle at home in the Far East Gippsland Mountains, Victoria; Australian born & bred.

At Wagra, Dexter cattle are our passion. Native to Ireland, with records dating back to the 18th century, Dexters are the smallest naturally occurring breed of bos taurus cattle. With the ideal cow standing between 97cm and 107cm, and the ideal bull between 102cm and 112cm, Dexters are often erroneously referred to as miniature cows, or miniature cattle, which are terms more correctly applicable to naturally taller breeds that have been miniaturised by cross breeding with Dexters; or by selection, as with the Lowline branch of Angus cattle. The most common colour for Dexter cattle is black, as shown in the photo of the heifers below; less common is red, such as the beautiful Bonfire (cow) and Delta (calf) taking pride of place in our logo above, and dun as shown here in a photo of Charm.

Dexter cattle are dual-purpose, bred for both milk and beef; however we at Wagra consider them to be multi-purpose. If ‘handled’ from an early age, they make an enjoyable hobby, enjoyable pets, lawn-mowers for the smaller properties, and educators for the children and/or adults who would otherwise be overwhelmed by the larger breeds. Dexter cattle have also been used as draught animals, pulling carts and/or ploughs. The traditional Dexter is horned, but these days most breeders choose to disbud their calves early in life, while others choose to breed naturally polled stock. At Wagra, we have a mixture of disbudded and horned.

Although facts and figures can vary between individual cows, Dexter cattle can be prolific producers of high-quality milk, with butterfat and protein content comparable to the Jersey; and records show they are capable of long lactation periods. The beef-cuts are smaller than those produced by the more common beef-cattle breeds, and reputedly equal-to-better in quality and flavour. It has been said they are ‘beefier’ in taste; and many of our customers have declared that they cannot ever return to eating other beef now they have been ‘spoiled’ by the taste of Dexter meat. Also knowing that our animals are free of hormones sets our customers’ minds at rest. Obviously, even the best of meats can be ruined by the worst of chefs, but Dexter beef has been the meat of choice twice for chefs competing in the Great British Menu. On the first occasion it won the main course dish; at the time of writing this, the second occasion is yet to be concluded. Wagra’s main purpose, however, is to sell the beast rather than the meat; or, more precisely, the beauty rather than the meat.

Dexters evolved as smallholders’ cottage cows. For those people looking for the increasingly popular tree-change, or the alternative lifestyle, ‘growing’ their own milk and/or meat, Dexters are the ideal choice. If they are handled from an early age, they are like pets. Wagra has full grown cows who come up and lean in for a scratch and a cuddle. They are highly intelligent, quick learners, with excellent memories. We train them to halter-lead at weaning; it takes just a few days (and perhaps up to another week for reinforcement, depending on the handler’s experience)! Even dogs generally take longer than that. Show-training takes a little longer as they must be desensitised to the chaotic noise and movement they have to endure. But once desensitised, their gentle nature shines through again, which Madeleine (left) constantly puts to the test.

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The Commercial Hotel, Bairnsdale: A recommendation from the webmaster (independent from Wagra). Chef, David, recently tried Dexter beef as an exclusive roast of the day and "was blown away by the flavour". For a great, old-fashioned ‘home-cooked’ meal, The Commercial is the place; with meat and vegetables cooked to perfection every time. Sick of fancy restaurant-type meals, with the invariable sprigs of rocket instead of hearty greens? David’s meals have won me. If you are driving through Bairnsdale on the way to visit Wagra Dexters, try the Commercial. 124 Main Street, Bairnsdale, Vic. For bookings and/or accommodation phone: (03) 51523031.

Maddy (11yo) at the Canberra Show. She loves her Dexter cattle!