[Howie]

It will be a year or so before they really match up size wise. You can get a lot of work out of them in the meantime. Train them both single. Then put them side by side whith their yokes fastend together and hitch them on a double tree.
Years ago my son and I used to work his Irish Dexter, 1200#, with my off ox, a Holstien 2500#. We done it just for fun and demonstration. I think Andy has a picture of them working that way.
You can work them this way as long as you want.
When they get somwhere near the same size you can build them a regular yoke. If need be you can put different size bows on each end.

[Howie]

Rod

The steer hitched to the cart.

[Howie]

Fat should not be a problem. They have the same problem that I have, The boss feeds them to well and does not work them enough.

[Howie]

Rod
I have never owned any belts but I have a friend that has a pair of twin steers and they are doing great. They came out solid black.

Howie

[Howie]

Rob

I just looked at your web-site. I am sure 36 inches will be enough for a Dexter or Lowland. That ain’t no Dexter or Lowland in that picture.

[Howie]

You don’t have to breed her at all but, too get as much out of her as possible she should be producing a calf every year.

[Howie]

I would believe that 36 inches would be high enough. It could be just the camera angle but it looked like the shafts were down on his legs, they should be near the level of the britchen.

[Howie]

The Charolais that I worked with were not cattle for the novice.

[Howie]

An ox is eating for one plus some food for energy. If you are not working him the energy goes to fat, which you have no use for.
A working cow should be eating for three plus energy. If you are not working her the energy will go to the calf that should be inside her and the calf at her side.

[Howie]

Rod

The shafts in the picture are to low. If the steer has trouble in a sharp turn he will trip on them. Just make the sides of the cart about 6 inches higher.
I would go with a back pad and shaft loops, that way you could use any type of yoke you wish with it.
Boy if that isn’t one of my britchens, they done a good job copying it.

[Howie]

All bulls and stallions are unpredictable.

[Howie]

The Ayrshire and Milking Devon are both champs on rough pasture. The Ayrshire is a little bigger and will give a little more milk but the two are very comparable. Onery is what you make them.

[Howie]

Mike
I never bred Dexters but if you go with the Devons. A Devon cow wants to be milking really well or have a calf in her, or both. If you let her get to fat you might just as well forget about getting her bred.
A Devon hiefer should be bred at 15mos. or shortly after so she has her first calf when she is about 24 mounths old.
Feed them well but do not over feed them.
My Devon steers are over fed but you would be amazed at how little it costs me to feed them.

[Howie]

Theloggerswife

What are you waiting for??

[Howie]

sanhester

Where you are located and what you say you want to do with them the Highlands would serve you well.
Trainability they fit right in about the Holstien class.
The younger they are the easier it is to train any animal. The big thing with them being a little older is what they have learned from people around them.
If some one has chased them they know they can out run you.
If they have never been handled you shoud have no trouble with them.
The last pair that I trained were 8 and 9 months old when I got them and we had to drag them to the barn.

[Author]

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