Margrita Dexter Cattle Stud is situated on 200 acres between Oakey, Dalby and Cooyar on the Darling Downs of South East Queensland (SE QLD). Here at Margrita have been breeding Dexter cattle since 1999.
We bought our first Dexter heifer ‘Hope’ when she was in calf, and she was to be our hobby – that hobby turned into a relationship with the Dexter breed that has become a passion. Our love and passion of this wonderful breed built to see us promote the Dexter Breed at many Agriculture and Breed Shows, as well as field days. You only have to see our ribbon wall for proof of the wonderful bloodlines and the time we take in preparing our cattle to show.
A decision was made before Hope came into our lives that we would only breed Chondrodysplasia free cattle, a decision we have always been happy with as absolutely none of the Margrita bred cattle will have ‘bull dog’ calves.
Until the drought years our Dexter cows had supplied us with lovely creamy milk which made the most delicious cheese, yoghurt and ice cream. Our grassfed steers provided us with lean tender meat, full of vitamins and minerals that only the best beef can give.
As naturally small size cattle we have been able to maintain twice the number of animals per acre than our neighbours with larger bovine cattle. During the drought they proved their resilience in not only keeping fit and well but taking care of their calves without damaging themselves. As Dexter cattle are not ‘fussy’ eaters they browse and eat everything with nutrition that some of the larger breeds refuse to eat, even when in dire drought.
Because of the Dexters size, wonderful temperment and dual purposeness made these cattle a major attraction to us as they have so many others.