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Beryl Rutherford - Woodmagic
It is with great sadness that I have to record the death of member of council, Beryl Rutherford. To those who knew her, she was a great fund of knowledge and a true enthusiast for the breed. Always ready to share her knowledge, she was advising new breeders to the end. A pioneer with her work on the bulldog gene, long before the availability of a genetic test, the Woodmagic prefix is well respected worldwide. She will be sadly missed.
Carol Neilson Chairman
The National Dexter Beef Network
The beef meeting on 6th of February was a major step forward for our breed and our Society: Attended by almost 90 beef producers from all over the UK the audience consisted of a good cross section from the occasional beef producer to the large volume Dexter beef providers running farm shops and farmers markets.
The meeting agenda was divided into three sections:
First to explain that society support whilst gearing up to dramatically increase the awareness and the demand for Dexter beef will not actively sell beef for any given individual. The beef network concept is to provide the tools support and enthusiasm to help beef producers at all levels get premium prices – through a quality product – perfectly presented.
Secondly Crossgar Meats made a corporate presentation about their growing domination of the provenance and speciality / rare breed food supply across Ireland and its development of the UK mainland market. Crossgar have targeted upmarket restaurant clients where appreciation of the fine eating quality of the Dexter is recognised and wanted. The demand for quality – well finished grass fed Dexter steers and heifers is beyond the current supply chain in Ireland. Crossgar are looking to develop a forward supply contract via the DCS and would be looking to grade according to a regular grading system, with a suggested 10p/Kg bonus to be paid over the standard grade price.
Your Council will be working with Crossgar to get the best deal for our members. We realise that for some the market price will yield an attractive payment level as there is little work involved other than raising a Dexter to a top notch level of finish. For members retailing their beef and geared up to supply their existing local Dexter beef customers – the Crossgar payment may not be attractive.
Never the less the Crossgar presentation proved beyond doubt that Dexter beef is in demand by discerning restaurants. Ultimately the marketing by Crossgar to quality restaurants will place the Dexter Beef name on more and more menus increasing public exposure and demand. This in turn will benefit all DCS members by increasing demand and value of Dexter stock.
The third part of the meeting covered a presentation focussed on beef yield per animal, typical slaughter and packing costs and the true cost to the producer per Kg of beef generated. Discussion on animal quality was open and frank. All members of the beef network need to ensure their stock present a good fat covering and marbled beef. Avoidance of bull beef was a firm recommendation by two experienced producers and our President Di Smith urged the audience to put sub standard heifers into the beef chain as this would ultimately improve the quality of the national herd and ensure the better eating qualities of well finished heifers were more commonly available.
An open forum followed with discussion on several key areas of interest.
What are the next actions to be undertaken following this initial Beef Network meeting?
Your DCS Council is actively following through proposals from this meeting;
1) Promotion of a Dexter Beef Network across the membership of the Society, see REGISTER NOW, below.
2) Dexter Beef Network marketing campaign: We are looking to issue press releases and other marketing and P.R. initiatives on a regular basis to raise the profile of Dexter beef and the DCS members who produce it. Marketing materials for members may also be produced.
3) A national retail price guide (these price levels will be based of top quality beef 21 day hang and packed into housewife size vacuum packs with full labelling of price, cut, and use by date). Reductions for simpler packing and wholesale will be included.
4) A beef cuts chart illustrating where cuts are and typical uses
5) A Quality assurance/quality commitment scheme to ensure all Dexter beef produced in the network portrays the very best eating quality possible. (Field inspections, if needed, will be chargeable)
6) A beef production facts CD. Providing data from the presentation and ideas for a beef advertising window card and beef labels. (Price to be finalised)
7) Clarification of trading terms with Crossgar Meats
With the level of interest clearly apparent at the 6th Feb 2010 meeting every effort is being made to get the tools our members need in place. This represents a new initiative for the DCS and we are requesting members to appreciate there will be a learning curve on all sides. Hence the DCS accepts no liability for the information supplied either at the meeting or in the future.
Please click here to download a registration form
If you were not at the meeting and need a hand out pack please contact the DCS office tel: 02476 692300 or print off and fill in the form at the end of this report. Prompt return of the Network registration form is the key to getting the Dexter Beef Network off the ground
Please complete your registration form as accurately as possible – we are hoping to publish a national list of Dexter beef producers on the DCS website. This may well indicate dates when your beef will be available - and we do not want to be disappointing a hungry public!
Finally . . . . . .
– there is a lot of interest in how to produce £100 beef boxes – if you feel the DCS should investigate bulk buying of packing boxes - or any other area that might assist the presentation and selling of your beef - please use the registration form to flag up your ideas or concerns.
Lunch at the Beef Meeting
Beryl's final resting place
is Great Bradley Cottage, Natural
Burial Ground, Calverleigh Cross, Templeton, Tiverton, Devon, EX16
8BJ.
Please
send donations to the Beryl Rutherford Memorial Fund, c/o
Philippa Laing, Little Esworthy, Templeton, Tiverton, Devon, EX16
8BW . Please make cheques payable to the Beryl Rutherford
Memorial Fund
On line Herd Book
Manage your herd Registrations
Registration £12.00
Please do not forget to enclose AI or Bull Service Certificate if you do not own the sire.
An electronic Herd Book which gives you access to extended pedigrees, progeny lists and member details direct from the Breed Society to your own computer via the Internet.
The 2009 Herd Book is on sale for £10.00.
Please contact the office for further details
What it does ....
Provides the Breed Society member with the tool to access the Breed Society data, in an interactive electronic format.
Bluetongue Update - Feb 2009
Don’t hesitate, vaccinate . . .
The risk of bluetongue in 2009 remains serious. Defra will continue to promote voluntary vaccination against Bluetongue serotype 8 (BTV 8, there is a supply of 12 million doses of existing vaccine which Defra will make available for use, subject to expiry dates. Defra will not be underwriting further supplies of vaccine in 2009 but livestock keepers can purchase any of the three authorised BTV8 vaccines from Intervet, Merial or Fort Dodge. This flexibility provides farmers with a choice as to the best purchase options for their stock.
As at 10:00 on 2 February 2009 there were 149 confirmed premises affected by Bluetongue (BTV8) in England and Wales
All livestock farmers are strongly encouraged to be vigilant and to vaccinate at the earliest possible opportunity.
Farmers and veterinary professionals are reminded that Bluetongue vaccines should not be used beyond their expiry date.
Intervet have worked with Defra and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to investigate the possibility of extending the expiry dates on some of the early expiring stocks of vaccine. However, the medicines legislation does not allow for the extensions of shelf lives for products after they have entered the supply chain. This means that extensions are not possible. Livestock keepers should therefore continue to abide by the expiry dates given on the vaccine packaging.
Livestock keepers are reminded that the risk of infection significantly rises with warmer weather, so vaccinating at the earliest opportunity, before the risk of Bluetongue spread increases is paramount. Farmers wishing to order vaccine should speak to their vet as soon as possible.
Details of available vaccines, including usage and cost are given on the Defra website here
For further information please check with the DEFRA website
The whole of Scotland became a Protection Zone on 3 November, 2008, vaccination in Scotland is compulsory.
For more details see the Scottish Executive website.
9th march 2009 . . . . . news update . . . . . news update . . . . . news update . . . . . 9th march 2009
The BTV6 zone in the Netherlands and Germany was lifted as of 5 March. Both countries have presented sound evidence to the Commission suggesting that no virulent BTV6 virus strain has circulated in the Netherlands or Germany, and positive findings are most likely to be ascribed to the use of a modified live vaccine. No bluetongue clinical disease has been observed in the field or under experimental conditions.
The BTV11 temporary control zone in Belgium was also lifted as of 5 March. They have reported a similar situation to that of the Dutch and Germans, their investigations have ascribed the incident to the use of a modified live vaccine. The epidemiological situation has been assessed and no virus has been isolated and no clinical signs of bluetongue disease have been observed.
The UK is satisfied by the evidence given that this presents no additional risk to the UK. Strengthened surveillance will continue in these countries and control measures may be applied if there is evidence of circulation in 2009 or if a virulent strain is detected. We continue to manage any threat to the UK through conducting post-import tests on all imported animals for all BT serotypes. This means we can detect all types of Bluetongue through our routine testing.
The SCoFCAH statement and supporting evidence is now available on the Commission website:
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/diseases/controlmeasures/bluetongue_en.htm
In addition, Spain have also officially declared freedom from BTV4. After carrying out extensive surveillance no new cases have been found for just over 2 years. Full presentation is available on the SCoFCAH website
http://ec.europa.eu/food/committees/regulatory/scfcah/animal_health/presentations/bt_34032009_es.pdf
The zone map of Europe has now been updated to reflect these changes
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/diseases/controlmeasures/bluetongue_restrictedzones-map.jpg
Livestock owners are encouraged to remain vigilant for signs of disease, and to consider the risks and check the health and vaccination status of animals when sourcing any animals, from within the UK or abroad.
Genetics Project - Progress Report
Veronica Schofield
Yvonne Froehlich and I attended the presentation given to the RBST Conservation Committee by Prof.Mike Bruford on 11th January at Stoneleigh
The presentation summarised the first two years work. Five groups of Dexters, based on pedigree information have been sampled:
Dexter Old
Dexter General
Dexter Woodmagic
Dexter Aberdeen Angus introgressed
Dexter Mixed Introgression
The DNA profiling identifies three main population groups, one of which is the Woodmagic herd. The other two groups are made up of a mixture of the other four pedigree groups. In work using three different methods to analyse suspected admixture of other breeds, the “Old Dexter” animals are looked at as a potential “parent” of the main Dexter population, along with Kerry, Aberdeen Angus and Red Poll. All three methods showed the Old Dexter group to be by far the greatest contributor to the main Dexter population.
This confirms the fact that the Dexter is very definitely a distinct breed, with no significant influence from any of the other breeds used in the project so far. However the work is currently being expanded to include Devon, American Milking Devon, Welsh Black, Shorthorn, mainland Jersey and Guernsey, together with some more Dexter samples including some from some old American lines.
The project has also established that there is a high level of genetic variation within the breed in comparison with levels of variability within other British and European breeds. There could be a number of reasons for this – the fact that the Dexter is still a dual-purpose breed, with a range of conformation types could be significant. This is a healthy situation and reduces the risks of problems from inbreeding. Even the Woodmagic herd, which as a closed herd has less variation than the population as a whole, does not display a particularly high coefficient of inbreeding
Work is also being carried out on the origin of the dun coat colour. This particular mutation has not been found in any other breed to date.
Future work could involve tying up the allelic frequencies found in the breed with physical traits – colour and conformation for example.
Benefits of the Project
· registrations queries (eg herds believed to be pure but whose registrations have lapsed)
· promoting Dexter beef as a distinct brand,
· investigation of animals which do not conform to the breed standard (establishing if they are Dexter mutations or if another breed is involved).
· Prevention of future accidental introgression from other breeds
· There may be some future benefit in having a genetic template for the breed as far as the new government initiative on conserving traditional breeds is concerned
The 23 microsatellite markers being used in the project include 15 out of the 16 markers used for the Society’s DNA profiles. It would help to expand the pool of samples and provide a wider analysis of the breed, if some of the profiles could be used for the work at Cardiff. Council have agreed this in principal, providing permission is obtained from the owners of the animals concerned.
Any breeders who have had animals DNA’d and would be happy for the profiles to be used as part of the project, please contact Yvonne at the office, or, if you would like to discuss this further please give me a ring on 016974 73426 (evenings or weekends) or e-mail me on vschofield@btinternet.com
news update. . . . .news update. . . . .news update. . . . .news update. . . .
