Valuing diversity in Dexters Message from the President

Transcription

1 American Dexter Cattle Association The Dexter Bulletin Officers Jim Woehl President Mule Deer Rd. Hot Springs, SD (605) Roberta Wieringa Vice President 5260 Whitneyville Rd. Middleville, MI (269) Pam Malcuit Immediate Past President Dixie Farms Lane Iola, TX (936) Carol Ann Traynor Secretary Rd. Fruita, CO (970) James Smith Treasurer Castlegate Lane Bois D Arc, MO (417) jwsdexter@gmail.com Staff Jill Delaney Registrar 1325 W. Sunshine #519 Springfield, MO (952) ADCAregistrar@gmail.com Ray Delaney Webmaster 1325 W. Sunshine #519 Springfield, MO info@raydelaney.net Anne Feltus Editor 5815 Tammy Dr. Manvel, TX (281) afeltus@annefeltus.com Valuing diversity in Dexters Message from the President Hello to all. The 2015 Annual General Meeting (AGM) is now in the rearview mirror. It was an excellent AGM that was enjoyed by everyone in attendance. I again want to thank Chad Williams for the tremendous amount of work he put into this event. The end result was worth it. I had the privilege of being elected as your president for I thank you for the vote of confidence and will continue to work hard for all of the members of the ADCA. As per our bylaws, this will be my third and final year as president. With all of your help, it will be a great one! Dr. Phillip Sponenberg from Virginia Tech was the keynote speaker on Saturday. He gave a very educational presentation on Dexters and Genetics. His talk covered color, horns, chondrodysplasia, PHA (pulmonary hypoplasia with anasarca) and the importation of Dexters to America. Regarding the importation he writes: The examples (of Dexters) in the USA are important and go back to the parent breed in three different ways. It is Important to keep all three. One is the original foundation of the breed in the USA, which was from Ireland and imported about 1900 to No upgrading was allowed, and the breed was bred from this base up until the 1950s. There are fewer than 100 that currently have this breeding and no other. A second thread to the American breed consists of the `Irish animals to which were added some from England in the 1950s. These animals were likewise introduced before upgrading was allowed in England. A third thread includes English animals that have some `appendix animals in their pedigrees. These are animals with only one identified registered parent, but The ADCA has always been an inclusive registry. then later on evolved into a formal upgrading program. The polled gene is controversial, with some thinking it came in with this third thread, some thinking it is a novel mutation in purebreds. In any case, the upgrading has proceeded to very high levels, so in most of this third group, there is less than 3% the influence of any other breed. Fall 2015 While it is important to keep threads `one and `two going, that does not mean that thread `three is not also important. The critical issue is that the USA is in the peculiar situation of having the privilege of maintaining all three threads to the breed, which is not true of most other countries. What we do here matters! (Dr. Jeff Sponenberg, handout from the 2015 ADCA AGM) The ADCA has always been an inclusive registry. Dr. Sponenberg s address points out why it is vital for us to continue to be an inclusive association that values all three threads of Dexters in America. He gives a great historical and genetic perspective for my personal mantra of celebrate the diversity of Dexters. (Continued on p. 4) Gail Basile of Lazy J Farm took this photo, the grand champion entry in the Annual General Meeting Photo Contest.

2 PAGE 2 DEXTER HALTERS Royal blue, red, black & forest green Purple* Pink* Neon Orange* Xtra Small may fit up to months Cost: $22 each + postage Small may fit 6-24 months Cost: $22 each + postage Medium most cows 2 year+ calves Cost: $22 each + postage Large mature cows, some bulls Cost: $22 each + postage Extra Large older bulls (as available) Cost: $26 each + postage USPS priority post with tracking service. Payment by check or money order to Thomas' Dexters, P.O. Box 135, Antelope, OR THE NOCKS CJS FARM Parachute and Collbran, CO cjsfarm@gmail.com Chris, Judy, Stephanie and Scott NEW AND USED DEXTERS FOR SALE! Any color, any size! thomas97001@yahoo.com (541) Prices subject to change w/ material &/or USPS increases. THOMAS DEXTERS P.O. Box 135, Antelope, OR years of breeding ADCA horned Dexters Good dispositions proportionately built Dual-purpose meat & milk production Parentage, chondro & color testing Red or black Dexters year round Contact us for current listings of registered Dexter cows/pairs, heifers, bulls & steers. Current sale photos posted at Dxter semen & halters also available. Phone: thomas97001@yahoo.com Website:

3 PAGE 3 Regional Directors Region 1 Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois (Term ends 12/31/2015) Region 2 Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alberta (Term ends 12/31/2015) Region 3 West Texas (area codes 806, 432, 325, 830, 210, 956, 361, 512, 254, 940, 915, 817, 682, 214, 469 and 972 ) (Term ends 12/31/2016) Region 4 Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming (Terms ends 12/31/2015) Region 6 Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma (Term ends 12/31/2016) Region 7 Louisiana, East Texas (area codes 903, 430, 409, 936, 979, 713, 281 and 832) (Term ends 12/31/2016) Region 8 South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee (Term ends 12/31/2016) Region 9 Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia Term ends 12/31/2017 Region 10 Indiana, Michigan, Ohio (Term ends 12/31/2017) Region 11 Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont (Term ends 12/31/2015) Region 12 Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota (Term ends 12/31/2017) Becky Petteway 2023 Green Hill Rd., Fordland, MO (417) bapetteway@yahoo.com Sandy Thomas P.O. Box 135, Antelope, OR (541) thomas97001@yahoo.com Becky Eterno 118 Pfeiffer Rd., Boerne, TX (830) jeterno@gvtc.com Vicki Jones 2967 Harris Ranch Road, Lusk, WY (307) MoostersMeadows@aol.com Norman Hoover 221 Rd 23, Peru, KS, (620) maryhoover74@yahoo.com David Jones 6730 Delbello Rd., Manvel, TX (281) djones2for2@yahoo.com Lesa Reid 4143 Kirkstone Lane, Knoxville, TN (865) lesareid.kirkhaven@comcast.net Chad E. Williams 517 Hartwood Road, Fredericksburg, VA (571) chad0409@gmail.com Patrick Mitchell 7164 Barry St., Hudsonville, MI (616) Shamrockacres@Hotmail.com Jessica Gibbons P.O. Box 709, Phillipsport, NY (845) jessica@myminifarm.com Terry Sprague 2711 Hwy 44, Guthrie Center, IA (641) docsdexters@gmail.com The Dexter Bulletin editor is retiring, so we re looking for a new one. The position involves gathering articles, proofreading/light editing, producing layouts, handling board review/revisions, working with advertisers and getting the Bulletin printed and mailed each quarter. Stipend: $750 per issue. If you are interested, contact your regional director.

4 PAGE 4 (Continued from p. 1) Later in this issue, you will see a letter I wrote detailing the results of the motion to genotype females starting in The vote was overwhelmingly in favor of this move to parent verification. This action by you, the members of the ADCA, strengthens that peculiar situa- ADCA GOALS TASK FORCE Assigned as needed AGM/SHOW & SALE Robert Wieringa (Chair), Sally Coad, Warren Coad, Jeff Chambers, Debra Hawkins and Dick Clark CLASSIFICATION Assigned as needed CODE OF CONDUCT/ETHICS Jim Woehl (Chair), Carol Ann Traynor, Judy Nocks and Chad Williams EDUCATION COMMITTEE Vicki Jones (Co-Chair), Lesa Reid (Co-Chair), Jill Delaney, Jeff Collins and Terry Sprague HISTORICAL Assigned as needed FINANCE & FUNDING Assigned as needed JOB DESCRIPTIONS Assigned as needed Committees MARKETING & ADVERTISING Becky Petteway (Co-Chair), Norm Hoover (Co-Chair), Terry Sprague and Jim Woehl NOMINATIONS & ELECTIONS Roberta Wieringa (Chair), Carol Ann Traynor and Rick Seydel PEDIGREE & GENETICS Sandi Thomas (Co-Chair), Chad Williams (Co-Chair), Gary Clark, Jeff Collins, Kelvin Tomlinson and Dr. Gus Cothran (Adviser) BYLAWS AND STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES David Jones (Chair), Pam Malcuit (Co-Chair), Pat Mitchell and Robin Welch TALISMAN AWARD Jim Woehl (Chair), Sally Coad, Sandi Thomas, Jim Smith and Belle Hays (Honorary) WEBSITE & TECHNOLOGY Pat Mitchell (Chair) and Ray Delaney tion of maintaining all three threads that Dr. Sponenberg discusses. Thank you for this proactive vote. Jim Smith from Missouri is this year s very deserving recipient of the Talisman Award. Please take the time to read his bio. Jim and his lovely wife Linda have been promoting Dexters and YOUTH COMMITTEE Becky Eterno (Co-Chair), Don Giles (Co-Chair), Becky Gygax, Robert Praisler, Elissa Emmons, David Cluff and Emily Boeve the ADCA in multiple ways for a lot of years. Congratulations, Jim. Also, congratulations to our Chris Odom youth award winners. Delaney Corter from Oklahoma is our junior winner, and Hanna McClain from Arkansas is the senior recipient. The essays/acceptance speeches that these young ladies presented were inspiring to all of us in attendance. The future of our breed and association is very bright. We all know that the internet is a very powerful tool and can be used for good as well as bad. Part of the internet that continues to grow is, of course, social media (chat rooms, facebook, tweet, twitter, snap chat, the list goes on). I get almost weekly s about offensive posts on these social media sites belittling an animal or a breeding choice. While the ADCA cannot police the internet, I would like to take this time to remind all of you that the seventh article of the ADCA Code of Ethics states, So act in my breeding practice and in dealings with others as to protect and improve the good standing and reputation of the breed and of the association. The ADCA values every animal in our registry and every one of our members. Ladies and gentlemen, the ADCA is an inclusive organization that values every animal in our registry and every one of our members. If you cannot be supportive of other members efforts and/or their animals (which 99% of you are), please consider staying off of the internet and out of social media. This is in no way meant to limit freedom of speech. However, with great freedom comes great RESPONSIBILITY. On a different note, there are several Dexter shows coming up in many parts of the country. County, regional and state fairs, Dexter specialty shows all these shows serve as wonderful venues to showcase the positive attributes of our breed. Even if you choose not to show, please attend if you can to support your fellow Dexter breeders. There is a great sense of comradery, and you will get to see some outstanding Dexter cattle. Finally, the 2016 and 2017 AGMs will be in Salina, Kan. Please start making plans to attend now. Celebrate the diversity of Dexter cattle. Jim Woehl

5 PAGE 5 Regional Directors Messages Region 1 The 2015 Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Virginia was small but productive. Chad Williams, Region 9 director, did a fantastic job, thank you, Chad! At the forefront was the vote for the genotyping of females. There was very little opposition and some civil and constructive conversation prior to the vote. Thanks to all of you who participated via proxy. Many buyers and sellers are making connections on the Region 1 facebook page. As most of you know by now, the motion passed. So, all female Dexters born on or after Jan. 1, 2016, will be required to be genotyped to be registered. This is a wonderful step forward to creating a purebred registry with integrity. Be sure and read all of the minutes from the AGM meeting posted in this Bulletin for all the details of the entire meeting. The Missouri Dexter Breeders Association Show & Sale is in the planning stages. It will be held in Marshfield, Mo., Oct , Deadline for entries is Sept. 26, This continues to be a premiere show and sale of Dexter cattle. Make plans to attend! Many buyers and sellers are making connections on the Region 1 facebook page. It's so rewarding to see happy new Dexter owners! Would love for members to share their farm photos on this page; who doesn't like to see the fruits of others' labors... :-) It's time for me to pass the torch to a new Region 1 director. I will not be seeking another term. Please consider devoting your time to the ADCA. The job is educational, interesting and rewarding. Anyone interested in running for this position can feel free to contact me about the responsibilities. This region has many breeders qualified to be a great director! Becky Petteway Region 3 NEWS FLASH! Horniphobia Grips Dexter World! Well, maybe not the whole Dexter world, but a good part of it. I think it s a real pity that so many people don t appreciate the lovely horns which are such an ornament to the Dexter breed. Whether they are the Isis style or the crown, Jersey-like style, I think the horns give an elegant finish, especially to a cow s profile. At the ADCA show in Virginia, I remember only one horned animal being shown (though many dehorned ones), an indication of the direction in which breeder practices are going. I know the practical arguments against horned cattle. Owners, especially newbies, are afraid of getting gored (or poked). That does happen from time to time, though getting kicked by a frisky animal is more likely. Anyone who keeps a herd for commercial beef knows that the horns can damage meat when animals get into a scrum. Steers seem to be dehorned or bred polled as a matter of practicality, since horned cattle automatically bring much less in a sale barn than the more usual hornless ones, not that many meat Dexters are sold that way. Horns are also handy tools for the fun of breaching fences and overturning feeders. Some bulls and cows enjoy their horns a bit too much and like to use them to intimidate. The horns here are weapons incidental to a questionable temperament. At my house, such attitudes lead directly to the freezer. Horns keep owners alert! All is not lost, however, since a number of people like to keep the cows horns on and breed horned animals, even if they routinely dehorn some calves for the market. I think the horns give an elegant finish, especially to a cow s profile. In wilder areas, owners want horned animals; horned cows and bulls are more than able to protect their calves and themselves against predators, sometimes working together to rout, e.g., coyotes. That s really the only practical justification I know of for keeping horns. But practicality aside, at least dehorned animals can have babies who, if and when the pendulum swings back to horniphilia, can produce and be allowed to keep their beautiful Dexter headgear. Becky Eterno Region 4 Greetings from Region 4! First, thank you each and every one of you who took the time to vote on the female genotyping proposal. Regardless of whether you were for or against, it was important that you made your voice and position heard. Thank you. As promised in the last Bulletin, the Education Page is up and running on the ADCA website. We are so proud to have this under way at last. It is genuinely a labor of love. Please let any committee member know if you have ideas or wishes for the page. This will be an ongoing effort with new articles, videos and information being added as we move forward. Welcome to Lesa Reid as a new committee member and a big thank you to Jessica Gibbons, as she steps away, for all she s done over the past year! The Education Page is up and running on the ADCA website. We have TWO really nice Dexter shows coming up in Region 4 in the next two months. Dexters will be the feature breed at the Wyoming State Fair this year. Come see us in August! The show at the Utah State Fair is always one of the largest in the country. If you can make it there in September, it s truly worth it, whether you are showing or attending. And although it s not a Region 4 show, the Nebraska State Fair also has a great turnout and really good attendance. Hope to see you at a show this summer! Now for housekeeping my term as a director for Region 4 is up at the end of the year. It s been wonderful to serve as your director for the last three years and a privilege to meet so many of you either by phone or in person. All good things must end, though, and I ve decided not to stand again for election. I do plan on remaining involved in our wonderful organization though the Education Committee and through showing and growing our herd! SOOOOO, this means that Region 4 will be needing a new director. Elections will be held this fall. Please feel free to give me a call if you have interest or questions. It s truly a worthwhile endeavor, and I hope that several of you will consider serving as a leader in the Dexter community. And finally, a big thank you to Chad Williams and his crew for such a

6 PAGE 6 wonderful Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Virginia. Lovely facilities, great animals and wonderful comradery among all the members. We can t wait for AGM 2016 in Salina, Kan.! Vicki Jones Region 6 The Annual General Meeting (AGM) was great. Thank you goes to Chad and Ginny Williams and all the volunteers and members who helped with it. The genotyping of female calves passed. All females born on or after Jan. 1, 2016, must have their genotype on file at an approved lab prior to registration. These are two great opportunities to show your Dexters and meet other Dexter owners. We have two upcoming fairs in Region 6.The first one is the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island, Neb. It will be Sept The Dexter show on Sept. 3 at 9 a.m. For additional information, contact Jeff Chambers, The second one is the Tulsa State Fair. It will be Oct Entry deadline is Aug. 31, The Dexter show is Oct. 2 following the Longhorns at approximately noon. For additional information, contact Deb Hawkins SOP Revisions Some revisions have been made to the ADCA Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). To review these changes, visit the ADCA website and click on Standard Operating Procedures on the left; the revisions are highlighted in red. Tattoo Letters and Their Years 1991 A 1992 B 1993 C 1994 D 1995 E 1996 F 1997 G 1998 H 1999 J 2000 K 2001 L 2002 M 2003 N 2004 P 2005 R 2006 S 2007 T 2008 U 2009 W 2010 X 2011 Y 2012 Z 2013 A 2014 B 2015 C These are two great opportunities to show your Dexters and meet other Dexter owners. Hope to see you there. Norman Hoover Region 7 Well, we had a relatively mild start to our summer in Texas due to the record breaking rainfalls in many areas. After five or six years of drought, which had reduced most of the major lakes to a puddle, all lakes are now back to or above normal levels. I bet California wished they could say the same thing. Demand for Dexters in our region remains strong. If you are looking to buy or sell Dexters, let your regional director know, as we often receive inquiries for potential buyers. Once again we have just concluded our Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Virginia, and everyone involved should be very pleased with the quality of the meetings and facilities this year. The number of sale animals was a bit low, but we see that trend when we are in less-central locations. If you are looking to buy or sell Dexters, let your regional directors know. Next year the AGM will be in Kansas and should allow a much more diverse group of members to attend. Mark your calendars now and plan a family vacation around the event. As you know from the prior distribution of materials and proxies, the muchanticipated topic of expanding genotype requirements to include females going forward was a focal point for the Saturday meeting. Great feedback both for and against the expansion of the requirement was given by many of those in attendance. As most of you have heard, the motion to require the genotyping of females did pass. Look for details in this Bulletin. As a result of all of the topics discussed at the AGM, there will be a significant number of changes to the standard operating procedures and a few to the bylaws. These changes or additions will appear in red on the online version of the documents for some time so you can easily find them. By the time you receive this Bulletin, the first set of changes and additions will have been posted on the website. Please review them and let your director know if you have questions. Hoping this finds everyone well and enjoying a positive calving season. David Jones Region 10 Hello from Region 10! It s hard to believe that summer is already half-gone, the 2015 Annual General Meeting (AGM) is past-tense (and very good, I might add), and we still haven t gotten second-cutting hay started yet! This has been a terrible year for good hay production in our part of Michigan. We have had a very wet and cool season so far I was cutting first-cutting hay on July 1 (at least three weeks later than normal) with a sweatshirt on because the temperature was only 60 degrees! The AGM in Harrisonburg was an adventure for us. We took seven Dexters to show and drove in the most torrential downpour you could ever imagine on the way there. By the time we arrived, three hours later than we expected, the cattle were more than ready to get out of the trailer. Needless to say we were also ready to give out for the night driving in the West Virginia mountains at night, in the rain, down 10% grades and around hairpin turns made me thankful for the terribly bumpy, brokendown Michigan roads. We accomplished a great deal this year at the AGM. The vote to approve female genotyping shows that our membership understands the need to protect the breed and assure that we continue to register only animals that can truly be verified as Dexters. Yes, it will cost each of us a little more, but it should be able to be recovered in the long term. People seem to be amazed that the bulls are so docile and laid back. We have been receiving a lot of calls and s from people interested in learning more about the Dexter breed and potentially wanting to become owners. We encourage people to come out and see them firsthand being able to walk among the cattle, with the bulls present, says more about the nature of the breed than I could say in a longwinded phone conversation. People seem to be amazed that the bulls are so docile and laid back. As Region 10 director, I m looking for ideas and feedback regarding a fall or spring regional meeting. The Ohio Valley Dexter Breeders have been gracious to invite Region 10 to hold a spring meeting during the OVDBA spring show and sale. Is there a good time and

7 place to possibly hold a fall meeting? We are also looking to gather input on a Region 10 regional show could we team up with a local county fair or get enough interest to have a class at one of the state fairs? If you have any ideas, please send them to shamrockacres@ hotmail.com. Have a wonderful rest of the summer, and hopefully we ll get a break in the weather long enough to get second and hopefully third-cutting hay in the barn! Pat Mitchell Region 12 The lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer are here. Fair season is gearing up in the Midwest. It s a great time of year. The Iowa State Fair in August will have a few new activities in the Dexter barn. The Annual General Meeting was great. Many thanks are in order to Chad, Ginny and crew for hosting and a job well-done. The Region 12 meeting in Elk Grove, PAGE 7 Minn., is coming together thanks to a great group. It promises to be a good one. The hope is that by having the meeting a little farther north, it will be easier for Dexter owners in other parts of our region to attend. The Iowa State Fair in August will have a few new activities in the Dexter barn. One day is dedicated to educational talks, which will be interesting to veteran, new as well as future breeders. Terry Sprague Results of Vote to Genotype Female Calves Dear ADCA members, As you are all aware, the vote to genotype female calves was accomplished at the Annual General Meeting on June 20. All voters (members in attendance and proxy) were validated by the secretary and registrar as being current members of the ADCA prior to the vote and tally. After a very good discussion on the floor, the vote totals, as tallied by the registrar, the secretary and four (4) atlarge members in attendance, were as follows: In attendance YES 41 NO 12 Proxy ballots YES 112 NO 17 TOTAL YES 153 (84%) NO 29 (16%) Accordingly, the new registration requirements will begin Jan. 1, As a reminder, these new registration requirements are: All females, born on or after Jan. 1, 2016, must have a genotype on file at an approved lab prior to registration. Bull calves born on or after Jan. 1, 2016, are required to be genotyped and sire-qualified prior to registration (no change, this is what we do now). The offspring of all 2016 calves (and all offspring thereafter) must have a genotype with parentage verification on file at an approved lab (with their genotype reports residing at the same lab as the reports of both their sire and dam). Steers are exempt from these genotyping requirements. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, the members of the American Dexter Cattle Association, for your engagement and active participation in this process. I firmly believe that your affirmative action on this issue will offer multiple, long-term benefits to our wonderful breed. Jim Woehl, President Changes to the AI Bull Advertiser Requirements During the Board of Directors meeting at the Annual General Meeting, the ADCA Board of Directors adopted additional requirements for those who wish to advertise artificial insemination (AI) bulls on the ADCA website. Effective Jan. 1, 2016, in order for AI bulls to be on the ADCA Artificial Insemination Bull Index website, two additional requirements will become standard: Bulls must have a genotype on file at both Texas A&M and the University of California, Davis (UC-Davis). Both the bull s case number (UC-Davis) and accession number (Texas A&M) must be listed. This service is still offered at no charge to members who wish to offer straws for sale to other members. ADCA Code of Ethics As a member of the American Dexter Cattle Association, I agree that I will: Not knowingly make any untruthful statement in submitting applications for registry and not register animals of questionable parentage. Not neglect or mistreat my animal(s), but, on the contrary, at all times safeguard and further its/their well-being. Not transfer any animal to a party who I feel will not conscientiously look after its health, safety and well-being or may exploit or degrade or otherwise act to the detriment of the breed of animal. Only breed animals that I know to be in good condition and health. Represent my animals honestly to prospective buyers and give such advice or assistance to the buyer as may be reasonably requested. Keep on the alert for and work diligently to control potentially adverse effects of known genetically inherited conditions by educating prospective buyers regarding the implications associated with the presence of these conditions in a breeding program. So act in my breeding practice and in dealings with others as to protect and improve the good standing and reputation of the breed and of the association.

8 PAGE 8 Committee Reports BYLAWS & STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES COMMITTEE The committee had no action items this year. We served only in an advisory capacity for the board, most recently advising on the proper use of the proxy vote for the Annual General Meeting. David Jones EDUCATION COMMITTEE Developed mission statement and goals Mission statement was approved by the board in 2014 during the September conference call and published in the Fall 2014 Bulletin. Created Education Page for ADCA website Single-page source for documentation and information. Documents and source links will be added as more information is organized and formatted. Developed consistent look for all official ADCA educational documents Those documents that are (or were) created specifically by and for ADCA members have been moved into a template format with a consistent and cohesive look. Labeled as information sheets, they can be printed and shared with potential members and used by current members as reference tools. Began publishing articles, documents and videos for both the Bulletin and the website. This will be an ongoing, never-ending part of the committee function. Determined educational topics for AGM seminars and helped arrange speakers. Vicki Jones NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE Region 9 One nominee received: Chad Williams (8) elected by acclamation Christmas in August Want to purchase ADCA logo merchandise at a substantial discount? We are having a close-out sale of the items listed on the online store. Check out the great deals on the ADCA website! Region 12 Two nominees received: Jim Twiebwasser (1) and Terry Sprague (3). Election held Nov. 1, 2014, at the home of Rick Seydel. Three members attended: Rick Seydel, Marilyn Duke, and Macheal Seydel. Rick Seydel called the meeting to order. Recording secretary was Macheal Seydel, and the ballot counter was Marilyn Duke. Terry Sprague received 29 votes, and Jim Triebwasser received 11 votes. Three ballots were invalid due to no membership number entered on the ballot. Nominees were called by Rick Seydel with the election outcome. Welcome, Terry Sprague. Roberta Wieringa MARKETING & ADVERTISING COMMITTEE Activities included: Revised the STANDARD Operating procedure for Request of Funds to better account for use of funds. This program has been quite successful and popular among ADCA members. It has proven to be an excellent exposure for the ADCA and promotion of Dexter cattle. The Marketing & Advertising Committee is initiating a Dexter Products tab on the website. Does your farm produce items from your Dexters? Do you make a product that would appeal to Dexter owners? The ADCA Board of Directors voted to provide a free link to ADCA members who make products for/from Dexter Cattle. If you feel you have something to offer, please send the information and link to becky@pettfarm.com. Under the guidance of Norm Hoover, we are soliciting corporate sponsorships to offset many costs of holding the Annual General Meeting. Any member who has a contact with a company that would be associated with farming, livestock, etc., is encouraged to contact the M&A Committee. Located many ADCA contact information listings that had been initiated by Chuck Daggett. These printed listings were undocumented and all contained outdated ADCA contact information. If any member comes across an old listing, please contact the M&A Committee. Currently revising the ADCA brochure. The format will not change, but the text will be updated to parallel the information as it is found on the ADCA website. We will be refreshing the photos as well. Currently drafting an outline for a new column to appear in the Bulletin, and possibly on the website, titled Meet a Breeder. This will be an interview-styled article to highlight ADCA breeders from all over the country. Becky Petteway SHOW & SALE COMMITTEE During the past year there hasn t been any action by this committee. However, looking to the balance of this year, there have been some items brought up in getting ready for this Annual General Meeting (AGM). I will be getting with the committee to address the following before the 2016 AGM. Show classes do the current ones work nationwide? Sale ratio of females to males 3:1 Has always been stated that a breeder could buddy up with another in order to meet this rule. This hasn t been done or enforced. Will look to see if the ratio is doable or possibly a 2:1. Looking for suggestions. Work on a standard form to be filled out for sale animals. Want to work with Jill and Ray Delaney to see if information from the online pedigree could be pulled into a standard form. This could make putting together the sale catalog easier if everything was in the same format. Roberta Wieringa WEBSITE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE Ray Delaney, ADCA Web Developer ADCA Education Section Development Worked on the ADCA education section of the site, putting together an entire new website for the Education Committee; the educational site went live 5/22/2015. Installed first tier/index html pages and titles. Installed and uploading PDF subdocuments, including file and document infrastructure.

9 Brightening and installing vet videos Creating index tabs for both the ADCA index page and the educational pages (the educational yellow tartan banner was created by Lesa Reid). Financial Sale advertisements from 2014 AGM to 2015 AGM, created 56 member forsale advertisements $1,680 Annual breeder directory banner display approximately 30 member banners created and listed $1,500 Total financial: $3,180 Dexter Pedigree Photographs Creating, optimizing uploading member photographs, approximately 25 per month. General ADCA Development Cleaning the ADCA web server, arranging and archiving files into appropriate folders. Assisting the ADCA registrar and Centric Software when installing modified scripts and patches. Creating FTP connections. Backing up and zipping database files. Reinstalling files, etc. ADCA Most Visited Pages (Annually) ADCA pedigree page ADCA member list ADCA for sale page ADCA breeder directory banners ADCA AI bull page Average site visits per month 6,000, with a high of 9,000 in May Countries Visiting the ADCA Site United States Australia Japan Germany Canada Italy United Kingdom South Africa Ireland Pat Mitchell YOUTH COMMITTEE This has been a year of growth and change for the ADCA Youth Committee. Steve Albritton stepped down as Region 8 director in December 2014, leaving his position as Youth Committee co-chair also vacant. Lesa Reid accepted an appointment to both Region 8 director and Youth Committee co-chair. From January 2015 through May 2015: Chris Odom Memorial Award applications were updated for Minor editorial and illustrative improvements were made. Chris Odom Memorial Award applications were collected from applicants and scored by committee members, a winner was certified, and all applicants were contacted and thanked for their participation. The non-winning applicants were sent a package containing a letter of commendation and an Ultra- Cruz Livestock Foaming Shampoo set that was donated by Elissa Emmons- Sawyer s employer, Santa Cruz Animal Health. Elissa and Mark Sawyer personally paid for the shipping of these items. Plans were made to recognize the winning applicants at the 2015 Annual General Meeting. Several members stepped down from their positions as committee members. Several ADCA members were contacted and agreed to serve on the Youth Committee. Preparations have begun for writing committee standard operating procedures, a mission statement, goals and objectives. Lesa Reid SECRETARIAL REPORT Developed a secretarial SOP timeline. Completed two membership postcard mailings. Dues notification. Obligate status report. Mailed membership 2015 AGM proxy ballots (re: required genotyping of Dexter females calved after 12/31/15). Mailed out 1,500 ADCA promotional brochures in Completed mailings for Region 9 and 12 director elections. Notification for candidate nominations. Proxy election ballots. Election schedule for 2015 Regions 1, 2, 4 and 11 Nomination letters mailed out Aug. 10. Nominations must be received by Sept. 7. Regional meeting date, ballot and candidate statements mailed out on Oct. 5. Proxy ballot deadline is Oct. 30. Regional election meeting to be held between Oct and Nov 30. Results to be published on ADCA website by ADCA vice president following verification of regional election meeting (s). Elected directors will take office Jan. 1, Carol Ann Traynor PAGE 9 Lotion and Lip Balm: Lesa s Labor of Love Knoxville, Tenn., TV channel WBIR recently featured ADCA Region 8 Director Lesa Reid in its nightly news and on its website, WBIR.com. Its focus? An organic dry skin lotion Lesa developed initially to heal the udder of her milk cow Moo. As she explained to WBIR reporter Emily Stroud, the product also works on people. After Lesa and her husband Haden purchased acreage in the hills of east Tennessee about a decade ago, they began breeding and raising Dexters including a milk cow named Moo. When Lesa realized Moo s teats were getting dry and cracked, she began searching for a product that would soothe and soften them and would also be safe for a nursing calf. She found one at a local co-op and came up with a similar concoction. It worked wonderfullynot only on Moo s udder, but also on Lesa s hands. So, she set up space in her kitchen and began producing her creation, called the Udderly Smoooooth Lotion Bar, as well as a lip balm with the same basic ingredients. Her business began to grow. In the article and news spot, Lesa also put in a plug for Dexter cattle and the ADCA logo is displayed prominently on the apron she wore for her interview. Check them out at wbir.com/story/news/2015/04/28/ kirkhaven-farm-organic-lotion-andlipbalm/ /.

10 PAGE 10 ADCA Financial Statement Year 2014 Description Amount Funds Account Balance - Beg 170, Revenues Dues - Membership 27, Registrations 32, Registrations - Late 9, Registrations - Steers Registration Certificate Replacement Transfer Fees 32, AGM Fundraising Proceeds - White Dexter 9, AGM Meal & General Proceeds 17, AGM Sale Proceeds 30, Genetics Testing Revenue 66, Advertising Revenues - Bulletin Advertising Revenues - Membership Book Advertising Revenues - Web Site 3, Promotional Item Sales Interest Income Overpaid Fees Total Revenues 233, Expenses Advertising - Banners 1, Advertising - Fairs 4, Advertising - Magazines 1, AGM - General Exp 24, AGM - Sale Cattle payout exp 29, Bank Charges - Returned Checks Donations - Chris Odom Memorial Award 1, Franchise Tax Fee Genetics Testing Exp 68, Insurance - Directors 1, Insurance - Show & Sale 1, Meetings - Shows HLSR Postage 13, Pay Pal Transaction Fees - Charge cards 1, Professional Fees - Corporate Agent Professional Fees - Online Pedigree 1, Professional Fees - Software Professional Fees - Web Host Publications - Bulletin 17, Stipend - Bulletin 2, Stipend - Registrar Monthly 29, Stipend - Secretary 4, Stipend - Treasurer 7, Stipend - Travel Allowances AGM 4, Stipend - Webmaster 2, Storage Exp Supplies 4, Telephone Exp 1, Total Expenses 225, Total Revenue Over (Under) Expenses 7, Funds Account Balance - End 178,538.27

11 PAGE 11 At the Annual General Meeting in June, the ADCA presented its Talisman Award to James W. Smith, the organization s treasurer for well over a decade. This prestigious honor is bestowed each year on a member who has promoted the Dexter breed with tireless passion and integrity a description that fits Jim perfectly. Read his autobiography below. My known row crop farming and livestock heritage (cattle and hogs) began some 90 years prior to my birth. So, I guess we could say I came by it naturally. I was born to a farm in the boot heel of Missouri, where we raised cotton, corn, wheat, soybeans, alfalfa, hogs and wintered steers. I learned to fence at an early age, putting up and taking down woven wire topped with barbed wire every fall and spring around 40 to 80 acres of corn fields. So much for the early days. They were followed by college and many years as controller of various manufacturing businesses in several big cities and states. We relocated to Springfield, Mo., in the summer of My father passed away in 2001, after which the farm life started pulling me back to it. In April 2002 we purchased our first three Dexters, and a few weeks later in May our first calf, a heifer, was born. This while I was still trying to buy a small acreage farm and move the cattle out of John Foley s pasture. We accomplished getting the farm purchased. The cattle moved to the farm one year before we did. I joined ADCA and the Missouri Dexter Breeders Association in April 2002, and by 2003 I was voted treasurer of MDBA. I held this position until 2004, when I was drafted and voted as the ADCA treasurer. I am proud to still be serving as AD- CA treasurer. With the enjoyment of raising cattle, my wife Linda and Dexter friends have helped see me through several family tragedies. We started with three Dexters and five acres, which grew to 50 for a few years on many rented acres. Now we have been fortunate to have settled on 95 acres, where we run about 25 Dexter cows and a few commercial cows. Linda I look forward to more time to enjoy our retired cattle and continuing as ADCA treasurer. last December, and I have plans to retire at the end of October. I look forward to more time to enjoy our cattle and continuing as the ADCA treasurer Chris Odom Memorial Award Winners Hanna McClain Texarkana, Ark. Senior Exhibitor of the Year My name is Hanna McClain. I am sixteen years old and in the eleventh grade. Back in 2009, my grandparents bought their first three Dexter cows. They purchased their first bull, Patriot, in One of the cows was pregnant when they bought her and, in January of 2010, she had a little red bull call named Abram. I showed him that autumn in our local county fair and won first place. I also showed him in the 2011 ADCA national show and won fourth place. Since then, I have shown many other Dexters and plan to show even more. Showing Dexters has taught me a lot. The animals themselves have taught me that they each have an individual personality and deserve to be treated in a way corresponding with that personality. I have learned how to train and show a calf, as well as responsibility, hard work, and patience. I have also learned fundamental things such as how to give a cow a shot, how to give it medicine, and how to tattoo its ear. What I love most about Dexters is their congeniality and their hilarious personalities. Every cow in our herd has a different personality. Our herd bull, Abram, is a big baby, but he acts mean and tough. The calf I am training right now, Queen Esther, is really sweet and loves to lick me. Queen is also the first calf for which I have had complete responsibility because she is at my house instead of my grandparents house. Having complete responsibility for this calf has made me love the breed even more. Dexters are a smaller breed of cattle, but they are not miniature. They are an excellent choice for a rancher who owns a small amount of land. They are strong and stocky and can be used as oxen. They can also be used as milk cows and their milk is good and rich. Dexters can be used as beef and their meat has a wonderful flavor and is low in fat. The general personality of the Dexter is unique. They are naturally curious and gentle and they care about each other and every member of the herd. They are very easygoing, which makes them good show animals for young children and for beginners in the show business. Showing Dexters has given me a chance to be with one of my favorite animals. I do want to continue working with Dexters when I become an adult. I would like to run a small ranch so that my future children can show cattle as well. I want to give them the same opportunities I had and let them be involved with Dexters as I have. For my entire life, I have loved animals and showing Dexters has given me a chance to be with one of my favorite animals. Showing Dexters has also allowed me to meet many wonderful people and to go to many exciting places. Besides showing cattle for fun, I have also been involved in showing cattle to earn money for college so that I can

12 PAGE 12 become a veterinarian. I feel that I deserve the Chris Odom Award as Junior Exhibitor of the Year because I am a member of the Fouke, Arkansas High School FFA, and a member of the show team, and for the past four years, I have traveled throughout the state showing and telling everyone I meet about Dexters. May God bless you for giving me this great opportunity. Thank you. Delaney Corter Cushing, Okla. Junior Exhibitor of the Year I first learned about Dexter cattle when I was 6 years old. My brother had won a Dexter from the Oklahoma Dexter Cattle Association. Her name was Bella. I saw him work with her to get her ready to be able to show at the county fair. He had a hard time in the beginning but he got better and better. I started helping him feed and water Bella. I wanted to get a Dexter but I was too young, so I did a bucket calf instead. It was hard to break my calf to show but I did it with help from my brother. I showed it at the county fair and won a trophy. I told my parents AGAIN that I wanted a Dexter. They said that I need to wait a little longer but I could have another bucket calf. After my second time doing the bucket calf I asked them if I could show a Dexter and they said yes. I was so happy! I got to help my brother show some of his Dexters at the Tulsa State Fair. My first time I showed Frita. I was really nervous about it. But I went into the ring and did the best I could. I got third with her. I was upset that I didn t win but I impressed myself that I didn t give up when she took off running in the ring. I stopped her myself. From then on, I was hooked on showing Dexters. I have learned a lot about Dexters. I know about the long legged and short legged Dexters. I know all about the different colors they can be (black, dun and red). I also have learned that they can have horns or be polled. Some of our Dexters have had horns but we de-horn them. I also know that Dexters are good for milking and for their beef. We butchered a few over the years for our own family. It made me sad but I like the taste of the meat. I tell people about the Dexters when we are at shows, 4-H events, and petting zoos. People seem to really like them. I have to always explain that they are not babies or miniature cattle. I have shown Dexters now for three years at the Tulsa State Fair, Missouri Show, and the National Dexter Show. I have even been asked to show for other people. I have won different awards now that I m showing. I won Junior Showmanship this past year when I showed at Oklahoma Youth Expo. I hope one day to be able to compete against my brother and beat him in showmanship. One of my favorite things about Dexters is that they are small. It makes it easier for me to be able to handle them in the show ring. I m not as nervous with them as I would be with a bigger cattle breed. When I grow up I hope to have my own herd of Dexters. I will raise them for their beef and milk. I want to be able to milk them and use it for my family. I also plan to learn how to make butter, cheese, yogurt and ice cream. Maybe I could even sell my products at a local grocery store. I also want to learn to make other products from the milk. I have used lotion and other body products that contain Dexter milk and I love them. This past summer I went to show camp for the first time. I learned how to properly wash, dry and fit my Dexter cattle for shows. Now I will be able to help my brother get the cattle ready for the show ring. I want to learn more and be better at it, so I m going back again this year. Last year, I bought my own Dexter with my own money. This past year one of my good friends, Molly Allen, was awarded a Dexter heifer from the Oklahoma Dexter program. I told her a lot about my Dexters and that got her to want one. She filled out the forms and turned everything in and she won a heifer! I was very happy for her. We have now shown at several shows together. It s exciting to have a friend with me at shows and other events. Last year, I bought my own Dexter with my own money. Her name is Shorty s Sugar and she is a short legged heifer. I showed her at the AGM last year and got 3 rd with her. She will be calving soon and I hope that she gives me another short legged calf for my herd. I m excited to finally be able to own a short leg and make my Dexter herd bigger. Since Dexters have come into my life, they have made me feel more confident about myself. I used to be made fun of for being little and now I don t care that I m little. I can show cattle like anyone else. I have now shown Dexters at OYE for the past two years. The first year, everyone was asking what kind of cattle do we have and I kept telling they were Dexters. They had lots of questions that I answered. This year we went back and people remembered us. In fact, we had people come and find us to show people our Dexter cattle. I m so proud of them! I won Reserve Breed Champion at OYE and beat my brother with my heifer. But this year, he beat me and received Reserve Breed Champion. I was happy for him. Now, we have made a pact that we are going back next year to OYE and we are going to win Grand Champion AND Reserve Grand Champion. We don t care who wins what, we just went to win them the same year together. I feel like I deserve the Chris Odom Memorial Award as Junior Exhibitor of the Year because I have been working hard with Dexters since I was only six years old. I have shown for my brother, myself and other people. I have educated people about Dexters and why I love them, and why they should fall in love with them too! I continue to take my Dexters to petting zoos, drive thru living nativity scenes and 4-H events. I also give speeches and demonstrations about Dexters not only to other 4-H members but to people in my community. I want to continue to introduce people to this wonderful breed of cattle.

13 PAGE 13 Vet s Corner by Jeff Collins, DVM Another Lame Article Due to some recent requests for an article on foot care, I decided to revise the Vet s Corner article from Lameness in cattle is a pretty generic term used for any type of condition that renders a bovine unable to walk normally. It can be as minor as a bruised muscle to as serious as a bone fracture or irreparable ligament damage. Assessing the mobility of your critters and knowing what is and what isn t an emergency can be difficult. A lame breeding bull this time of year, for example, is an emergency, as it can affect his ability and desire to mount a cow. This would be detrimental both to his health and your calving season next year. If your lame critter is completely non-weight bearing on one limb, it definitely needs attention. One way to assess which limb is affected is to watch their head while they walk. Remember, Down on Sound, as their head will bob down when they re bearing weight on the sound limb, but will bob up when they put weight on the lame limb in an effort to take weight off the sore limb. This is most pronounced on the forelimbs. Also, look for swelling in the leg or around the foot. A swollen leg could mean muscle sprain, ligament damage, fracture, abscess or a joint infection. Cruciate ligament tears (in the stifle joint) have a bad prognosis due to the inability to repair a torn ligament, and these cows will gradually lose condition as it affects their ability to get around. Fractures are only repairable on cattle less than 500 lbs. due to the difficulty of properly stabilizing the leg on a larger animal. Lower leg breaks can be casted, while upper leg (above knee and hock) breaks need to be splinted. Swelling around the foot could mean foot rot, toe abscess or even a foreign object (wrapped wire, nail, etc.). Foot rot needs to be treated with antibiotics, while an abscess would need to be opened up and drained. Buckling of one or both of the rear legs at the point of the fetlock usually means nerve trauma in the pelvis or spine. It s usually caused by a difficult calving or sometimes from being rode by a heavy bull or a fellow herd-mate. Hairy-heel warts (aka strawberry warts) usually show up between the claws on the heel and are very painful. Cows usually will walk on the tips of the affected foot to avoid putting weight on the heel. Footbaths or foot-wraps are necessary to kill the warts. Usually warts only show up in dairy facilities but will find their way into beef cattle that are housed in an old dairy barn or in a place where there s a lot of yearround moisture. One way to assess which limb is affected is to watch their head while they walk. Laminitis is caused by an overindulgence of grain. The resulting acidosis inflames the laminae which hold the coffin bone to the claw. This becomes very painful and can involve all four feet. Toe abscesses can also result from the damage done by the laminitis to the bottom of the foot. There are a few inherited foot problems to watch out for. Long claws or corkscrew claws can be inherited, especially if more than one foot is involved. They can also be due to diet (long claws) or previous foot injury (corkscrew claws). Cows with these type of feet can still live long lives but may require yearly hoof trimming. Long claws have a tendency of breaking off on their own which often times tears into the laminae, or they force the animal to put excess weight on the back of the foot, leading to abscesses or coffin bone rotation. Curled corkscrew claws will rotate the coffin bone sideways, causing the animal to walk on the side of her foot. This can cause lameness due to the pain itself or the resulting abscess that it produces. Vertical hoof cracks (aka sand cracks) are more evident in cattle living in the more arid, sandy areas, but there is also a genetic factor to them as well. Again, there s usually more than one foot involved in an inherited trait. Cracks can lead down to an abscess and are quite painful. They need to be cleaned out and filled with hoof glue to stabilize the hoof wall. Being aware of the most common foot and leg ailments can prove helpful in speeding the recovery of your animal. An injection of antibiotics definitely doesn t cover all the possible issues with feet and leg problems, so if there s any question consult your veterinarian or local hoof trimmer. Happy feet lead to happy cows! Hope your summer isn t a lame one! Beef Cattle Handling Facilities PURPOSES OF HANDLING FACILITIES Good cattle handling facilities are necessary for all cattle operations, regardless of the number of cattle. Cattle handling facilities are used to restrain individual animals during management practices (vaccinations, health treatments, pregnancy diagnosis, etc.). Good facilities help cattle handlers collect performance data, which is critical to herd genetic improvement and marketing efforts. These facilities can be as rudimentary as a rope used to restrain a calf in an open pasture or as complex as a transportable set of pens and hydraulic chute. There are several important issues to consider when developing new, or renovating existing, animal handling facilities. The most important consideration is the intended uses or objectives. Consider whether the facility will be used to handle 30 cows and calves just a few times per year or to process truckloads of stockers each week. Efficiency refers to the number of animals that can be worked over a given amount of time and should be balanced with cost and safety. Very basic, well-designed and maintained handling facilities are usually sufficient for the average cowcalf production unit in Mississippi and are often the most cost-effective. COMPONENTS OF HANDLING FACILITIES Catch Pens Most cattle handling facilities consist of a pen, or set of pens, to gather the cattle in before working them. The catch pen(s) can also serve as a place to preliminarily sort cattle into management

14 PAGE 14 groups. Gates can be used to segment the catch pens to allow for sorting cattle into groups. Ideally, each pasture on the operation should be in reasonable proximity to a catch pen. Lane Systems Pasture lane systems can make it easier to move cattle to and from pastures and catch pens. They are sometimes referred to as collection alleys. Lanes connect catch pens and paddock exits to the crowding pens of cattle handling facilities. They are essentially alleys in between fence lines for cattle and vehicles. Gates can be used to block particular lanes at intersections to prevent cattle from moving in an undesired direction. Lanes should be 10 to 16 feet wide. This allows for a tractor to fit through the lanes but is not enough space for cattle to run past handlers. Adding curvature to a lane system may discourage cattle balking because they are not able to see the pens ahead until they get very close to them. Crowding Pen From the catch, sorting, or holding pens, a main lane should lead to the crowding pen where cattle line up to move single-file through an alley. The crowding pen is also known as a sweep tub. The circular design of a sweep tub allows cattle to use their natural instinct to follow each other while limiting their vision of potential obstacles or distractions ahead. A circular (quarter or half circle) or funnel shape is the recommended design for a crowding pen. Where the crowding pen enters the alley, slant one side at a 30-degree angle. It is not recommended to angle both sides, though. Crowding pens typically have a gate that swings around behind the cattle to guide them single-file into the working alley. Gate stops at set intervals allow the sweep gate to be held securely in place against cattle pushing back against it. The handler is able to push from behind the gate and use the selflatching gate stops to protect against the gate being opened backward without the handler deliberately releasing the gate stops. A solid sweep tub gate and side panels are strongly recommended both for safety and to shield the cattle from viewing any distractions outside the pen. Alley After the crowding tub, cattle enter an alley or chute, which leads to a chute section where individual animals are restrained. A curved alley maintains flow because cattle see only the animal directly in front of them and naturally follow. Having solid sides on alleys ensures that movement outside of the alley does not cause cattle to balk or slow their forward movement. The working alley should be at least 20 feet long to avoid delays in efficiently moving cattle. The width of this alley varies depending on the size of the cattle being processed. It should be wide enough for cattle to move forward without much resistance but not wide enough for them to turn around. A good width for calves is 18 inches, but this will not accommodate larger cattle. Some commercially available working alleys are adjustable. However, it might be more cost-effective to build a 22- to 26-inch-wide working alley and hang spacers over the sides when working smaller calves. Alley backstops are used to, as the name implies, keep cattle from backing up as they move down the alley. These devices usually are made of pipe and hinged to the top alley brace so that they move up as the cattle go under them but then fall back down below hip level after cattle move past. They are typically adjustable to facilitate handling cattle of various heights. If backstops are used, place them in strategic locations within the alley to make handling more efficient. Improperly used, backstops may contribute to unnecessary bruising of the backs and rumps of cattle. Many additions are available that will improve the speed and efficiency of basic cattle handling facility components such as alleys. For example, a catwalk along the outside of the alley leading up to the squeeze chute enables handlers to position themselves above the cattle to keep cattle flowing down a solid-sided alley, read ear tags in advance, and apply pour-on products. Climbing up and down a catwalk all day can be tiring. Be sure to provide sturdy steps or rungs to ease the climb to and from the catwalk. Make sure it is wide enough (at least 18 inches wide) to be safe but low enough that handlers can reach over it easily if cattle only need light prodding. Locate the catwalk 36 to 42 inches below the top of the alley. Also, ensure that the surface of the catwalk provides adequate traction to prevent slipping while walking on it. For example, building the catwalk from expanded metal provides traction and allows debris to fall through to the ground. A double-loading alley provides two single-file lines of cattle ready to be loaded into a common squeeze chute. Having two alleys maintains constant flow at the chute because cattle are ready on one side even if the other side is vacant. Due to higher initial costs, a double-loading alley is most appropriate for facilities that handle large numbers of cattle year-round (marketing facilities, large stocker operations, and large feedlots). Slider Gates Slider gates in alleys act similarly to backstops by keeping cattle from backing up. They are very effective at staging individuals for maintained flow, but they are usually manually operated and require attention from a handler. They are most effectively used at the back of permanent scales or between the chute and palpation cage. Use care when operating sliding gates to avoid being struck by a gate in motion. Crowding pen Curved, solid-sided alley Backstop in alley

15 Squeeze Chute A squeeze chute with a head catch ensures safety for both cattle and handler. The head catch keeps the animal from backing up and allows access to the head and neck. Squeezing the sides of the chute limits movement of the cattle while they are being worked. It also provides a calming effect for the cattle and makes them feel more secure, leading to decreased movement. Squeeze chutes vary in design but often allow an animal to exit the chute not only from forward movement but also to the side via a hinged side panel if needed. Squeeze chutes have multiple levers or pulls that function to open, close, and squeeze different parts of the chute. This allows one person to operate the squeeze chute while other handlers move cattle into the chute. Chutes without the body squeeze function but with a head squeeze and removable sides are available for grooming or fitting cattle. Although producers commonly build many other components of cattle handling facilities, squeeze chutes are almost always purchased from a selection of commercially available products. The more involved designs and features of squeeze chutes means that more moving parts must interact in this particular component of cattle handling facilities. Because of this, it is generally more practical and preferable to buy a readyto-use squeeze chute than to try to build one. Commercial squeeze chutes effectively restrain cattle, improve processing efficiency, and increase overall safety. One of the most important considerations in buying or building a working chute is the ability to give all injections in the neck. Make sure that this can be done quickly and, most importantly, in a way that does not put the handler s arm in danger of being injured. Palpation Cage A palpation cage is an extension of the squeeze chute with a door that swings across the alley. It allows easy and safe access to the rear of cattle restrained in the squeeze chute. It is especially important for cow-calf operations where pregnancy diagnosis and other reproductive management techniques are frequently used. Sorting Pens Having sorting pens situated in front of the working chute decreases labor by allowing cattle to be individually directed to the appropriate management group. Sorting pens are sometimes called holding pens because they are designed to hold cattle before and after processing through the chute. If cattle are not to be worked immediately, holding pens need sources of drinking water for cattle and additional space. The number of cattle that will comfortably fit in a pen is based on the width and length of the pen and the size of the cattle. In general, cattle need 14 to 20 square feet of space each (see Table 1). Pen areas should be roughly tripled when holding animals for extended periods, such as overnight. Table 2 presents example holding pen dimensions to provide 20 square feet of space per animal. Set up pens off of a lane leaving the chute so that the cattle can be sorted immediately after processing. Make sure the gates hinge on the proper side so they will swing in the desired direction to move cattle directly into pens. The number and sizes of sorting pens needed depends on the number and sizes of cattle to be handled. Larger operations may need more sorting pens than smaller operations. PAGE 15 Flooring Flooring is a design issue that is often overlooked but can create safety issues for both cattle and handlers if not done correctly. Dirt floors are the most common, but in certain environments, dirt floors readily become dusty or muddy. Mud can harbor infectious diseases, and dust can aggravate the respiratory system, both leading to an increased incidence of disease. Concrete flooring is a good alternative to dirt floors but must be textured to reduce slipping. Cattle that slip on smooth concrete flooring can be severely injured and pose an injury risk to the people handling them. Concrete can be textured as it is poured or after it is poured. Planning ahead will save money and time because it is easier and cheaper to texture concrete while it is being poured. It is also useful to place non-slip mats in key areas, such as in front of the chute exit, to improve cattle traction. Mats should be heavy enough not to slide or fold readily as cattle trample over them. Textured, heavy-duty rubber mats are easy to clean and provide a durable, non-slip surface that can be moved to various flooring areas as needed. Loading Ramps Loading and unloading ramps are used to move cattle from ground-based handling facilities to trailers for transportation and vice versa. They can be permanent or portable. Ramp heights may need to differ depending on the type of trailers used. Maintaining loading ramps of different heights or an adjustable-height loading ramp can facilitate a variety of transportation options. If tractor-trailers are to be unloaded,

16 PAGE 16 these ramps should be single file (30 inches for mature cattle) to accommodate the 30-inch-wide rear doors standard on most U.S. tractor-trailers. Ramps can be narrowed to less than 30 inches when only calves will be handled. To avoid cattle striking the sides of the trailer during loading, ramps should not be wider than the trailer opening. Selfaligning dock bumpers and telescoping ramp panels are useful for blocking gaps from misaligned trucks. Injuries can occur if unloading ramps are too steep. Target a loading ramp height of 20 degrees for permanent ramps and 25 degrees for adjustable ramps. Grooved stair steps are recommended for concrete ramps. Design steps to be 4 inches high and 12 inches deep. Table 3 outlines recommended loading chute dimensions. Working Tables Working tables next to the squeeze chute and head gate where cattle are restrained are useful for organizing supplies. Tables provide a surface for preparing animal health products to administer, marking ear tags, writing down records, and completing other organizational tasks that take place during cattle handling. Use tables with drawers or cabinets to store extra supplies that might be needed during a cattle handling event. Be sure to return any supplies that need temperaturecontrolled or locked storage to appropriate locations after cattle handling is completed. Utilities Incorporating utilities such as electricity and water into cattle handling facilities can greatly increase their functionality. Electricity can be used to provide lighting to extend effective cattle handling hours and improve visibility. Electronic scales, clippers, and ultrasound machines are just some of the devices that may need electricity sources on site. Battery-powered devices can be an option, as well, but have limited battery life before needing recharging. Fresh water supplies at cattle handling facilities are useful for cleaning the facilities and supplying penned cattle with water during extended stays or hot periods. Scales Capturing cattle weight is important for herd performance programs, genetic improvement efforts, nutritional management, and animal health product dosing. Integrating scales into the alley improves efficiency by letting a handler record cattle weights while other handlers are performing management practices in the squeeze chute. This can be accomplished by using permanent scales behind the chute, load bars under the chute, or portable weigh pans placed in the alley floor. Fences Fences provide the boundaries of pens and paddocks. Fencing construction and management recommendations are provided in Mississippi State University Extension Service Publication 2538 Livestock Fencing Systems for Pasture Management. FACILITY DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS Size and space requirements for cattle handling facilities vary depending upon the size of cattle to be handled. Table 4 presents general size and space recommendations for various components of cattle handling facilities. Cattle handling facility location should consider existing or planned fence placement, site drainage, proximity to neighbors (for courtesy and privacy reasons), proximity to utilities, ease of access by vehicles and from pastures, and amount of acreage and cattle capacity served. In some situations, multiple cattle handling sites are needed on one operation to efficiently and effectively accommodate cattle volume and pasture layout. Select a site that will accommodate possible future expansion needs. Although most cattle handling facilities are fixed in their location, it is possible to use portable facilities. Portable corral systems come in a variety of designs and can be assembled, disassembled, and relocated as needed. Sections can be added or removed to create different configurations and dimensions. If portable facilities are not of sufficient gauge materials and adequately secured to the ground, then large or excitable cattle may be able to bend or move the facilities. Consider attaching portable facility components to permanent posts to provide additional stability to the structure. Many amenities can be added to a handling facility to improve flow and increase efficiency. However, most require extra investment and might not be justified for the original objectives. Again, assess the intended uses of the facilities. Consider factors such as the need to have cattle near handling facilities during calving seasons and the need to have tractor-trailer access to facilities for loading and unloading. Also, determine how the location and design of facilities will fit with biosecurity plans. Locating handling facilities inside a permanent barn or portable structure allows producers to work cattle during inclement weather and ensures that management practices are performed in a timely and low-stress

17 manner. If a permanent barn structure is used, incorporate skylights to improve visibility and safety while decreasing lighting requirements during daylight hours. Use a single color in handling facilities to minimize cattle balking at color contrasts. Do not paint facilities black or another very dark color because these will absorb too much heat. Also, avoid using white or very light colors that will reflect too much light. Manage lighting to avoid stark contrasts, shadows, and glares. Safety of the animals and handlers is the primary consideration in developing handling facilities. No matter how efficiently a facility functions, it is unacceptable if design flaws lead to injuries in handlers or animals. Design facilities to avoid protrusions or sharp edges that might cause abrasions or lacerations. Make sure gaps and openings in facility features do not lend themselves to body parts becoming trapped, which could lead to broken bones or choking. Also ensure that safety escapes for handlers are strategically located throughout the facilities. CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS Commercially available cattle handling facility components that just need incorporation into a facility layout are PAGE 17 one option for producers. Cattle operations can also construct facilities from their own designs and materials. Highway guard rails, railroad timbers, rough sawn lumber, and recycled grain bin panels are some examples of materials that can be used. Start by drawing a basic facilities layout including dimensions. Then physically measure and mark outside perimeters at the prospective construction site. Check and recheck measurements to ensure accuracy. Use flags, stakes, chalk, or paint to outline the facilities design on the site. Then adjust the location or design of the layout as appropriate before finalizing construction plans.

18 PAGE 18 Begin the construction sequence by doing any dirt work needed to raise or level the construction site. Proceed with setting the sturdy hinge post for the crowding pen gate. Then hang the crowding pen gate. Next, set the posts for the crowding pen wall using the gate as a guide. Allow adequate space for the pen panels between the gate edge and the inside edge of the posts. Finish setting all posts in the crowding pen area including the opening into the alley. Once the posts are set, a concrete slab or other surface can be applied throughout the facility. Proceed in a logical construction sequence for the rest of the main cattle handling area, holding pens, and other facilities. Work off of the crowding pen site to minimize the risk of measurement errors and the various facility components not joining together properly. FACILITIES USE Before moving cattle through a handling facility, inspect it thoroughly. Do this before the first use and also routinely before later uses. Facilities require repair and upkeep over time to remain safe, functional, and efficient. Walk the paths that cattle will walk. Make sure there are no protrusions, gaps, obstacles, damage, wear, or other features that might risk injury to cattle or handlers or cause cattle to balk. Be sure gates are securely latched where needed and adjustable components of facilities are set for the size of cattle to be worked next. Catwalks along outside of alleys Catwalks along outside of alleys Familiarize handlers with facilities features and squeeze chute operation. Use only personnel who are properly trained in cattle handling. Provide adequate oversight of cattle handling, including corrective actions as needed. For more information on facilities for beef cattle or other beef cattle production topics, contact an office of the Mississippi State University Extension Service or visit msucares.com/livestock/ beef. REFERENCES Bicudo, J. R., S. McNeill, L. Turner, R. Burris, and J. Anderson Cattle Handling Facilities: Planning, Components, and Layouts. AEN-82. University of Kentucky, Cooperative Extension Service, Lexington, KY. Borg, R., S. Tucker, and R. Smith Corrals for Handling Beef Cattle. CAN-723. Alberta Agriculture, Food, and Rural Development. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Grandin, T., and M. Deesing Meet a Breeder highlights ADCA breeders from across the country. Featured breeders: Tony and Mindy Eichelberger, Halcyon Lane Farm, Fall Creek, Wisc. How long have you owned Dexters? Since April We now have two Dexter milk cows. How did you get started in Dexters? We moved to the country in 2011 after buying an old dairy farm that had ceased to be used for dairying since the late 1980s. We wanted to give our children some more room to play outside and explore nature. Getting a family cow was not something we would have imagined ourselves doing, but two years later after starting a small poultry flock, we seriously considered getting a small cow to give us some good raw milk (which is illegal to purchase in Wisconsin). After researching and looking into all the different breeds of family milk cow, we found Dexters, and they sounded like a perfect fit, especially being firsttime cattle owners. We're learning a lot in the process and having fun talking to other enthusiastic Dexter owners. Humane Livestock Handling. Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA. Reprinted with permission from the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Squeeze chute with head catch Meet a Breeder What do you like most about your Dexters? They're tiny. We get quite a few snickers from our Holstein-owning acquaintances, but that's fine. The easy temperament and small size of the cows give us confidence in letting our older children handle and milk the cows themselves. Do you have a favorite Dexter/farm story to share? The summer with our first Dexter, Vera, we didn't have any fencing set-up and made do with just a large dog tether to get her out grazing. Her calf would just follow along nearby and sometimes wander around the pasture kicking up his heels. Well, one day when Tony was moving Vera to some fresh grazing after milking her that morning, he forgot to hook up the rope to the tether somehow. Off Tony went to work, and later that day Mindy got a call from the neighbors across the road. "One of your animals is over here..." Apparently, the neighbors were alarmed at the sight of a mama black bear and her cub near the house in the woods. When they went outside "loaded for bear," they were happily surprised to meet our friendly mama cow and calf!

19 2015 Annual General Meeting Show Results PAGE 19 SHOWMANSHIP CLASSES Peewee Showmanship (5-7 years with parent) Sponsor: Elissa & Mark Sawyer, Evening Star Dexters 1. Erin Claire Chambers, Silver Maple Dexters 2. Luke Sassenberg, Freedom Farms Junior Showmanship (8-12 years) Sponsor: Charles Townson Family 1. Haleigh Connelly, Freedom Farms 2. Chloe Sassenberg, Freedom Farms 3. Delaney Corter, 4 Corters 4. Johnny Gann, Double G Farms Youth Showmanship (13-17 years) Sponsor: Charles Townson Family 1. Skyler Gann, Double G Farms 2. Asher Corter, 4 Corters 3. Allex Gann, 4 Corters 4. Andrew Sierawski, Wieringa Dexter Farm 5. Hanna McClain, Rolling Ranch 6. Lukas McClain, Rolling Ranch 7. Kaelin Sassenberg, Freedom Farms Adult Showmanship (18 years and older) Sponsor: Carol Ann Traynor, Hi Country Achers 1. Sally Coad, Freedom Farms 2. Emily Boeve, Shamrock Acres YOUTH CLASSES Junior Heifer Calf (born 12/1/14-6/1/15) Sponsor: Chris & Vicki Jones, Moosters Meadows 1. Erin Claire Chambers, SMD Sophie Ferl 2. Kaelin Sassenberg, FF I m a Kool Kat Senior Heifer Calf (born 6/1/14-11/30/14) Sponsor: Norm & Mary Hoover, Hickory Creek Farm 1. Chloe Sassenberg, FF Blue Jean Baby 2. Johnny Gann, GG Anna 3. Hanna McClain, RRS Queen Esther Junior Yearling Heifer (born 12/1/13-5/31/14) Sponsor: Robert & Linda Habershaw 1. Erin Claire Chambers, SMD Elsa Ferl 2. Andrew Sierawski, Wieringa s Bess KG Senior Yearling Heifer (born 6/1/13-11/30/13) Sponsor: Robert & Linda Habershaw 1. Haleigh Connelly, FF Bertha 2. Allex Gann, BDE Justine 3. Johnny Gann, BDE PeaEye 4. Skyler Gann, HC Tinkerbell 5. Lukas McClain, RRS Sarah Mature Cow (born before 5/31/12) Sponsor: ADCA Region 7 1. Andrew Sierawski, Wieringa s Gretel SP 2. Kaelin Sassenberg, FF Spice Girl 3. Creig Bowland, Monkeyhand Izzy Youth Cow/Calf Pair Sponsor: Jim Countryman, Tolfree Farms 1. Andrew Sierawski, Wieringa s Gretel SP 2. Chloe Sassenberg, FF Spice Girl 3. Kaelin Sassenberg, Freedom Farm s Habanero 4. Asher Corter 2015 Grand Champion Female, Youth Division Sponsor: Steve Laffey, Laffey s Irish Animals Andrew Sierawski, Wieringa s Gretel SP 2105 Reserve Grand Champion Female, Youth Division Sponsor: Missouri Dexter Breeders Association Chloe Sassenberg, FF Blue Jean Baby Junior Bull Calf (born 12/1/14-6/1/15) Sponsor: Jim & Peggy Woehl, High Pines Dexters 1. Kaelin Sassenberg, FF Freedom s Habanero 2. Andrew Sierawski, Wieringa s Cory KG 3. Lillian Baggett, Calm Black 4. Abigail Baggett, Calm Blue 2015 Grand Champion Bull, Youth Division Kaelin Sassenberg, FF Freedom s Habanero 2015 Reserve Grand Champion Bull, Youth Division Sponsor: Kelvin & Diane Tomlinson, Wolsey Farm Andrew Sierawski, Wieringa s Cory KG Senior Steer Calf (born 6/1/14-11/30/14) Sponsor: Oklahoma Dexter Breeders Association 1. Allex Gann, GG Hershey 2. Skyler Gann, GG Gilbert 3. Haleigh Connelly, FF Bubba s Got Bling Junior Yearling Steer (born 12/1/13-5/31/14) Sponsor: ADCA Region Kaelin Sassenberg, FF Deck the Halls 2. Andrew Sierawski, Wieringa s Brock KS 3. Creig Bowland, Deep Ford Tocoa 2015 Grand Champion Steer, Youth Division Sponsor: Warren & Sally Coad, Freedom Farms Allex Gann, GG Hershey 2015 Reserve Grand Champion Steer, Youth Division Sponsor: Carl & Donna Jenkins, Country Oak Ranch Skyler Gann, GG Gilbert ADULT CLASSES Junior Heifer Calf (born 12/1/14-6/1/15) Sponsor: Chris & Vicki Jones, Moosters Meadows 1. Roberta Wieringa, Wieringa s Chelsea KO 2. Lee Wieringa, Wieringa s Celia CJ

20 PAGE Sally Coad, FF I m a Kool Kat 4. Lesa Reid, Kirkhaven I Rejoice 5. Robin Bleeker, Dbl Dutch s Jade OD 6. Pat/Emily Mitchell, Shamrock Cinderella 7. Haden Reid, Kirkhaven s Indego Morning Senior Heifer Calf (born 6/1/14-11/30/14) Sponsor: Scott & Fran Ashbrook, S&F Rolling Acres Farm 1. Roberta Wieringa, Wieringa s Bev HB 2. Sally Coad, FF Blue Jean Baby 3. Terry Sprague, Sprague s Felicity 4. Julie Riemer, Relaxo Eaden Junior Yearling Heifer (born 12/1/13-5/31/14) Sponsor: Ken & Cindy Fox 1. Melinda Chambers, SMD Anna Ferl 2. Roberta Wieringa, Wieringa s Bess KJ 3. Jeff Chambers, SMD Elsa Ferl 4. Lee Wieringa, Wieringa s Becky KO 5. Lesa Reid, Kirkhaven Lavender Posies 6. Robin Bleeker, Dbl Dutch s Family Jewels SD 7. Clem Nirosky, Morning Star Faythe 8. Kim Newswanger, Newhope Peachberry Jam 9. Pat/Emily Mitchell, Shamrock Briar Rose Senior Yearling Heifer (born 6/1/13-11/30/13) Sponsor: Terry & Mary Jane Sprague, Sprague s Irish Dexters 1. Sally Coad, FF Bertha 2. Robin Bleeker, Dbl Dutch s Abby OT 3. Kim Newswanger, ZH Tacos Tundra 4. Pat/Emily Mitchell, Shamrock Aurora Young Cow (born 6/1/12-5/31/13) Sponsor: ADCA Region 9 1. Melinda Chambers, SMD Nellie Ferl 2. Clem Nirosky, Dara Inion of Paradise Mature Cow (born before 5/31/12) Sponsor: Zippora Stahl, Stahlston Dexters 1. Roberta Wieringa, Wieringa s Oriana HG 2. Sally Coad, FF Spice Girl 3. Jeff Chambers, SMD Octavia Certus 4. Lee Wieringa, Wieringa s Gretel SP 5. Robin Bleeker, Wieringa s Dee NP 6. Lesa Reid, FF Kirkhaven Amethyst 7. Creig Bowland, Hickory Hill Priscilla 8. Pat/Emily Mitchell, Shamrock Yoko Cow/Calf Pair (no age requirement for cow; calf must not be older than six months) Sponsor: ADCA Region Roberta Wieringa, Wieringa s Oriana HG 2. Sally Coad, FF Spice Girl 3. Jeff Chambers, SMD Octavia Certus 4. Melinda Chambers, SMD Nellie Ferl 5. Robin Bleeker, Wieringa s Dee NP 6. Lee Wieringa, Wieringa s Gretel SP 7. Creig Bowland, Monkeyhand Izzy 8. Lesa Reid, FF Kirkhaven Amethyst Milking Cow (must be in milk and milkable) Sponsor: John & Becky Eterno 1. Lesa Reid, FF Kirkhaven Amethyst 2. Melinda Chambers, SMD Octavia Certus 3. Jeff Chambers, SMD Nellie Ferl 4. Emily Boeve, Shamrock Yoko 2015 Grand Champion Female, Adult Division Sponsor: Lee & Roberta Wieringa, Wieringa Dexter Farm Melinda Chambers, SMD Anna Ferl 2015 Reserve Grand Champion Female, Adult Division Sponsor: Glen & Becky Petteway, The Pett Farm Roberta Wieringa, Wieringa s Oriana HG Junior Bull Calf (born 12/1/14-6/1/15) Sponsor: ADCA Region 4 1. Sally Coad, FF Freedom s Habanero 2. Roberta Wieringa, Wieringa s Chief CA 3. Pat/Emily Mitchell, Shamrock Chief 4. Lee Wieringa, Wieringa s Cory KG 5. Creig Bowland, GF Conan Macrea Senior Bull Calf (born 6/1/14-11/30/14) Sponsor: Steve & Susan Albritton, Garland s Pride Farm) 1. Clem Nirosky, Adam One of Paradise 2. Robin Bleeker, Dbl Dutch s Romeo TT 3. Kim Newswanger, Mrald Charlie Babbitt Junior Yearling Bull (born 12/1/13-5/31/14) Sponsor: Clem & Carol Nirosky, Morning Star Farm 1. Lee Wieringa, Wieringa s Bill KH 2. Robin Bleeker, Dbl Dutch s Emmett KD Erin Claire Chambers with SMD Anna Ferl, Grand Champion Female Open Show and First-Place Junior Yearling Heifer Open Show Senior Yearling Bull (6/1/13-11/30/13) Sponsor: Steven & Cherrie Wood, Plum Creek Little Cattle 1. Terry Sprague, Sprague s Jack 2. Lesa Reid, FF Freedom s Kirkhaven

21 PAGE 21 Young Bull (born 6/1/12-5/31/13) Sponsor: Norm & Mary Hoover, Hickory Creek Farm 1. Roberta Wieringa, ESF Chuckwagon 2. Lesa Reid, Kirkhaven My Cabernet 3. Emily/Pat Mitchell, Shamrock Astro 2015 Grand Champion Bull, Adult Division Sponsor: David & Devin Jones, Bar None Dexters Roberta Wieringa, ESF Chuckwagon 2015 Reserve Grand Champion Bull, Adult Division Sponsor: Lance & Deanna Prejean, Rancho Not So Moocho Lesa Reid, Kirkhaven My Cabernet Senior Steer Calf (born 6/1/14-11/30/14) Sponsor: Texas Dexter Breeders Association 1. Sally Coad, FF Bubba s Got Bling 2. Julie Reimer, Relaxo Bartley 3. Kim Newswanger, Newhope Porterhouse Junior Yearling Steer (born 12/1/13-5/31/14) Sponsor: ADCA Region 6 1. Lee Wieringa, Wieringa s Brock KS 2. Sally Coad, FF Deck the Halls 2015 Grand Champion Steer, Adult Division Sponsor: Jim & Peggy Woehl, High Pines Dexters Lee Wieringa, Wieringa s Brock KS 2015 Reserve Grand Champion Steer, Adult Division Sponsor: Jim & Linda Smith, Whistle Ranch Sally Coad, FF Bubba s Got Bling 2015 Annual General Meeting Sale Results Cat. No. Animal Name Owner/State Sale Price ($) 1 Wieringa s Babe BK Lee & Roberta Wieringa, MI 1,700 2 RRS Sherah Hanna McClain, AR 1,050 3 Shamrock Briar Rose Pat & Linda Mitchell, MI No Sale 4 ESF Chuckwagon Lee & Roberta Wieringa, MI No Sale 5 FF I m a Kool Kat Sally & Warren Coad, TN 2,350 6 Calm s Black Tressa Baggett, GA No Sale 7 Sprague s Felicity Terry & Mary Jane Sprague, IA 1,500 8 Dbl Dutch s Romeo TT Robin Bleeker, MI 1,000 9 Wieringa s Bess KJ Lee & Roberta Wieringa, MI 2, Sprague s Jack Terry & Mary Jane Sprague, IA 1, Wieringa s Bev HB Lee & Roberta Wieringa, MI 2, Calm s Blue Tressa Baggett, GA No Sale 13 Dbl Dutch s Abby OT Robin Bleeker, MI No Sale_ $13,800 Congratulations to the AGM Photo Contest 1st-Place Winners! Individual Dexters Lesa Reid Kids with Dexters Ryan Parker Cow/Calf Pairs GailBasile Herd Shots Cherrie Wood Dexters with Scenery Kelly Laffey Milking/Working Dexters Kim Newswanger

22 PAGE 22 Minutes of the 2015 Annual General Meeting The meeting was called to order by President Jim Woehl. There were 53 verified voting members in attendance. Jim welcomed the membership and introduced the members of the Board of Directors (BOD), officers and staff present. BOD members present: Region 1 Becky Petteway **Region 2 Sandi Thomas Region 3 Becky Eterno Region 4 Vicki Jones Region 6 Norman Hoover Region 7 David Jones Region 8 Lesa Reid Region 9 Chad Williams Region 10 Pat Mitchell Region 11 Jessica Gibbons Region 12 Terry Sprague Officers and staff present: Vice President: Roberta Wieringa *Immediate Past President Pam Malcuit Secretary Carol Ann Traynor Treasurer Jim Smith Registrar Jill Delaney Region 12 Terry Sprague *Unable to attend **Available via telephone conference call Review, Discussion and Call for Approval of 2014 Annual General Meeting (AGM) Minutes President Jim Woehl called for a motion to approve the 2014 minutes as printed in the Summer ADCA Bulletin (pp. 21 & 22) and on the website. Motion was made by Warren Coad (Region 8) to approve the 2014 AGM minutes. Seconded by Steve Albritton (Region 8). Motion approved. Secretary Report (Carol Ann Traynor) A summary report and 2015 election schedule for regional directors in Regions 1, 2, 4 and 11 was presented for the membership via PowerPoint presentation. Treasurer s Report (Jim Smith) A summary report and financial review were presented for the membership via PowerPoint presentation. Registrar s Report (Jill Delaney) A summary report and review were presented for the membership via Power- Point presentation. As of the AGM, current registrations are 1, females, 311 bulls, 56 steers. Current membership is 1,191 and growing. Committee Reports Summary reports and reviews were presented for the membership via PowerPoint presentation by the following committee chair/co-chairs (PowerPoint presentations of committee reports to be printed in the Bulletin): Show & Sale Roberta Wieringa Code of Conduct/Ethics Jim Woehl Marketing & Advertising Becky Petteway Nominations & 2014 Elections Roberta Wieringa Pedigree & Genetics Chad Williams

23 Bylaws & Standard Operating Procedures David Jones Website & Technology Pat Mitchell Education Vicki Jones Youth Committee Lesa Reid OLD BUSINESS None NEW BUSINESS Jim Woehl re-read the motion made by Chad Williams and seconded by Roberta Wieringa (March 4, 2015, BOD Teleconference Call) for the mandatory genotyping of females (2015 Dexter Bulletin, Summer, p. 8). The floor was then opened for three-minute discussion periods (comments and input) from the membership. Speakers included: Region 2 Martha Strabue Region 3 Don Giles Region 4 Vicki Jones Region 6 Asher Corter Region 8 Fran Ashbrook, Donna Bateman, Bob Habershaw, Sally Coad Region 9 Ginny Williams, Gene Bowen, Charlie Masters Region 10 Pat Mitchell, Roberta Wieringa Region 12 Mike Mendenall Motion was made by Steve Albritton (Region 8) to recess the meeting for 15 minutes to allow for tabulation of both the ballots of those present at the meeting and the verified proxy ballots. Seconded by Peggy Woehl (Region 12). Motion passed. Election Tabulation Committee: Carol Ann Traynor (Secretary), Jill Delaney (Registrar), Christina Dowty (Region 4), Shawn-elyn Corter (Region 6), Robin Welch (Region 7) and Emily Mitchell- Boeve (Region 10). Meeting called back to order from recess. Vote Tally Membership in attendance 41 yea, 12 nay Proxy ballots 112 yea, 17 nay Motion carried: 153 yea, 29 nay. S.A Walkup (Region 1) moved that the ADCA form a focus/study group to address the issue of dealing with herd dispersals and the loss of herd genetics for those dealing with health/death/economic issues (use of estate planning in such issues). Motion seconded by Craig Turpin (Region 4). Becky Petteway felt the issue could be handled within the Marketing and Advertising Committee. Motion passed: yea 32, nay 9. Questions raised from the floor: Designation of central repository for all Dexter cattle testing in addition to University of California-Davis (UC- Davis) and Texas A&M University (TAMU). Practice of registering red animals as dun in order to avoid cost of mandatory testing for red. Sale of unregistered stock being eligible for registration (currently being addressed by rewrite of the standard operating procedures). The BOD accepted for study and possible implementation the proposal PAGE 23 submitted by Jeff Chambers regarding preservation of genetics and will discuss in the next 30 days. Concern for Sandi Thomas and her absence from the 2015 AGM was noted. Sandi was available via teleconference call during the BOD and AGM meetings if the need arose & 2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM) In an attempt to centrally locate the next two AGMs, the BOD made the decision to try a venue for two years. This will cut down on expenses as well as preparation time for those involved Salina, KS June Salina, KS dates to be announced. Nominations for Officers President: James Woehl; Vice President: Roberta Wieringa; Treasurer: James Smith; Secretary: Carol Ann Traynor. Martha Straube (Region 2) moved to accept this slate of officers. Bob Habershaw (Region 8) seconded the motion. Motion passed. Selection of Directors-at-Large Joel Dowty (Region 4) and Ted Anderson (Region 1) were elected as directorsat-large and will serve their terms following the AGM through the July 1, 2015, teleconference call. Motion to Adjourn Warren Coad (Region 8) moved the 2015 AGM meeting be adjourned. Emily Mitchell-Boeve (Region 10) seconded the motion. Motion passed. Minutes of the 2015 AGM Board of Directors Meeting The meeting was called to order by President Jim Woehl with the following Board of Directors (BOD), officers and staff members present. BOD members present: Region 1 Becky Petteway **Region 2 Sandi Thomas Region 3 Becky Eterno Region 4 Vicki Jones Region 6 Norman Hoover Region 7 David Jones Region 8 Lesa Reid Region 9 Chad Williams Region 10 Pat Mitchell Region 11 Jessica Gibbons Region 12 Terry Sprague Officers and staff present: Vice President Roberta Wieringa *Immediate Past President Pam Malcuit Secretary Carol Ann Traynor Treasurer Jim Smith Registrar Jill Delaney *Unable to attend **Available by teleconference call *Unable to attend Jim welcomed everyone and began the meeting by passing out complimentary Annual General Meeting (AGM) red tote bags from his ranch containing 2015 AGM handouts AGM BOD Minutes These minutes were previously approved via teleconference discussion following the 2014 AGM and printed in the Bulletin. Chad Williams had overhead Power- Point capability on hand for immediate visual summary of business as meeting progressed. Secretary Report (Carol Ann Traynor) Amended to list Regions 1, 2, 4 and 11

24 PAGE 24 as those in the regional director elections this year. Treasurer/Financial Report (Jim Smith) A detailed financial statement was provided to each BOD member and officer containing bank summary, AGM summary and 2014 details results, 2014 advertising spending, Bulletin cost by issue (last three years), proposed 2015 budgeted financial statement and 2015 budget preparation details. Equipment Purchase The equipment necessary to project the PowerPoint visual summary of ADCA meetings was approved. Trademarking of Dexter The association cannot trademark Dexter because it s a specific breed of cattle. It is thought that White Dexter has already been reserved, and trying to prohibit the incorporation of Dexter into other specific titles is questionable. It was agreed by consensus to post on the website: The ADCA recognizes only black, red and dun basecolored cattle for registration. The Show & Sale Committee will remove references to white markings in show rules. AI Bulls Offered on ADCA Webpage In order for parent verification to work easily, it will be prudent to require that all advertised AI bulls have a genotype resident at both ADCA-approved labs. A motion was made by Vicki Jones and seconded by Jessica Gibbons. The wording of the motion was amended by David Jones and seconded by Terry Sprague. Effective Jan. 1, 2016, in order for AI bulls to be on the ADCA AI Bull Index website, two additional requirements will become standard: Bulls must have a genotype on file at both Texas A&M and UC- Davis. Both the bull s case number (UC- Davis) and accession number (Texas A&M) must be listed. Motion passed unanimously. This is a service to the members, and an explanation statement on the website will be developed by Vicki Jones. Committee Reports (entire committee reports will be printed in the Bulletin) All committees submitted written reports, which were displayed on Power- Point for discussion Talisman Award (Jim Woehl) Five nominees met administrative requirements. Marketing (Becky Petteway) White Dexter Auction title needs to be changed. Meet a Breeder The committee (with input from regional directors) will put together regularly published articles in the Bulletin featuring randomly selected members and their cattle. Becky will be rotating off the BOD this year but asked to stay on as cochairman. Show & Sale (Roberta Wieringa) Website (Pat Mitchell) Education (Vicki Jones) Vicki will be rotating off the BOD this year but asked to stay on as cochairman. Pedigree & Genetics (Chad Williams) Bylaws & Standard Operating Procedures (David Jones) Youth Committee (Lesa Reid) Revision of application form was recommended. Lesa has resigned as co-chair of the committee. This photo by Kelly Laffey earned first place in the Dexters with Scenery category of the AGM Photo Contest. Standard Operating Procedure Revisions Items discussed for document revision: Animal registration requirements. Obligate status for chondrodysplasia (CD) and pulmonary hypoplasia with anasarca (PHA). Roles and responsibilities of committee chairman/vice-chairman and committee members. Bulletin publication of AGM committee reports. Novelty Cattle Discussion surrounded the fact that many breeders of novelty cattle have/or are currently using Dexters in order to create their miniature animals. The SOPs state that only black, red and dun base-colored animals can be registered with the ADCA and no appendix/ upgraded animals resulting from these novelty cattle breeds are allowed to be registered with the ADCA. It was felt that the practice of genotyping both male and female Dexters would help members navigate through and understand these issues. Recessed for Lunch Development of Association Goals Short Term (1-2 Years) Association Goals to be addressed during upcoming monthly teleconference calls including: Updating SOPs (to be completed by January 2016) and bylaws regarding regional representation. Registration online without paperwork. Secure downloads from database for members and allow view-only option for non-members. Task Force (Jim Smith, Vicki Jones, Ray Delaney, Pat Mitchell, Chad Williams) to implement database protection protocols. Goal time: 2016 AGM. Future AGM site selection. Focus of the discussion regarded the feasibility of holding future AGMs in areas more geographically centrally located including travel distances, member attendance, rental costs, planning of event, etc., issues. A motion was made by Roberta Wieringa to hold both the 2016 and 2017 AGMs in Salina, KS. Motion seconded by Pat Mitchell. Motion carried unanimously. A plan is to be developed for future AGM selection by Nov. 1. More equitable representation of membership by regional directors. David brought up the fact that

25 PAGE 25 representation should be reflected by the number of members in the regions. Jim Woehl and David Jones to work on a proposed amendment to the bylaws regarding the issue of providing more equal regional director representation of the membership to be made by January AGM Marketing Plan. Becky Petteway reviewed a two-page handout of a plan developed for future events by the Marketing & Advertising Committee. Norm handed out an extensive list of potential corporate sponsors for ADCA/ AGM presented a variety of ways to encourage sponsorship. Short Term (2-5 Years) Association Goals Development of more area shows and exhibition of their animals within the region. Promotion of Why A Dexter? for commercial breeders. Personalized farm signs with ADCA membership logo. Reaching out to the corporate world. Development of more promotional materials. Public Comments A written proposal from Jeff Chambers was presented by Chad Williams detailing reasons for the ADCA to identify a process through which breeders could identify pedigree information of descendants of original imports but convey no special status, quality or uniqueness to these animals other than their direct descent from original imports. The term original import animal needs to be clarified (by date of import?). The current software program doesn t allow for this to be done, but the BOD is actively looking for ways to benefit all breeders in pedigree research. Motion was made by Pat Mitchell to accept the proposal for discussion during the August teleconference call. Motion seconded by Roberta Wieringa. Motion passed unanimously. Motion was made by Pat Mitchell to recess the BOD meeting after the conclusion of AGM meeting. Motion seconded by Lesa Reid. Motion passed unanimously ADCA BOARD OF DIREC- TORS AGM WRAP-UP MEETING, June 20 (immediately following Membership Meeting) All officers and board members from June 18 meeting present. Additional directors at large present: Joel Dowty (Region 4) and Ted Anderson (Region 1). The written proposal submitted by Jeff Chambers was tabled for discussion during the July 1 teleconference call. In the meantime, Jim Woehl will work on information to make it easier for the members to use the database in their pedigree research. A motion was made by Carol Ann Traynor to change the name White Dexter Auction to AGM FUN - draiser Auction. Motion seconded by Chad Williams. Motion passed by unanimously. A motion was made by Pat Mitchell to reimburse Casey Williams for the materials used in creating exclusive items for the 2015 White Dexter Auction. Motion seconded by Joel Dowty. Motion passed unanimously. It was suggested by Norm Hoover to have a merchandising tab on the website which would allow members to link to those merchants selling Dexterrelated items. Becky Petteway is to have the Marketing & Advertising Committee work on this. A motion was made by Pat Mitchell to approve the slate of officers presented for the 2015/16 year. Motion seconded by Ted Anderson. Motion passed unanimously. Roberta Wieringa moved the meeting be adjourned, motion seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Board Teleconference Call Summaries Participating Jim Woehl, President Roberta Wieringa, Vice President *Jill Delaney, Registrar Carol Ann Traynor, Secretary *Jim Smith, Treasurer *Ray Delaney, Webmaster Becky Petteway, Region 1 *Sandi Thomas, Region 2 Becky Eterno, Region 3 Vicki Jones, Region 4 Norman Hoover, Region 6 David Jones, Region 7 Lesa Reid, interim Region 8 *Chad Williams, Region 9 Patrick Mitchell, Region 10 Jessica Gibbons, Region 11 Terry Sprague, Region 12 *Pam Malcuit, IPP *Anne Feltus, Editor Joel Dowty and Ted Anderson, Directors at Large *Unable to attend AGENDA 2015 Annual General Meeting (AGM) wrap-up Link for pictures on website need to contact Ray Delaney regarding this. Jim Woehl to follow up on the reimbursement to Casey Williams for materials at White Dexter Sale. Show results not on the website yet check with Jim Smith or Ted Anderson. Initial Report from the Database Task Force Pat Mitchell reported on progress made on the conference call Monday night, July 6. Task force members are contacting other cattle associations to see what they are doing. Moving forward another task force committee conference call to discuss projects will be made in two weeks. Review of AGM Board Minutes and Action Items Re: AI bulls Vicki to work on verbiage for publication and addition to SOPs. Marketing. Renaming of White Dexter Sale accomplished during AGM Board of Directors (BOD) Wrap-up Meeting. Meet a Breeder first interview in August for publication in following Bulletin. Burgundy Wear merchandise on sale until Sept. 1; looking for a company to do online sales. SOP and bylaws changes just need to be worked up. Continue to work on more language for more equitable regional representation. Jeff Chambers proposal a copy will be ed to all BOD members. Jim has invited Jeff to participate in the conference call in August to discuss and reword the proposal. Roberta reported that the AGM Show & Sale Committee meeting suggested some ideas which may be helpful in

26 PAGE 26 improving the smoothness of running the AGM show. Will discuss committee ideas in August meeting. Regional Reviews Region 1 (Ted Anderson & Becky Petteway) Missouri Dexter Breeders working on plans for the upcoming Region 1 events. Oct. 17 Fall Show and Sale: some youth classes added to the show this year. Entry cutoff date Sept. 26. Region 3 (Becky Eterno) Nothing to report. Region 4 (Joel Dowty & Vicki Jones) Weather is cool, and people are showing interest in Dexters. Upcoming Region 4 events: Wyoming State Fair with Dexters as featured breed and Utah State Fair. Region 6 (Norm Hoover) Working on 2016 AGM; lot of interest in Dexters in the area. Region 7 (David Jones) Good grass, few flooding issues; new group going in New Mexico. Region 8 (Lesa Reid) Lots of interest right now in the Southeast. Weather is varying, sales are good, lots of new breeders and owners. Upcoming Region 8 event: Tennessee Valley show will have its own Dexter classes this year. Region 10 (Pat Mitchell) Busy time of year, rainy and could use some dry weather to put up hay. Region 11 (Jessica Gibbons) Jessica has name for replacement director for the region; everyone is busy putting up hay. Region 12 (Terry Sprague) Genotype response has only been positive. Upcoming events in Region 12: regional district on July 25 in Minnesota, Iowa State Fair in August additional classes to those suggested by the AD- CA (ex: get of sire, produce of dam, a Dexter class for those who have nontraditional type show animals, breeders choice/herd animals). AGM Motion by S.A. Walkup (System for Assistance) BOD consensus was that all animals must be registered (exception: currentyear calves). It was suggested to waive $30 fee for herd dispersals on the Animals for Sale website for animals that meet the criteria. Becky will write up the solution and present it to BOD for approval. Other It was proposed that instead of the current $250 stipend, ADCA pay for the rooms for the BOD and for four nights for the AGM. To be discussed at August meeting. TARTAN FARMS Breeding to the Irish Dexter Standard ADCA-Classified Breeding Herd Bull Prospects/Steers from Classified and Show Stock Cows/Heifers Occasionally Available PHA and Chondro-Negative/Tested A2 All Stock Polled or Dehorned Select Bull Prospects Available Select Heifers Available Give us a call, come visit and we ll put the coffee pot on. Donald & Janet Irby P.O. Box 243 Cushing, TX (281) tartanfarmsinc@comcast.net Near the oldest town in Texas Nacogdoches

27 Someday Maybe Farms Chautauqua Herd Forestville, New York Herd Dispersal Genetically Horned, Traditional Breeding. Registered, Genotyped, Parent Verified. Pedigrees can be searched on the ADCA online pedigree site... Member #938, Lord, Shaun Photos at Somedaymaybefarms.com Phone: