GREENHILLS DEXTER CATTLE

Aleck and Katrina McCloskey bought their first 4 Dexter cows in 2006, following their move to 5 ½ acres at Kilcoy. Prior to moving they spent months perusing magazines such as “Small Farms” magazine to help them decide what breed of animals to purchase. Katrina had grown up on a dairy farm so was interested in animals that could be milked. Their choice was Dexter cattle and Cashmere goats.

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Phoning a contact from the magazine, a purebred short leg and 3 Grade 2 cows were purchased. They were all in calf and all had heifer calves later that year. The calves were taught to lead and three of them were entered in the St Patrick’s Day Show run by the Sunshine Coast Promotion Group of which they were members. One of them, Greenhills Melody came 2ndin the Grade 3 female less than 12 months and then Reserve Junior Champion Grade 3 female.

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This was the beginning of their love for showing these quiet temperament Dexter cattle. Each year since then they have shown at a selection of the local shows in their area, and for the last several years have entered cattle in the Queensland Dexter Breed Show. 

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Whilst not always milking on a regular basis, they have milked some of their cows and made yoghurt. Home grown Dexter beef from the steers has been on the menu, utilizing an on- farm butcher. 

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Their herd soon grew using a bull lease from other Dexter owners, until they kept one of their own herd’s progeny. The herd grew so much that in 2014 they bought one hundred acres at Cressbrook where they now run about 35 breeders, 3 mature bulls and growing calves of all sizes.

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Having Dexter cattle is enjoyable due to their quiet nature, curiosity and the anticipation of the surprise of the newborn calves being either black, red or dun, polled or horned, heifer or bull.