Member Spotlights

If you are a PDCA member in Region 2 and would like your herd featured here please contact Regional Manager Gabriella Nanci.

Kilfinan Farm
Ed and Karen Lesneski
Valley Center, California
kilfinanfarm@aol.com
Ferguson was born about 27 days prematurely as a twin. His twin did not survive, but we were able to save Ferguson by initially tube feeding him, and then bottle feeding him after he gained the ability to suck. He spent some time in the house, as you can see in the photo. As Ferguson grew stronger, we decided it would be better if he were not bottle-fed any longer, as bottle-fed calves can grow-up rather pushy. Gabriella Nanci loaned us a cow named Butter, with her heifer calf, Brie. Butter is a good nurse cow that will adopt just about any calf; she raised four calves at one time last year! Butter finished raising Ferguson along with Brie. The second photo shows how strong and healthy Ferguson is now. We also purchased Brie, as we became attached to her while she was on loan with her dam.

Moon Over the Mojave Dexters
Jimmie and Steven Bauer
Lucerne Valley, CA
desertstreamthru@msn.com
(Website)
We were attracted to raising Dexters for beef. We had raised Herefords and that was too much meat for 2 people. I began researching smaller breeds of cattle and was impressed with the dual purpose Dexters and their ease in calving. We do not have a vet that could reach us in case of an emergency. I have since learned to give shots. This spring, I had to deliver and resuscitate a calf. What an adrenaline rush that whole process is!!!
We purchased our first heifers from Bill and Dusty Kirkland in 2001.

We purchased our first bull from Anna Poole in Oregon. We have had just the most beautiful calves you could ask for. As time as gone on we have changed our approach to what kind of cattle that we prefer. We will phase out all the horned cows over the next 3 years. We have purchased a new bull from Evelyn Anderson that is polled and we hope this will result in less horned animals.

Our heifers are sold for breeding animals or kept as a replacement for their horned dams. The steers have been sold for pets or used for meat. We have 4 calves for sale each year. I have a website which makes it a little easier to sell the animals. Our heifers are sold for breeding animals or kept as a replacement for their horned dams. The steers have been sold for pets or used for meat. We have 4 calves for sale each year. I have a website which makes it a little easier to try to sell the animals. I hope that all the breeders can work together for referrals for each other. I have referred buyers to the other Southern and Northern California breeders when my animals are sold.

We do not have any pasture in the Mojave Desert so they are fed alfalfa hay all year. I am always trilled when they actually are sold to people who have pastures. We have just completed a large fenced area so they can at least act like a herd. All the calves are sold at about 5 months old when weaned. I have the vet out for BANGS certificate and vaccination for all the heifers as it makes it easier for the new owners. The calves have all necessary vaccinations, are halter broken and have learned that a cool refreshing bath in the 115 degree heat is not worth making too much of a fuss over.