The Belfair is a dual purpose homestead cow. The Belfair is a composite that was originally established by Tracy Teed of Washington. The Belfair is also registered as a “Belmont” by the open Miniature Cattle Registry. The Belfair is a cross between a Jersey & an Irish Dexter. Generally speaking, the composite ratio for Belfairs is 50:50 (or close). Genetically, it does not matter whether the sire or the dam were the Dexter or the Jersey. Belfair cattle may range in size; but most are Frame Score 00 to 2 (miniature to midsize), which is preferred on most homesteads. Belfairs make wonderful homestead cattle, providing rich creamy milk. Some Belfair cows have been known to produce up to 6 gallons of milk / day, but all should provide enough milk for a family while also raising a calf. Belfairs should blend the strongest traits from each of the parent breeds. Belfairs are bred to handle cold or hot weather well, to resist mastitis, eat less than standard size dairy cows, to hold their weight during lactation, and thrive on grass and hay only.
Division I: for Belfair cattle that carry breed composition of 50% Jersey and 50% Dexter genetics (or very close) and display typical coat colors expected from a pure Dexter crossed with a pure Jersey. Its base coat color may be black, wild red or true recessive red. If it inherits both the wild red and the brindle Agouti gene, it may be brindle. It may have paint (spotted) genetics from the Jersey. It may be diluted from the Dexter Dun gene. Modern Dexters & Jerseys may be horned or polled.
Division II for Belfair cattle that carry breed composition of 50% Jersey and 50% Dexter genetics (or very close). Division II Belfairs do not have color or marking restrictions.
Distinction between Belfair Divisions do not represent differences in quality or value; they document differences in phenotype. Other dual purpose or homestead dairy cattle, including (non-50:50) Jersey and Dexter cross cattle, qualify for the IDCR.
If your animal is not 50% Jersey and 50% Dexter, use the International Dairy Cattle Registry. IDCR registers any other dairy and dual purpose breeds of cattle (or composites), that need pedigree documentation. IDCR is part of the International Livestock Registries. The Belfair Cattle Registry is a separate herd book registry, but shares its database with the IDCR in the ILR parent company.
Belfair breeders can register their "Belfair foundation" cattle, the Dexter and Jersey parents with the IDCR that they use to produce Belfair calves. Another example is, a calf produced by a 75% Dexter x 25% Jersey bull and a 75% Jersey x 25% Dexter cow, would qualify for registration in the Belfair Cattle Registry. The bull and cow, would qualify for registration in the International Dairy Cattle Registry. This documents accurate foundation pedigrees and breed composition. The prices are the same.
The parent company, International Livestock Registries (ILR), is owned by Midwest Genetics, Inc, in Missouri. ILR maintains connecting databases for all the registered breeds of beef and dairy cattle. You may submit any breed of animal for registration application to any of ILR's existing registries. ILR can register any breed you own, or in some cases you can apply to start a new registry for a unique new breed. This option is often used by preservation breeders for heritage classification or for new composite breed development (email for more info). We keep our breed databases connected so that every registered animal, whether heritage, 100% fullblood, purebred, or composite, receives a universally accepted registration certificate with its verified breed composition, and its own unique, complete, accurate pedigree.
→ Belfair Cattle Registry (for half Jersey x half Dexter cattle)
→ International Dairy Cattle Registry (for Jersey, Dexter, dairy or dual purpose cattle)
→ International Composite Beef Cattle Registry (for beef or composite breed cattle)
→ International Bos Indicus Registry (miniature Zebu composites)
WHY Register: Registration is a small investment that can increase Belfair cattle's value by identifying their milk components, traits, ancestry as well as documenting this composite breed's development from the beginning. The Belfair Cattle Registry operates in cooperation with the International Dairy Cattle Registry which is well established, accepted across the globe, and where records & pedigrees of many dairy and dual purpose breeds have been kept safe and affordable for years. For homesteads that raise more than one breed, membership in International Registries allows application in any of their registries, not just the Belfair Cattle Registry.
New Member Incentive: New IDCR members can register or transfer all their cattle, regardless of their age or breed, for the special introductory price of $10 per animal at any time during their first year of membership--just remember to mark that option when filling out the IDCR Dairy Cattle Fee Schedule & Order Form.
Email me your directory listing today. Include your names, breed(s) of cattle, farm name, website url, city & state, phone and email.
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Dennis Russell Midwest Genetics, LLC. ILR President & CEO office@internationallivestockregistries.com PO Box 118, Butler MO 64730 816-738-4179 (call or text)
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Donna Grace Bucking V Outfit, LLC., circa 1990 ILR Project Development donna@internationallivestockregistries.com Maricopa County, Arizona 406-591-6568 (call or text)
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Belfair Cattle Registry (BCR)
registered with International Dairy Cattle Registry
an International Livestock Registries (ILR) Division
P.O. Box 118, Butler, MO 64730 • (816) 738-4179