results in a 25% chance that the foetus can abort prematurely. A DNA test is available to test for the chondrodysplasia gene, using tail hairs from the animal. The aborted foetus is commonly called a bulldog, a stillborn calf that has a bulging head, compressed nose, protruding lower jaw, and swollen tongue, as well as extremely short limbs. The occurrence of bulldog foetuses is higher in calves born with a black coat than a red coat, because black coat colour is more common. Short-legged Dexter cattle are considered to be heterozygous, while bulldog foetuses are homozygous for chondrodysplasia genes. Dexters can also be affected with pulmonary hypoplasia with anasarca (PHA), which is an incomplete formation of the lungs with accumulation of a serum fluid in various parts of the tissue of the foetus. Unlike chondrodysplasia, which has many physical signs, PHA shows no outward signs and is only detectable through DNA testing. As with Chondrodysplasia, PHA-affected Dexters should not be bred together. Originally, Dexters were typically horned, but a naturally polled strain was developed in the 1990s. Dexter cattle have short legs compared to other breeds; increased shortness is displayed from the knee to the fetlock. Dexter cattle are very hardy, efficient grazers and are able to thrive on poor land. Use The breed is suitable for beef or milk production, although individual herd owners often concentrate on growing either one or the other. Dexters produce a rich milk, relatively high in butterfat (4%) and the quality of the milk overall is similar to that of Jersey cattle. Dexters can reasonably be expected to produce 1.5 to 2.5 gal (7.6 to 9.5 L) per day. Beef animals in the US are expected to mature in 18–24 months and result in small cuts of high-quality, lean meat, graded US Choice, with little waste. The expected average dress out is 50 to 70%. The beef produced by Dexters is well marbled and tends to be dark. See also Lowline cattle References External links Dexter Cattle Society UK American Dexter Cattle Association Dexter Cattle Society New Zealand Purebred Dexter Cattle Association Dexter Cattle Australia Canadian Dexter Cattle Association Cattle breeds Cattle breeds originating in Ireland Conservation Priority Breeds of the Livestock Conservancy