Information in this section is based on observation of Devon cattle in many herds, over many years in many countries. Other background is from results of sales and trials and research with Devon cattle.

For further information on any feature of the cattle please contact us.

This page is in two sections:

INHERENT ADVANTAGES OF DEVON CATTLE

Fertility

Fertility is the most important production factor affecting profitability in a beef herd. The ability to produce and rear a live calf every year is the number one priority to maintain a viable beef operation. Other factors such as weight of calf weaned, or size of dam, or milk quantity produced by cows, or calf growth etc do not contribute as much to a successful beef operation as herd fertility.

Owners of Devon cattle expect pregnancy rates in excess of 85%. Commonly rates over 90% are achieved.

In 2002 and 2003 in the worst drought for a century over eastern Australia, calving rates in the Barnstaple Devons herd were 91% for autumn calving cows and 75% for spring calving cows. (The spring calving cows were joined in the most unfavourable part of the drought period)

Compare Devon cows with breeds of Bos indicus and their derivatives. Under harsh environmental conditions Devon cows will keep producing milk and remain reproductively active even though the condition of the dam declines. The Devon cow will produce and rear a live calf and still go back into calf.

Devon heifers at nine months are sexually active. Young bulls at 10 months can produce enough fertile semen to impregnate a cow.

Under favourable conditions, Devon cows will return to fertility within one month after calving. The result can be a calf every 10 months. For those breeders that keep a bull with the cows all year, this is a distinct production advantage. For breeders using short term joining periods (say 63 days or three heat cycles), precise calving intervals and timing can be fixed to suit feed supply and climate.

Ease of calving

Birth weight of Devons is relatively light. At birth, bull calves commonly weigh 33 to 36 kg [74 to 80 lb] and heifer calves 30 to 33 kg [67 to 74 LB]. EBV's for Birth Weight support the low birth weights achieved in the breed.

The small heads of Devon cattle at birth are another positive attribute for easy calving.

Ease of calving in the breed is useful for early joining of heifers. First, live calves at or before 24 months of age is a production advantage in the breed. Problems at calving with maiden heifers are often caused by incorrect selection of sire. Bulls with large width between the shoulders can cause birthing problems in small and low conditioned heifers.

Devon breeders use Devon bulls on their maiden heifers rather than bulls of another breed. Calving is not normally a serious production issue in the breed. After the first calf, it is rare for Devon cows to experience problems at calving. The easy-calving feature of Devons does not require significant man power at calving. This is a big advantage particularly in broad area grazing.

Temperament

Devon cattle are mild mannered and even tempered. It is not uncommon to see stockmen working comfortably in mobs of Devon bulls without fear of injury or fright from the bulls. Seedstock producers within the breed cull bulls that show any sign of ill temperament regardless of other desirable attributes of the bull.

The importance of quiet, even tempered cattle should be part of the decision to use any breed of cattle.

Some British breeds have issues with poor temperament in stock. Owners of some European breeds have resorted to specially selecting animals for good temperament to raise the image of their breed, reduce the incidence of dark cutting carcases and provide a safer working environment for stockmen.

Growth

The modern Devon animal has growth rates comparable with the best British breeds. There is so much choice of genetics in the breed that all manner of maturity patterns are possible, depending on market choices.

The beef industry still relies on carcase weight (rather than quality) as a measure of the payment for production. It is reasonable to look for fast growing cattle that reach turn-off weights at the youngest age possible. The Devon breed has sufficient knowledge of the growth of sires to give wide selection to bull buyers.

Size

Devon cattle can be large or small.

Bulls vary in weight from 900 kg to 1200 kg (2000 LB to 2700 LB). One of the largest bulls in the breed was Ban Ban Summit at over 1300 kg (3000 LB). The stature of the bulls varies from frame score 4 to frame score 7.5, although most mature bulls are from 5 to 6.

Devon cattle can be large or small. Ban Ban Summit was over 1300 kg (3000 lb) as a mature bull.

Mature cow weights vary from 400 kg to over 800 kg (900 LB to 1800 LB). Typically Devon cows under average pasture and growing conditions are 450 kg to 650 kg (1000 LB to 1450 LB). Frame size in cows varies from 3.5 to 6, but the typical cow is closer to 4.5 to 5.

Devon cows come in all shapes and sizes.
These cows grazing high country in mid winter prior to calving.

Longevity

Devon cattle are productive for a long time. It is not uncommon for bulls to be working at 10 years old and cows at 14 years old. Ban Ban Dionysos, born in 1983, was still working at BARNSTAPLE DEVONS in 1996. At slaughter in his 13th year, his carcase weighed 520 kg [1165 LB]. The famous cow Whisloca Plum 19, had one of her best bull calves Ban Ban Disney, in her 18th year.

With wise selection, buyers of Devon bulls often keep their Devon bulls for considerably longer than other breeds. The bulls retain their fertility, shape and condition for a considerable number of years. At slaughter, their cash-in value is often high.

Whisloca Plum 19 in 1962 at about 10 years of age with another 8 years of calves ahead of her

Feet and Leg Structure

The typical Devon has ideal feet and leg structure for grazing and long term feeding in feed lots. Walking gait is typical of British breed cattle. If anything, Devons are more sickle hocked than tall European or Bos indicus breeds. This attribute precludes feet and leg failure, unlike "post-legged" conformation.

Coat Colour

The adoptive name of the breed describes the colour perfectly; RED RUBIES. The coat colour and hair type protects from the suns damaging effects. Devon cattle are commonly grazed in tropical and sub tropical regions.

When used in crossbreeding programs with other red breeds, Devons impart a rich and strong red colour to offspring. Crossbreeding with many breeds often completely masks the red Devon colour, or in some circumstances can give a mixed colour. When crossed with black cattle, the offspring are typically black, but show characteristic Devon head shape and docility. Crossbreeding with white European breeds gives offspring a honey or mustard colour.

Skin Pigmentation

Devon cattle have almond coloured pigmentation around exposed and hairless body parts. This pigmentation affords protection around eyes and muzzle and the vulva region of females. The eye pigmentation affords excellent protection against eye cancers. Devon cattle are commonly used in cross breeding programs with cancer susceptible cattle breeds to improve eye pigmentation.

Devons are docile. This bull shows an alert and strong, dehorned head
with typical pigmentation that protects exposed parts of the face.

Uniformity and Breed Type

The Devon breed has many different types of cattle. The "type" can vary in coat colour (ruby red to a golden cedar colour), hair type (short and fine to curly), maturity patterns, stature, horned or poll etc. There are many strains within the breed, often brought about by long term selection using line breeding principles.

Originally used as a triple purpose breed (meat, milk and draft), the breed was heavier in the forequarter, typical of milking breeds and draft animals. In the second half of the last century, the importance of the breed for meat was realised and breeders set about improving the hindquarters. Today, Devon cattle have ideal beef qualities.

Devons are "easy care" cattle, economical to produce, economical to rear and a first rate beef animal.

COMMERCIAL QUALITIES OF DEVON CATTLE

Meat Quality

Beef from Devons is tender and tasty. The meat has short and uniform muscle fibres that give tenderness. For the consumer this equates to ease of cutting and an enjoyable eating experience. Meat colour varies from pink to an attractive red beef hue. Dark meat is typically found in carcases of under-finished, stressed or mistreated cattle. The selvedge has uniform thickness from rear to forequarter that gives flavour and protection to the carcase.

Depending on the feed, fat colour varies from cream (fresh and lush pasture) to white (feedlot diets). When adequately finished for slaughter, the pH of the meat is 5.5.

Foraging Ability

Devons have always been closely associated with the needs of man. From early times, Devons were used for milk, meat and as beasts of burden. At the end of the days work, they were expected to feed themselves overnight by foraging for whatever was available. At sunrise, they were back in the yoke for another days work.

Milk Quality

A good judge of a glass of milk once commented that milk from Devons was as rich as that from a Jersey cow. Devons in large herds were used solely for their milk on the mid coast of NSW in the 19th century. In the USA the Milking Devon is still bred as a distinctive type.

Performance on Grass

Devon cattle thrive on natural pasture and respond rapidly to quality feed. A comment from a well known Angus breeder and steer fattener at a local country show in North West NSW in May 1991: "Devons are the only breed that will fatten on the mere sniff of good feed".

In their native home in the south west of Britain, Devon cattle are having a resurgence of recognition after the introduction of European breeds into Britain in the 1960's and 1970's. These new breeds required the establishment of a feedlot system for adequate finishing. The feedlots used animal by-products (mainly sheep waste) which eventually led to BSE ("mad cow disease"). In their native pastures Devons thrived and still produced high quality meat without the need for anything but traditional English pastures. Today, the ability to produce healthy, good tasting beef has seen Devons return to their favoured position as the supplier of meat that is good to eat.

The vast grass plains of Brasil and Australia are natural homes for Devons. Their excellent foraging ability and performance off grass makes them the ideal beef machine.

Performance Under Intensive Feeding

Devon cattle respond well to intensive feeding. Whether in a feedlot, or utilising supplements with limited grazing, Devon cattle produce the highest quality meat. Feeding trials confirm high growth on feed and excellent feed conversion efficiency. As a bonus, strains of Devons with high marbling characteristics can be selected to satisfy particular beef markets.

Maturity Patterns

Devon cattle have always had a range of maturity patterns. Originally, Devons were later maturing than Angus and Hereford but earlier maturing than Shorthorns. Changes by selective breeding in some of the other British breeds in the last 30 years have altered their growth patterns to be later maturing.

The Devon breed has flexible finishing ability depending on the quality of feed available. It is possible to select within the breed for a range of maturity patterns.

Constitution

Devon cattle thrive where feed and growing conditions are not limiting. As a breed, growing Devon cattle under favourable conditions brings high returns. Devons are also renowned for their inherent ability to overcome harsh conditions such as drought, extreme wet weather and hilly and rugged country. Their high fertility and excellent mothering capabilities under these conditions is good news for the cattle industry.

Devon cattle graze all conditions from lowland tropical forests to alpine mountains. Their foraging ability is second to none.

Docility

The Devon has a long history as a domestic beast. Given this close association with humans, time and heritability of docility has created modern cattle that are renown for their even temperament and calm outlook.

Adaptable to Heat and Cold

Found in snow and semi arid regions. Before the advent of Bos indicus cattle in Australia, large herds of Devons grazed the tropical north. They are still found grazing in cold climates in the south of the country and are often expected to forage under snow for what little feed may be found in the depths of an alpine winter.

Under snow in Connecticut, Devons have the constitution to survive harsh winter conditions

The Devon bull has a well developed heat regulating mechanism in the scrotum. This may well have originated from cattle taken to Britain from the hot Mediterranean region of North Africa by the seafaring Phoenicians. Whatever the explanation Devon bulls remain fertile in hot and arid conditions.

In severe drought, grazing nonexistent pastures, Devon yearling steers fatten ready for slaughter.

Regardless of hype about cattle breeds, the often forgotten aim of cattlemen is to produce high quality protein with minimum resources. Red meat produced from low quality fibre over extensive rangelands has got to be good news for the human race.