North Devon cattle
Encyclopedia
The Devon is a breed of cattle
from the south west of England. It is a rich red colour, and this gives rise to the popular nicknames of Devon Ruby or Red Ruby. The breed is also sometimes referred to as the North Devon to avoid confusion with the yellowish brown South Devon
breed.
, Somerset
, Cornwall
, and Dorset
. The North Devon is one of several modern breeds derived from the traditional red cattle of southern England
, together with the Hereford, Sussex
, Lincoln Red
and Red Poll
The early improvers of the Devon breed were Francis Quartly and his brothers William and Henry, and John Tanner Davy and his brother William. Colonel John Tanner Davy founded the Devon herdbook in 1850. In 1884, the Devon Cattle Breeders' Society was organized and took over the herdbook.
– these may have been of North Devon type.
Although the Devon was originally a horned breed, American stockmen have developed a polled strain of purebred Devons. It traces back to the bull Missouri 9097, a hornless individual born in 1915 in the Devon herd owned by Case and Elling in Concordia, Missouri.
The Devon was previously classified as a dual-purpose breed. Over the past half century, however, the breed has developed as a beef-type breed. The rate of maturity has been accelerated, and a common criticism of light hindquarters and sickle hocks have been reduced to a minimum. Devons have become longer, taller, and trimmer, but not to such extremes as in some other breeds. The traditional multi-purpose animals still exist in the United States and are now known as the Milking Devon
, though they are very rare. They are registered with the American Milking Devon Cattle Association.
and Devons were noted for their docility, early maturing, hardiness and strength which were important attributes to have in a team.
Mature bulls in good working condition weigh from 1700 lb (771.1 kg) to about 2200 lb (997.9 kg). Mature cows range in weight from about 950 lb (430.9 kg) to about 1300 lb (589.7 kg). Thus, Devons have enough size to be practical and profitable without the handicap of excessive maintenance cost.
Calving
problems are seldom encountered although a growing stress on using larger bulls has increased the incidence of difficult births.
The functional characteristics of the Devon make them a valuable genetic tool for the commercial beef industry. The breed has long been noted for its fertility, ease of calving, docility, hardiness and ability to adapt to temperature extremes.
Devons are active good "walkers" and are excellent foragers. Their ability to utilize grass and other forages efficiently has heightened their popularity in areas like southern Brazil
, Australia
, and New Zealand
.
In recent years however, the breed has fallen out of favour, as more rapidly-growing continental breeds were in demand by both the farmer and butcher because of their speed of maturity and the quantity of higher-value cuts they produce. However, that meat has always been of a lower-eating quality than that of the slower-maturing grass-fed traditional breeds.
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
from the south west of England. It is a rich red colour, and this gives rise to the popular nicknames of Devon Ruby or Red Ruby. The breed is also sometimes referred to as the North Devon to avoid confusion with the yellowish brown South Devon
South Devon cattle
South Devon cattle, also known as Orange Elephants, are the largest of the British Native breeds. They are believed to have descended from the large red cattle of Normandy which were imported during the Norman invasion of England. The breed is a rich, medium red with copper tints, though it varies...
breed.
Origin of the breed
The native home of the Devon is in southwest England, primarily in the counties of DevonDevon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, and Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. The North Devon is one of several modern breeds derived from the traditional red cattle of southern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, together with the Hereford, Sussex
Sussex cattle
Sussex cattle are a red breed of beef cattle from the Weald of Sussex, Surrey and Kent in south eastern England. Descended from the draught oxen long used on the Weald they were selectively bred from the late 18th century to form a modern beef breed which is now used in many countries around the...
, Lincoln Red
Lincoln Red
The Lincoln Red is an old breed of beef cattle, originating from Lincolnshire in eastern England. They were selectively bred from the indigenous draught cattle of the region by crossing with the Durham type Shorthorn to produce a dual purpose breed. They are now exclusively a beef breed.Lincoln Red...
and Red Poll
The early improvers of the Devon breed were Francis Quartly and his brothers William and Henry, and John Tanner Davy and his brother William. Colonel John Tanner Davy founded the Devon herdbook in 1850. In 1884, the Devon Cattle Breeders' Society was organized and took over the herdbook.
In the United States
In 1623 the ship Charity brought a consignment of red cattle (one bull and three heifers) from Devon to Edward Winslow, the agent for Plymouth ColonyPlymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
– these may have been of North Devon type.
Although the Devon was originally a horned breed, American stockmen have developed a polled strain of purebred Devons. It traces back to the bull Missouri 9097, a hornless individual born in 1915 in the Devon herd owned by Case and Elling in Concordia, Missouri.
The Devon was previously classified as a dual-purpose breed. Over the past half century, however, the breed has developed as a beef-type breed. The rate of maturity has been accelerated, and a common criticism of light hindquarters and sickle hocks have been reduced to a minimum. Devons have become longer, taller, and trimmer, but not to such extremes as in some other breeds. The traditional multi-purpose animals still exist in the United States and are now known as the Milking Devon
Milking Devon
The Milking Devon is a breed of cattle from the United States. Originally derived from British North Devon cattle brought to North America in the 17th century, the two strains have since diverged significantly, and the breed is often called the American Milking Devon to differentiate it from its...
, though they are very rare. They are registered with the American Milking Devon Cattle Association.
In Australia
Devons were popular for use in bullock teams for hauling cedar and other logs from the forests, which was pit sawn and then transported by bullock drawn wagons and timber junkers to towns and seaports for cabinet making or export. These cattle were among the earliest breeds in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Devons were noted for their docility, early maturing, hardiness and strength which were important attributes to have in a team.
Characteristics of the modern breed
Devon cattle are red in colour, varying in shade from a rich deep red to a light red or chestnut colour. A bright ruby red colour is preferred and accounts for their nickname, the "Red Ruby". The hair is of medium thickness and is often long and curly during the winter, but short and sleek in summer. The switch of the tail is creamy white.Mature bulls in good working condition weigh from 1700 lb (771.1 kg) to about 2200 lb (997.9 kg). Mature cows range in weight from about 950 lb (430.9 kg) to about 1300 lb (589.7 kg). Thus, Devons have enough size to be practical and profitable without the handicap of excessive maintenance cost.
Calving
Birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...
problems are seldom encountered although a growing stress on using larger bulls has increased the incidence of difficult births.
The functional characteristics of the Devon make them a valuable genetic tool for the commercial beef industry. The breed has long been noted for its fertility, ease of calving, docility, hardiness and ability to adapt to temperature extremes.
Devons are active good "walkers" and are excellent foragers. Their ability to utilize grass and other forages efficiently has heightened their popularity in areas like southern Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
In recent years however, the breed has fallen out of favour, as more rapidly-growing continental breeds were in demand by both the farmer and butcher because of their speed of maturity and the quantity of higher-value cuts they produce. However, that meat has always been of a lower-eating quality than that of the slower-maturing grass-fed traditional breeds.