Get to Know
Our Cattle
Red Devon cattle are one of the oldest breeds in the US. They were used as oxen on the Oregon Trail and George Washington had Devons for use as draft animals, meat, and dairy products. In fact, Mt Vernon still maintains several Devon cows even today.. While we don’t plan on using our Devons for milk or plowing, we can appreciate the versatility.
The Devon breed fell out of popularity in the cattle industry with the advent of the feed yard. First, the breed is smaller in stature than most commercial cattle today. Second, Devons are well known for their ability to grow solely on grass and were found to not improve in the feedlot. As a result, most of those in the commercial industry did not find them profitable for large scale modern operations. Most of those we have found are small scale operations for breed preservation and homesteading.
Devons are considered very high quality grass fed beef and are said to have a much higher marbling than typical grass fed cattle. Furthermore, as they do not improve with grain, they can be fed an entirely grass diet. If we become so inclined to milk them, they have one of the highest milk fat percentages. While I am not averse to milking, the commitment to it does pose a challenge to all of the other projects. If the price of milk and butter continues on it current trajectory, I may re-think the prospect.
Cows
When we decided to go with the Red Devon cattle we began looking for herds that had available cows. We planned to start small.
We found several at the Littleway Farm in Rockdale, Texas, that we decided would be a good starting herd.
We ended up with one bred cow, another three year old cow, and three heifers that range from nine months old to a year. All five are beautiful red colors, and yes, we have named them. Our families think we are bit crazy in that regard.
In April 2023, we added several more Red Devons to our little herd. These are not registered but they will be used more as breeding stock for commercial beef.
Bulls
We had our first bull born a week after bringing the ladies home. The bred cow gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. He is from a different sire than that of the heifers we brought to the ranch. ​We have named him Samson and he is turning into a lovely young bull with a deep red color.
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We also have an older bull. He is a gentle giant. We have dubbed him Chief. He is from the Rotakawa line of Red Devons.
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