Devon

The Devon ranks among the oldest beef breeds to come out of the British Isles, named for the county of Devon in the south-west of England where farmers bred it as an all-round animal well before modern breeds were formalised. Its solid red coat, running from pale tan through to a deep, glowing ruby, earned it the nickname Ruby Red, still the name most stockmen reach for.

Adult Devons carry plenty of frame. Bulls typically tip the scales at 900 to 1,100 kg, while cows sit at 500 to 650 kg. The breed has a solid reputation for turning grass and rough forage into beef without much fuss, which suits it to grass-fed operations and the extensive grazing country found across much of Australia. Devons cope with a wide swing in climate, standing up to both baking summers and cold snaps better than many cattle of similar size.

Temperament sets the breed apart. Devons are quiet, easygoing and docile, qualities that make yarding, fencing and day-to-day handling far less of a battle on both small blocks and big stations. In earlier times the breed also pulled its weight as draft oxen, a job that called for both grunt and a level head.

Who it suits

The Devon suits producers after a tough beef animal that performs on forage without heavy grain input. Its placid nature suits anyone who works cattle by hand and puts a premium on low-stress stock. The breed also appeals to hobby farmers and conservation grazing projects, where a calm animal with a good appetite for rough feed counts for more than sheer frame size.

The Devon hails from the county of Devon in England's south-west, where cattle of this type have been recorded for several hundred years. For most of its early history the breed did three jobs at once, supplying beef, milk and the pulling power of working oxen on farms where one animal had to earn its keep several times over.

Devons were among the first European cattle shipped to North America. Accounts describe red Devon cattle landing in the early 1600s with English settlers at Plymouth, in what is now Massachusetts. Their strength and level temperament made them prized as draft oxen for clearing land and hauling loads, and the breed spread through the colonial farming economy that followed.

As farming mechanised and milk and beef production went their separate ways, the Devon split into two lines. One was bred for milk and became the Milking Devon, while the other was developed chiefly for beef. The beef line, sometimes called the Red Ruby or North Devon, is the one most people picture today.

Breed societies in England, and later in other countries, kept herd books to safeguard the breed. Devons have been exported widely, including to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South America, where their tolerance of heat and knack for foraging suited extensive grazing enterprises.

The Devon is a solidly built beef animal, deep through the body and with good length. The frame carries plenty of muscle without looking overdone, and the back stays level over a strong topline. The head is moderate in size with a broad forehead. Traditional Devons carry horns, though polled (naturally hornless) lines are now bred as well. The legs are strong and well set, built for walking and grazing across paddocks and rougher country alike.

The stand-out feature is the coat. Devons are a uniform red from nose to tail, which is exactly where the Ruby Red name comes from.

Coat and colours

Coat colour is consistent across the breed and is one of the easiest ways to pick a Devon out of a mob. Animals range from a lighter chestnut through to a deep, dark ruby red. The coat lies short in warm weather and grows thicker with a slight curl once it turns cold, part of what gives the breed its tolerance for such a range of climates. The muzzle and skin tend to be light or flesh-coloured, and the switch of the tail usually matches the body in red.

The Devon has a name for a quiet, level temperament. The breed is calm, good-natured and docile, which makes everyday handling, moving stock between paddocks and routine vet work far more straightforward. These traits go back to the breed's working days as draft oxen, when a steady, cooperative animal was essential for safe work alongside people.

Around handlers, Devons generally take routine contact in their stride, and they respond well to consistent, low-pressure stockmanship. Cows are attentive mothers and usually settled around their calves. Around strangers, well-handled Devons tend to stay composed rather than flighty. In the mob they mix easily with other cattle and are not known for aggression, though bulls of any breed need careful management. The breed's settled nature also makes it a reasonable fit for mixed grazing alongside other stock.

The Devon is a hardy breed that gets by well in paddock-based systems with modest inputs. Most of the care comes down to keeping good grazing on hand, providing clean water and sticking to a routine herd health program.

Grooming

• Coat care is minimal; the short coat sheds and grows back with the seasons
• Check for external parasites such as lice, buffalo fly and ticks, especially through the warmer months
• Inspect and trim hooves as needed to head off lameness
• Keep an eye on horns, where present, for growth and condition

Exercise

• Open paddock gives the daily movement the breed needs
• Rotational grazing keeps feed quality up and spreads out grazing pressure
• Leave room for cattle to walk to water and shade so they keep moving through the day

Environment

Devons handle both heat and cold, but they still do better with natural or built shelter such as trees, windbreaks or a simple shed. Provide shade in hot country and a dry, draft-free spot in cold or wet conditions. Secure fencing and a reliable water supply are the main infrastructure needs.

The Devon is known for turning grass and forage into beef efficiently, and the breed can finish on paddock alone given good conditions. A diet of quality grazing through the growing season, backed up with hay or silage when feed gets short, covers most animals' needs. Grain is optional and mostly comes into play to keep growth ticking along or finish cattle when forage runs low.

Treats and supplements

Offer free-choice mineral and salt suited to the local soil and forage, since shortfalls vary from region to region. Fresh, clean water needs to be available at all times. Make any change to the ration gradually over several days so the rumen microbes can adjust.

The Devon is generally a tough, long-lived breed. Plenty of cows stay productive for years, and the typical lifespan runs 12 to 15 years. Most health issues are the everyday conditions of grazing cattle rather than faults specific to the breed, and good nutrition, parasite control and routine vet care keep problems to a minimum.

Preventive care

• Follow a regional vaccination schedule worked out with your vet
• Keep up a parasite control program using grazing management and drenches
• Provide balanced minerals to head off deficiency-related disease
• Check hooves and body condition on a regular schedule
• Keep records of joining, calving and treatments

Devons reach breeding age within their first one to two years, and heifers are often joined to calve down at around two years old. Cows have a reputation for fertility and regular calving, and the breed is generally noted for easy calving, which cuts down the need for assistance at birth.

Gestation runs about nine months, close to 283 days, and cows normally produce a single calf a year. Twins are only occasional. Calves are usually born without trouble and are quick to get up and suckle. Devon cows are attentive mothers with plenty of milk, and the breed's calm temperament carries through to settled behaviour around calves. Calves are typically weaned at around six to eight months old. With good management, cows can keep breeding and raising calves for many years, backing up the breed's long productive life.