The Devon suckler cow
- medium sized: low maintenance and self-sufficient in forage systems – providing an ideal cow in both extensive and denser stocking rate systems
- good temperament: docile and good natured – indoors and at pasture
- fertile: expect 100% in-calf, year-on-year; it’s the norm across Red Ruby herds
- milky: an inheritance from the dual-purpose days, the Devon cow’s lactation punches well above its weight from grass alone
- udders: neat and durable, with moderate teat size and good placement
- longevity: typical productive lifespan of 13 to 17 calves
- progeny: renowned for carrying the ‘good-doer’ and easy handling Devon character, the commercial maternal trait carried is the quality of beef produced in primestock.
The Devon bull
- fertility: as a terminal sire or breeding suckler replacements, sweeping in a dairy herd or crossing on other beef cows: the Devon bull will tighten up your calving pattern and achieve impeccable hold-to-service rates
- calving ease: genetically throwing ‘slip-outs’, average birth weights of purebred calves is 35 – 40kg. Calves hit the ground full of vigour, looking to stand and suck
- progeny growth rates: DLWGs in crossbreds exceed expectations due to the paternal trait of excelling in a grass system: requiring less inputs while still achieving weight-for-age targets
- docility: match the Devon’s calm and collected attitude and the Red Ruby bull will repay you with years’ of stress-free farming.
- primestock progeny: all stock by a Devon carry the breed’s premium beef trait in carcasses. The quality of Devon beef has earned itself a valuable share of the high-end market, delivering financial bonuses to producers
The Red Ruby: The Jewel In The Crown
Sustainability comes in economic terms as well as environmentally. The combination has never been
more poignant for securing a robust farm business.
Devon cattle are renowned for their foraging ability in a wide variety of situations; calving regularly
and producing progeny that thrives on minimal inputs while producing premium beef. Low
maintenance coupled with quality output is a double-earner.
Cows are medium sized and excel in grass systems, are fertile and calve easily. Milkiness is a prized
trait within the breed, ensuring calves get off to a flying start.
Bulls pass their ‘good-doer’ genetics to progeny, ensuring youngstock thrive. Purebred birthweights
of 35-40kg make for easy calving, of particular consequence when cross-breeding.
The Devon is famed for its docile temperament: ‘a pleasure to work with’ and probably a contributor
to DLWGs!
Commercial comments from farmers…
From dairy farmers, on why they use a Devon:
“Easy calving & cracking temperament! Quiet bulls = quiet offspring = quiet sucklers” (selling point of crossbred heifers to commercial suckler herds) – DW, Bude
“The reliability of a Devon bull to be quiet & pass this onto his progeny is a real deal breaker” – RK, Bodmin
From a commercial (crossbreeding) suckler herd:-
“Live calves – the old adage ‘dead calves don’t grow’ is as relevant as ever, so the calving ease from a Devon sire gives every cow the best crack of another year’s work” – AN Other, East Anglia
From a crossbred finisher:-
“Devon crosses are gone quicker & haven’t eaten so much grub; easy-finishing & quick turnaround controls costs, generates cashflow & increases stocking rates” – CC, North Cornwall