The first volume of Davy’s Devon Herd Book was printed in 1851 and is today published annually by the Devon Cattle Breeders Society.
Besides being a wonderful historic resource, current editions of the Herd Book are of consequence to present breeders – complimenting and fulfilling a different role to the online ‘Pediweb’ listing (available here to DCBS members).
The Herd Book’s format revolves around a specific year’s processed registrations, listing bulls and females born; by alphabetical herd prefix for bulls and under breeder name for females. It is the ‘breeder’s bible’ to keep abreast of which bloodlines are being developed in which herds. This differs from Pediweb’s system of searching for specific individuals (be that animal or breeder), where a certain pre-knowledge would be needed to enter the appropriate query.
Pediweb may, on occasions, provide more current data as the Herd Book published in the spring of one year, generally carries heifers born the previous calendar year and bulls the year before that. This is due to the registration process being administered (with young bulls needing to pass Society inspection and DNA sampling prior to pedigree certificates being issued). The Herd Book’s data of a given year is not outdated: in as much as it lists (in real time) cattle coming up to productive age e.g. young bulls ready to go to work and maiden heifers. Cow and supplementary sections are also carried in the Herd Book.
DCBS members are listed alphabetically with contact details – very useful as both a phone directory and to have in the car on a road trip, in case a spare hour presents itself when in a certain locality! The herd prefix list provides both membership number and breeder name associated with prefixes – shortcutting would could be a lengthy process when researching Pediweb.
The Herd Book also carries a wealth of other annual information: from the most recent Herd Competition and DCBS annual points competition results; full lists of sales by auction (price attained of individual cattle and purchaser name), Devon results from agricultural shows, DCBS Council members and past Presidents, Society recognised judges and most importantly of all – the breed standards of excellence.
Most established breeders are in the habit of buying a Herd Book annually, as each volume becomes available. Not as a resistance to embracing modern technology but as a solid reference to keep abreast of the breed. When several volumes accumulate in the farm office (in a neat Ruby-row), it is surprising how often they’re referred to: is Bloggins still breeding bulls? what year was so-and-so President? – that was the year xyz happened, which year did we win the heifer cup in the herd competition? what did cows average at that dispersal sale last year? Pediweb doesn’t know.
An often overlooked condition of registering cattle with DCBS is that members are required to check their entries (and details) in each new edition of the Herd Book, and verify any errors with The Office immediately; so any corrections can be made in the following volume – therefore ensuring a full and true record of the breed has been kept. Over and beyond DCBS’s commitment to protecting the breed’s provenance, The Society is obliged to meet government regulations to ensure authenticity of pedigree affairs.