the animals
THE DEVON BEEF CATTLE HERD
Gaining Ground Farm raises the Devon cattle here.
Devon cattle were developed over several centuries on the southwestern peninsula of England. The breed’s name comes from Devonshire, though Devons were also raised in the neighboring counties of Cornwall, Somerset, and Dorset. Devons were valued for the production of both high quality beef and the rich milk used in Devonshire cream. They were especially well regarded as the quickest and most active oxen in the British Isles. The breed also had the reputation as easy keepers able to thrive on rough forage.
The Pilgrims brought Devon cattle with them to New England beginning in 1623. The hardiness and practicality of the breed, plus the availability of Devon cattle near the ports of departure, made the Devon an obvious choice for early immigrants to the Americas. The breed became well established in New England during the 1600s and spread down the coast as far as Florida during the 1700s and 1800s. The cattle also went west as Devon oxen were the draft animals of choice on the Oregon Trail. A registry was established for the breed and herd books have been published since 1855.
By the late 1800s, however, the Devon had been gradually replaced by the Shorthorn, a more productive multi-purpose breed. By 1900, Devons were rarely seen outside of New England. Only in that region did the breed continue to be valued for hardiness and the ability to thrive under rugged conditions, qualities in which it surpassed the Shorthorn.
By the 1950s, the market for multi-purpose cattle had disappeared and the Devon breed neared extinction. In response to this challenge, the breeder community split. The majority of breeders began to select intensively for beef production in order to compete with other beef breeds. This population was called the Beef Devon. A few breeders continued to select their animals for meat, milk and draft; this population was called the American Milking Devon. Beef-selected Devon cattle populations are found in several other countries, including Britain and Brazil, though the long separation of these populations makes it unclear whether they are still a single breed. Research continues internationally into the status and characteristics of Devons.
Devon cattle are ruby red, thus Red Devon, with black tipped, creamy white horns. Cattle are medium in size, with cows averaging 1,100 pounds and bulls 1,600 to 2,000 pounds. Their appearance is compact with a straight top line, square set legs, and well formed udders.
Devons have several assets which recommend them for use in today’s competitive beef market. The breed’s history as a dual purpose animal gives it greater maternal ability than most other beef breeds. (Any decline in this characteristic is easily corrected through the use of a Milking Devon bull, which can be registered in the Devon herd book.) Devons are known for high quality beef, and the breed’s hardiness and grazing ability makes it an excellent choice for grass-based production. They are a smaller breed of cows making them more efficient on grass. Being a smaller breed of cattle also means they cause less erosion when grazing here in our mountains.
Studies have shown the meat of grass-fed beef to be higher in CLA, conjugated linoleic acid, and omega 3 fatty acids. A study of beef in Pennsylvania published in 2008 by Penn State University Department of Crop and Soil Sciences concluded that compared to retail ground beef, or beef from cattle who ate stored feed, grass-fed beef had 239% greater omega-3 concentrations and 91% greater CLA concentrations.
These are the most relaxed “chill” cattle that you will have seen. The babies are the exception. Watch for them to run a bit and “play” in the hour or so before dark.
Free Range Chickens
Anne and Aaron have a flock of free range chickens. They arrive in a box by mail when one day old for Anne to pick up at the post office at 6 am. They eat a grain mixture along with what they find on their own. They do not live cooped up and confined, though they have a nice shelter when they want to come in. They are put up at night to protect them from predators.
THE DUCKS
Our grandchildren, Addiebelle and Cyril, have a flock of ducks that they raised. They sell the eggs, which add a wonderful richness to the taste of baked goods.
Matilda the Donkey
We purchased Matilda soon after fencing the farm to guard the Devon babies from coyotes. When we bought Matilda she already had been a “mom”. The best guard donkey is a female who has already had a baby and has developed that extra protective instinct. It is also important that they are independent of humans and thus we did not encourage feeding treats etc. When we went to pick out a donkey there were a number of possibilities including several very friendly ones, several that never paid us any attention and then there was Matilda. She stood off on her own and acted quite independent but each time we made even the slightest move she noticed and her ears went up and her eyes locked in on the “strangers”. Matilda became the guard “cow”. She went everywhere with the herd and they all seemed to love her. We frequently saw the cows licking her long ears and she really seemed to enjoy their attention. She loved the little ones and would be found standing guard over sleeping babies while their mothers were off grazing. She now keeps the miniature donkeys and goats company at Yesterday Spaces.
