These attractive mahogany red cattle come from Devon, in South- west England from very ancient stock. They were developed to thrive on poor forage in the cold, wet climate of the region, and were originally a triple purpose breed kept for milk, beef and for ploughing oxen. They are now kept largely for beef, being of a medium size which gives a suitable sized joint for the modern family, and are not so large that they cause excessive damage to pasture. The beauty of the Devon is not just in its colour but also in its quiet and tractable temperament, which is why they were important as draught oxen for pulling out the kauri logs and for preparing the land for cultivation in the early pioneer days of New Zealand’s history. Devon’s still perform exceptionally well on poor forage and are an ideal breed for a low input system, growing quickly and producing superb quality marbled beef, second to none in flavour and texture. They calve easily as they have relatively light calves which then grow on quickly
on their dam’s rich milk, the milk that is infamous for producing Devon clotted cream.