The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1903-12-23
DEvoNs FOR THE DRY RANCHES.

| In considering the most suitable
breeds of cattle to use to improve and
keep up the quality of the Island herds,
where beef production is the principal
aim, and taking into consideration the
peculiar conditions existing on many
of the ranches, periodical scarcity of
feed, occasional protracted droughts,
| long distance to water driving on very
| trails, and shipping off the coast under
very awkward and dangerous condi-
tions, it seems to me that there is
more in favor of or less objection to
the Devon herd than any other class of
cattle.
The characteristics of the Devons,
quoting from Breeds of dairy cattle"
Farmers bulletin No. 106 compact
ness and general beauty, hardness, ac-
tivity, intelligence, doeility, aptitude
to fatten, and quality of milk" are all
desirable points to meet the conditions,
here, and being only a medium size is
an advantage, considering that they
are heavy weighers for their size, and
it is quite likely that ON the dry
ranches as much weight will be attain
ed by Devon grades as by the grade of
heavier breeds.
AS beef animals the Devons have no
superiors, unless in size, the steers be-
ing profitable alike to the grazier and
the butcher, to the former in the goo
use made of the feed consumed and to
the latter in the amount and quality ,
of the beef on the carcass.
AS mixers they do not hold first
place, but they rear their calves ex-
ceptionally well, and on many ranches
would probably be as profitable milk
ers as other breeds; some fair milking
records have been made by Devons.
AS working cattle the steers are first |
class. getting over the ground more
quickly than others, and in Devon |
shire were considered equal to horses ,
for plowing.
The Devon bulls are very active and ,
aggressive and if other bulls are on |
the same pasture the Devons will leave
the majority of calves, their strength !
and sagacity fitting them to vanquish !
much larger rivals. Their best points
are also readily transmitted to their
offspring. In my personal experience !,
have found that under favorable con-
ditions in New Zealand the Devons do
not compare with the Durham Short
horn as general purpose animal, be-
ing inferior in milk supply and in fur
nishing the largest class of store steers
that are in demand there.
On the MakaweH ranch, where a fine.
class of Shorthorn grade cows were
kept some years ago, a change having
been made from Devons originally car
ried there, the Shorthorns were too
delicate for the ranch, and it was found |
desirable to go back to the Devons
The steers from the Devon bulls used
IN this change We're splendid animals,
with good points of both breeds ami
the rustling quality of the Devons, the
ranch having good beef cattle during
1 series of dry years. The Makaweli
changes were exactly the opposite of
my early experience in New Zealand
ana are an example of difference in
conditions giving different results, not
that the Devons did not do well there.
but the Shorthorns were more profit
able, the opposite being the case at
The grade steers from an inporta-
ton of Devon bulls to the Molokai
Ranch a few years ago, and bred with
a fair lot of cows of various strains.
are just coming into the market and
they are we'll marked amongst the
other stock, their bodies being very full
and rounded before the purse fills,
whilst other grades with full purse,
ienoting prime condition show consid-
'rable slackness in the beef points. A
ew of the Devons sold last year gave
Weights up to that of older and larger
-nimals of other breeds; of course some
-llowance must be made for the fact
hat the Devons were nearer the pure
'lood than the others t