The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-12-25

the Devon herd than any other class of
| cattle.
The characteristics of the Devons,
quoting from Breeds of dairy cattle
Farmers bulletin No. log, compact
ness and general beauty, hardness ac-
| tivity, intelligence, docility, 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
1t 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 good
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 blowing.
The Devon bulls are very active and
aggressive and IL 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
i 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 Makaweli ranch, where fine
class of Shorthorn grade cows were
kept some years ago. a change having
been made from Devons originally car
ried there, the Shorthorns We're 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 were splendid animals.
with good points of both breeds and
the rustling quality of the Devons the
ranch having good beef cattle during
series of dry years. The Makaweli
changes were exactly the opposite of
my early experience in New Zealand
and are an example of difference in
conditions giving different results, not
that the Devons did not do we'll there,
but the Shorthorns were more profit
able, the opposite being the case at
Makaweli.
The grade steers from an importa-
ton of Devon bulls to the Molokai
Ranch few years ago, and bred with
a fair lot of cows of various strains,
are just coming into the market and
they are well marked amongst the
other stock, their bodies being very full
and rounded before the purse fills,
whilst other grades with a full purse,
denoting prime condition show consid-
cradle slackness in the beef points. A
few of the Devons sold last year gave
weights up to that of older and larger
animals of other breeds; of course some
allowance must be made for the fact
that the Devons We're nearer the pure
blood than the others.
The Devon grades keep in better con-
dition during the dry season and pick
up quicker when the feed improves than
most other strains.
Other ranches have, 1 believe, used
the Devon cattle in improving their
herds with favorable results.
(Signed) G.. C. MUNRO.
l.. Won Tempsky, the Maui rancher,
read a paper on Pamakani grass, as
follows: