Tell me about Ruby Red/North Devon

[HarryB97]

Have a neighbouring farmer who runs a suckler herd of North Devons and sells all the meat privatley in boxes and pubs etc. All there grass is permanent pasture and river meadows and they seam to do well on it and the cattle seam very quiet. I've eaten some steaks and sausages from them and they were very nice. Like your lamb the key is a local and professional slaughter house or u'll ruin all your hard work and have a lot of tough meat to get rid of! As they're a local breed to your area it would be silly not to go down that route.

 

[Wurzeetoo]

Some friends had a few a while back were very docile and no hassle nothing like the highlands that replaced them! As said ruby makes ansome steak

 

[An Gof]

Not much that this chap, Robert James, doesn’t know about the Devon Ruby Red Breed

http://www.highnaturevaluefarming.o...-robert-jones-west-yeo-farm-witheridge-devon/

 

[sidjon]

We've run Devon's for years, easy calving, very quiet, but biggest down side is unless you finish them yourself they are hard to sell as stores, we've switched to Herefords and could sell twice the amount we have, especially the heifers.

 

[tr250]

Would they be big enough to calve a limousin calf if it turns out you can’t sell enough meat and end up selling on europ grid

 

[Cows 'n grass]

We've run Devon's for years, easy calving, very quiet, but biggest down side is unless you finish them yourself they are hard to sell as stores, we've switched to Herefords and could sell twice the amount we have, especially the heifers.

No one wanted the last bunch of Hereford calves I sent to ex market a couple of weeks back. I thought they looked quite good but they probably only averaged £50. I still haven't bought any bulls or decided what to buy.

 

[bluepower]

Would they be big enough to calve a limousin calf if it turns out you can’t sell enough meat and end up selling on europ grid

They calve fine to Charolais so Limm shouldn't be a problem, as long as you pick the right type of bull.

 

[tr250]

They calve fine to Charolais so Limm shouldn't be a problem, as long as you pick the right type of bull.

How much would an average cow weigh then I thought a charalais would be asking a bit much but that would be ideal

 

[Jerry]

We've run Devon's for years, easy calving, very quiet, but biggest down side is unless you finish them yourself they are hard to sell as stores, we've switched to Herefords and could sell twice the amount we have, especially the heifers.

I must admit herefords were on the list, worked in a farm at Ross on Wye years ago with them and liked them a lot. The local breed though has tipped the balance at the moment.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

I must admit herefords were on the list, worked in a farm at Ross on Wye years ago with them and liked them a lot. The local breed though has tipped the balance at the moment.

Local? I'm pretty sure that coast near to you is the Southern one.

That said I tend to think South Devon cattle are really South Hams cattle, down here is their real hartland. I do have a soft spot for them but they are far to big to be practical really.

 

[JP1]

3 heifers in Axbridge:

https://www.sellmylivestock.co.uk/view/listing/pedigree-devon-red-breeding-heifers-2A181205

Choice of bulls in Cornwall:

https://www.sellmylivestock.co.uk/view/listing/pedigree-devon-red-breeding-bulls-75A31205

 

[Jerry]

Local? I'm pretty sure that coast near to you is the Southern one.

That said I tend to think South Devon cattle are really South Hams cattle, down here is their real hartland. I do have a soft spot for them but they are far to big to be practical really.

Well true, though even the local ice cream emporium has struggled to fine milky SD's

If driving time was the criteria I can be up north quicker than I can get down to the end of the South Hams, especially now we are approaching grockle season!

 

[exmoor dave]

I must admit herefords were on the list, worked in a farm at Ross on Wye years ago with them and liked them a lot. The local breed though has tipped the balance at the moment.

In your scenario selling direct to the public, I think rubies will be the better bet, esp the story to go with the meat, I'd just watch the fat level on the finished animals.

Mostly herefords here but we do occasionally buy in devons as it's very hard to find suitable stock to out-winter on moorland that does what we want commercially.

Loads of good local herds of devons round here, often put to char's for the store market.

 

[Muddyroads]

We have a herd of them and are just the other side of Exeter to you as you may know. Easy calving, have outwintered them without a problem and only ever fed grass. Docile and moved here by calling rather than driving. Protective of new born calves as you might expect, and can be stubborn through a race. They don’t make huge money to sell on, but then they’re not huge cattle. Knowing how you do your lamb I can see them suiting your marketing.

 

[bluepower]

How much would an average cow weigh then I thought a charalais would be asking a bit much but that would be ideal

Our cows would be between 500kgs /600kgs but as I said don't use a big boned,heavy shouldered, big headed bull you should be fine. Just use common sense.

 

[gone up the hill]

No one wanted the last bunch of Hereford calves I sent to ex market a couple of weeks back. I thought they looked quite good but they probably only averaged £50. I still haven't bought any bulls or decided what to buy.

Angus

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Local? I'm pretty sure that coast near to you is the Southern one.

That said I tend to think South Devon cattle are really South Hams cattle, down here is their real hartland. I do have a soft spot for them but they are far to big to be practical really.

Had another chap telling me about problems calving South Devons today, looking to change breeds. It's becoming a familiar story, though I realise there's often a lot of difference within a breed.
Hungry is another thing I hear against them.
But I mustn't say any more cos I'll upset @egbert . He must have a much better strain.

The red ruby makes a lot of sense @Jerry . Like any livestock purchase, buying from the right breeder probably as important as the breed.

 

[gone up the hill]

Had another chap telling me about problems calving South Devons today, looking to change breeds. It's becoming a familiar story, though I realise there's often a lot of difference within a breed.
Hungry is another thing I hear against them.
But I mustn't say any more cos I'll upset @egbert . He must have a much better strain.

The red ruby makes a lot of sense @Jerry . Like any livestock purchase, buying from the right breeder probably as important as the breed.

An important point should be added to the above and that is what breed of sheep/cattle will work on one farm may well not work on another farm next door, so many variables like management/ grass/silage quality etc etc.


Key is to find what breed works on your farm and what breed you enjoy working with.

 

[Granite Farmer]

No one wanted the last bunch of Hereford calves I sent to ex market a couple of weeks back. I thought they looked quite good but they probably only averaged £50. I still haven't bought any bulls or decided what to buy.

Thats a shame I would have snapped them up. I quite like hareford crosses as suckler cows. Re the OP I would go for Aberdeen Angus. Although from a purely aesthetic view Rubys are very nice.

 

[cattleman123]

Get some galloways

Don't I did and they are far to wild