About Our Cattle

We raise Herefords, Devons and Angus, and their crosses on our farm. We find these breeds do especially well in our climate and on our grass based program. All our cattle graze organic pasture in grazing season and are fed certified organic hay in winter. More information on the individual breeds can be found below.

Hereford Cattle

Herefords take their name from the county of Herefordshire, England. Today’s Hereford is colored dark red to red-yellow, with a white face. White markings on the hocks and elsewhere are also common. They can be polled or horned but most North American Herefords are polled. Mature males can weigh up to 1,800 pounds and are muscular and well developed in the area that produces valuable cuts – the back, loin, and hind quarters and round.

These cattle are hardy and excellent foragers known for their vigor and longevity. Some females can live and produce calves beyond the age of 15. Herefords are generally docile and fast growing cattle with high quality beef. They are an excellent choice for grass based management.

Devon Cattle

The Devon breed is sometimes called “The Butcher’s Breed” because of the fine quality of its meat, as well as its favorable meat to bone ratio. Devons are an excellent choice for a grass fed system as they fatten so well on pasture alone. They are docile, gentle and easy to handle with a very thick hide that helps them to resist parasites and withstand weather changes.

Rotokowa Devons are a particular “subset” of Devons, brought to the United States from New Zealand. In 1975, a breeder by the name of Ken McDowall carefully began breeding and improving a herd of Devon to create the Rotokowa Devon, a quick-maturing, quick-finishing beef breed that calves easily and is docile to handle.

Angus Cattle

The Angus (Angus Aberdeen), is a medium breed of beef cattle originating in Scotland. Because of the harsh native environment, the cattle are very hardy and can survive snowy, stormy winters and tough conditions.

The breed is naturally polled and the animals are solid black, sometimes with a white udder. (Red Angus is considered a separate breed in the US.) Cows average 1,210 lbs and bulls about 1,870 lbs. They typically mature earlier than other breeds and exhibit ease of calving.

Angus cattle are compact, have a large muscle content and marble well. The Angus breed is known for its high dressing percentage and is another excellent choice for the grass fed beef farmer.