Why Do We Raise Red Devon Cattle?
One of our passions at Fat Apple Farm is studying and improving the genetics of grass-fed cattle. We believe that improved breeding standards will determine whether a grass-fed and pasture-raised farm will be successful.
Why? Because breeding impacts all of the important areas of a pasture-based ranching model:
Consumers want nutrient-dense and tender proteins that benefit the environment and their community
Farmers need higher yields per acre to viably produce grass-fed and pasture-raised meats
Livestock need to thrive on pasture to be able to play their vital role in regenerating land and improving topsoil that has been depleted by neglect or industrial agriculture
All that is to say, breeding plays a vital role in pasture-based food systems. Here’s what the breeding history looks like at our farm.
Our First Generation of Cattle: Angus Breed
As outlined in our farm’s soil health journey, in the first few years of our farm, our pastures didn’t have the high-quality forage necessary to support a large grass-fed cattle population. The catch-22: we needed cattle to help transition the vegetation in our pastures, but we didn’t have the vegetation needed to support large numbers of hungry, grass-fed cattle.
To start our transition, we chose to buy Angus cattle from a local farm. Angus cattle are a well-known breed, but they are not the top-tier grass-fed breed in either taste or yield. However, we knew these cattle would be hardy in this region and acclimated to the weather. As our first herd, their animal impact helped kickstart our land transition (as well as the animal impact of our pigs).
Phase Two: Red Devons
After a few years of rotational grazing, our pastures had developed enough quality vegetation to support a larger herd of cattle. In 2019, we were introduced to local cattle breeders Mike Scannell and Joan Harris of Harrier Fields Farm. Their farm is in Schodack Landing, NY, about 40 minutes north of our farm in the Hudson Valley.
Red Devon cattle are widely recognized as one of the best breeds of cattle for grass-fed, grass-finished beef. We were looking forward to switching to this breed because of their well-known marbling patterns, tenderness, and high yield.
Mike and Joan have been raising Red Devons for about 25 years as a “true breed improver” in the Hudson Valley, and we have been working to build on their extraordinary foundation.
Improving a grass-fed cattle breed takes discipline, research, and dedication over many years. Mike and Joan have been cultivating their pastures for a long time, building up an ecosystem of high-quality forage with high brix levels that can support a healthy herd.
They base their breeding standard on Gearld Fry's “linear measurement” technique, an empirical method used to take out guesswork or bias when choosing breeding animals. Breeders take an annual physical measurement of cattle, plotting key measurements and balance standards in a spreadsheet and applying a 1-5 rating method to cows and bulls.
Through a strong foundation herd, intentional embryo transfers, imported genetics, and years of patience, our local breeders have created a distinct family of Red Devons, well-adapted to our region.
Breeding a Fat Apple Farm Herd
Over the past three years, we have purchased a significant portion (around half) of the cattle at Harrier Fields Farm. Our current herd is about 30 head of brood cows, as well as our own bulls. With this herd size, we are able to breed the best of our own herd to continue improving desired characteristics.
For cattle to be considered a Red Devon, the typical standard is just that the parents are Red Devons. Unfortunately, with many breeders, there isn’t a strict quality control standard within Red Devon genetics.
However, our breeding program goes above and beyond the bare-minimum. Breeds aren’t static, so we work to build up the genetics and raise improved Red Devons. Over the years, we will continue to select for and improve on desired traits — an adventure to sculpt the genetics of our Red Devon cattle at Fat Apple Farm.
The success of our herd requires strategic breeding as well as a focus on the nutrients and minerals found in our forage that keep our cattle healthy. This is the only way to achieve a higher yield and higher-quality meat: by improving both livestock genetics and soil health.
Breeding is Key for the Future of Grass-fed Beef
Grass-fed cattle will be essential to remediating soils with rotational grazing. However, if the business model of producing grass-fed beef isn’t viable, this important tool of land regeneration will not be possible.
Breeding is our passion, because it deeply impacts the viability of a grass-fed business model (based on efficiency per acre).
Essentially, all of our breeding decisions are based on two areas: yield (getting the most we can out of each animal), and taste (making sure the product provides a superior eating experience).
1. Cattle that can perform well and stay healthy on a grass-fed diet
Focusing on hardiness and yield of our animals is key to keep our business financially viable. If our animals aren’t healthy, or don’t produce enough meat, we cannot stay in business. Our breeds need to be low maintenance and high yielding.
As grass-fed ranchers, we want cattle who are deep-bodied, well-balanced and fast-maturing. These animals are well suited to our climate and can thrive on pasture. These larger, wider animals can also carry more meat on their frames, yielding a larger percentage of meat. We are shooting for 70% yield (rather than the industry standard of 55%), consistently yielding 10-15% more in sellable cuts including gains in high-end cuts like loin and steaks.
The traits we look for in grass-fed cattle contrast with what a commodity cattle breeder might look for: taller animals, a result of breed "mongrelization" (also possibly due to intentional breeding so they could stand in the muck of a feedlot), who are able to gain weight as quickly as possible on a cheap, subsidized, grain-based diet.
2. Cattle that produce grass-fed beef that provides a good eating experience
In our cattle breeding selection, we also consider the “tenderness traits” of the animal that only eats a diet of grasses.
Some cattle breeds have been designed for modern confinement feedlots, spending a large portion of their life fattening up on grains and not actively moving. These breeds are chosen because they gain weight quickly on a diet of grain.
Grass-fed cattle are very active, gain weight slower, and take longer to get to their slaughter weights. Without a focus on genetics in grass-fed cattle, ranchers produce a product that consumers may not want to support, because it is too tough or not marbled enough.
Grass-fed cattle breeders need to address some of the damage done to breeds as they were optimized for feedlots, as well as select carefully and deliberately for marbling and tenderness. To create the best product possible, and a strong business, we are breeding to produce the best eating experience possible.
Shop Regenerative, Grass-Fed, and Pasture-Raised Meats
Breeding may not be the first thing on your mind when you think of grass-fed and pasture-raised meats, but it is a key component to our success — and, ultimately, the product that you purchase and enjoy.
Your support of Fat Apple Farm is an investment in the long-term health of our breeds, creating resilience in our food system and regenerating land. See our retail inventory for local and ethical meat options, from pasture-raised pork and poultry to grass-fed beef.