12/01/06, 09:41 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 89
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We have a Milking Devon and she is a heavy short legged cow. I guess her weight to be aprox 1150-1200. I think she'd do well in a cold climate. What I like about Devon's and Normande's is that, with the exception of their udders, thay look like beef cows. Their shoulders and hips are rounded and muscular and you can't see the bones sticking out like you can on American dairy breeds.
The Devon is a fine boned and muscular and looks every bit as good a beef cow as an Angus or Hereford. Milk production is not as good as the dairy breeds but she'll give you a gallon or two for most of her lactation.
Normande are a much better milk breed but probably not as good for beef as a Devon. I saw on the Normande Genetics web page and it states that some produce as much as 20,000 lbs over a lactation. This is as about good as any dairy breed but the Normande is heavier on cream and protien then most of the large volume dairy breeds.
Because we want more milk then or Devon puts out we plan to cross her with a Normande and hope to split the difference. Probably this will give us a milk producer like a milking shorthorn but she should be a better beef cow.
Another option for you is to buy a culled holstein cow from a dairy herd and breed her to a Hereford. If you're willing to wait a few years for the calf to mature you'd end up with a good natured duel purpose cow at very little cost.
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