about our herd
Tamar Farm features Red Devon cattle, an ancient breed not often seen in New Zealand. The native home of the Red Devon is the South West of England, primarily in the counties of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset.
Red Devon cattle were first introduced into New Zealand in 1838 by James Busby, who was stationed in Waitangi in the Bay of Islands.
Devons were used in Bullock teams with as many as 8 pairs and used to haul kauri logs from the bush and to break in land using ploughs.
The docility of the breed made them a favourite for the drovers. They were recognised as the quickest, most active oxen and able to thrive in hard conditions.
The fact that they could be used for milk production and beef was an added bonus.
Despite their long history in the country, Red Devon cattle remain a relatively unknown breed in New Zealand. As a beef producer, they have many positive traits. They are not a big-bodied cow, but they return a very good liveweight-to-carcass-weight percentage and have outstandingly marbled and beautiful tasting beef.
At Tamar Farm we have a breeding herd of approximately 300 cows which calve in the autumn. We started the herd in 2002 and have been selectively breeding from the best cows with the aid of ultra scanning for Intramuscular Fat (IMF) and Eye Muscle Area (EMA) to ensure a quality product.
“I have been buying Tamar Beef for my butcher shop in Leeston for 18 months and am really impressed with the consistency of the beef. The flavour is outstanding and always commented on by customers.”
