Dexter Cattle on Mars

Excerpt from Under Fire by H.K. Devonshire

'Becky gave a whoop and closed in on the stray. The DVB Connected was back in business after a successful drive and a reward given them by Marshal Cavanaugh nearly a year ago. Back in business meant backbreaking work, taking care of their ranch and herd of two thousand Dexter cattle. Originally from Earth, the Dexter breed had taken to Mars’ lighter gravity and iron rich soil as though bred for it. And since even a modest ranch like the DVB took up thousands of acres to gather the moisture required to support the grass needed to feed the herd, that much land meant that many more strays. And with the mines and towns so hungry for Mars-grown beef, even this scrawny one-year old fetched a thousand credits on market.'