Did you know that proper pasture raised grass-fed beef cattle, can provide more meat (up to 200 pounds more in some agricultural studies) with less fat and at a more economical cost to the rancher, than using commercial grain feeds?
That’s just one of many reasons why Florida Ranchers are making the switch from feedlot production to free roaming, traditional and healthy grass-fed cattle ranching. But have you ever wondered what life on a Florida cattle ranch is really like? It’s a hard job, but Florida ranchers are often multigenerational, meaning the culture and practice of farming goes back two or up to six generations of proud cattle farming in our state.
Early Risers
While everyone else in America is still sleeping, cattle ranchers in Florida are up before the crack of dawn, and usually by 4:00 to 5:00 a.m. Even on the weekends. And after a hearty breakfast, the ranchers are off to inspect the pasture and their herds.
Now if you think that sounds like an easy job of just driving a pick-up truck over a few fields, consider that many Florida ranchers have hundreds to thousands of acres of land with grass-fed and free roaming cattle managed in different pasture parcels. When the rancher gets to the pasture and one (or more) of his/her cattle herds, a long list of inspections waits for them.
Keeping Cattle Safe and Rotating Pasture Access
Did you know that the average cost to raise beef cattle, is almost $600 per year, and per head of cattle? Every member of the herd is important to the Florida rancher, who must protect the health and safety of his cattle and investment, in order to remain a sustainable and profitable business.
From inspecting fence lines, to watching for sick or injured cattle, a constant supervision of the herd is required. Cattle can be impacted by a lot of factors including harm from natural predators, birthing needs for pregnant cows, and even theft. A cow and calf for example, can fetch as much as $2500 at auction, and Ranchers have to be vigilant to make sure that none of the herd are missing, injured or lost from the herd.
It’s not uncommon to see Florida ranchers doing this surveying and evaluation of their herd on horseback either. Usually trailed by a farm dog (or two) to help with rounding up and transferring cattle from one pasture section to another. And if you have ever tried to get a group of kids organized and moving in the same direction in a crowd, you’ll have a little idea of how difficult it can be to move a few hundred cattle in the right direction.
Rotating the herd is an unending job that Florida cattle ranchers have to manage. This land stewardship allows certain parcels of pasture to recover, by removing cattle to allow healthy regrowth of fresh grass. The herd is moved seasonally (Spring/Fall) into designated grazing parcels, but sometimes due to drought, cattle herd may need to be moved more frequently to provide fresh grass and access to clean drinking water.
While the cattle are grazing, Florida ranchers are usually eating a packed lunch close to their herds and making inspection notes for repairs to fence lines or corrals that may need improvement. They also take notes on the different pastures and regrowth rates of the grass, to help them schedule grazing and rotation of the herd. Smartphones with GPS help ranchers make accurate notes on areas that require their attention.
It can take several hours to move the cattle around, with many Ranchers not returning home until about 5:00 p.m. for dinner. Cattle that require attention may be removed (or cut) from the herd to be evaluated in the barn or corral at the ranch.
The other aspect of the ‘home team’ which is done by other family members who stay at the Ranch, is purchasing and sales. Everything from equipment repair, to veterinary services (when required), and brokerage of cows, calves and cattle sales are done from the Ranch office. The business management side of running a family ranch also never stops.
This process repeats itself every day, all day and seven days a week for Florida Ranchers. But if you ask them, there is no other life that they would rather live, or business that they would enjoy more. The work is hard, but the rewards of building a business that was inherited from family and which will be passed down to the next generation, is deeply meaningful to Florida Ranchers.
Caring for the land, and the animals in their herds is also a personal commitment. There are other methods that provide fast profits for Florida Ranchers, that involve high-density farming practices (feedlot operations). But if you ask a local rancher who has made the shift to antibiotic and hormone free natural agricultural methods (free roaming grass-fed), they’ll tell you that it’s healthier for the environment, the cattle and consumers who enjoy more nutritional value from grass-fed beef.
This choice is why supporting our local Florida Ranchers matters. Choose Florida Raised beef.