Imagine starting your day out on the open range, surrounded by beautiful Florida wildlife, and being responsible for the safety and health of hundreds (more more) herd of cattle? When you think about all the possible natural predators that cattle may encounter in the grassy areas or land-leased conservation areas, it helps you appreciate the tough job that modern ranchers face every day.
American’s prefer grass-fed beef because it has a deep and rich flavor, and demand is increasing for antibiotic and hormone free meat, as grocery shoppers become informed about the health risks associated with antibiotic resistance and other potential problems. So as more Florida ranchers make that important transformation back from feedlot methods of production to heritage grazing, the job is getting harder for ranchers.
What kind of precautions do contemporary Florida cattle ranchers take, to help minimize the risk to their herds? From drones to GPS, and wildlife regulations that often feel punitively restrictive to our resident ranchers, we’ll discuss what it takes to keep a herd safe in the tall marshes of Florida’s beautiful pasture lands.
Technological Approaches Help Track and Confirm Predation of Calves
As the technology to GPS track cattle becomes more affordable, you may start seeing more cows and calves with something that looks like a dangling earring, opposite to the traditional identification tag on the right ear. Loss of cattle to theft and predation costs the Florida cattle industry millions of dollars a year; and technology is helping to reduce that loss.
According to the Rangeland Wildlife and Ecosystems Program (UF-IFAS Range Cattle Research and Education Center) approximately 8% of Florida calves are lost annually. That is just under 70,000 calves of the average 800,000 born every year across the state. Natural predators include the coyote, black bear and panther, with most calf loss occurring within the first 10-days after birth.
If there is a death that is apparently a case of predation from a wild predator, the rancher is required to document it (with photos) and report it. If the data from other ranchers coincides with evidence that requires a managed hunt for a major predator, the wildlife authorities will organize it to address the issue.
Guard Animals Keep Watch
Sometimes the best and most natural method of protecting your herd is through recruiting the help of some other four-legged domesticated animals, who have a reputation for being excellent (if not unconventional) watch dogs. Like, a guard donkey?
If you smiled imagining a tough little donkey working double duty to protect a herd of cattle, that’s okay, but the truth that male donkeys particularly are very territorial and protective of any herd to which they belong. And that includes against snakes, wild dogs, coyotes and other predators. We know they don’t look that formidable; just don’t get one angry. There have been recorded accounts of donkey’s fighting off Florida Panthers.
Many Florida ranchers have multiple cow dogs, that are used for both protection and to help drive the herd from one pasture area to another. The original breed of dog that was used by cattle ranchers in Florida historically, was named the ‘Florida Cracker Cur’. They are a mixed breed and variations of the original poodle like Bouvier des Flandres, and they sometimes resemble large Labrador retrievers. Not shy of the water, these trained dogs were once the only defense for Cracker Cowboys (aside from their whip and trusty guns). You’ll still see many ranches using working dogs for this purpose.
Let’s Talk About Those Gators
You can’t have a conversation about predation of cattle and other livestock and domesticated animals in Florida, without mentioning our unofficial mascot; the alligator. These prehistoric swimming giant lizards can be found anywhere from recreational boat canals, to golf course water obstacles, walking trails and sometimes in crowded areas like theme parks gardens and marshes.
In Florida, the largest number of gators reside in Orlando, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples, according to recent data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. That is the official department that answers the call when a residential home owner finds one in their pool, or when a rancher finds a large and aggressive one that is a little too interested in calves.
While Florida Alligators serve an important purpose on the food chain, the ability to say “live and let live” isn’t really possible. They breed quickly and successfully, thanks to the rich food supply of fish, aquatic birds and occasionally young cattle.
The average Florida alligator lays 35 to 50 eggs, but some large females can lay as many as 90 eggs. The gestation period from laying eggs to hatched juvenile alligators is only 60 days. They typically build only one nest per season, but recent population surveys estimate that there may be anywhere from 1.5 million to over 2 million alligators in Florida. That is roughly 15 alligators for every Florida resident. At the low end, assuming that females are about 50% of the population, that could also mean about 26, 250,000 eggs laid annually.
To control the gator population, controlled and licensed culling is done annually, and with the prolific alligator it is hardly enough to put a small dent in the population. However other industries have sprung up in the state that utilize this natural resource, for both alligator leather, meat and tourist goods. Hunting excursions for alligators are also popular for tourists, who can expect to pay $500 to hunt and retrieve a 5’ alligator. Rare monoliths around 13 feet in length, cost about $10,000 for the hunter.
On average, alligators have learned that where there are cattle, there are human beings with guns. Attacks on domesticated cattle are rare, but always a consideration for ranchers. In 2017, an 800-pound alligator was caught at Lee Lightsey’s Outwest Farms, in Okeechobee. It was relaxing in a pasture close to the house, inside the herd’s drinking pond.
It is ‘all in a day’s work’ for a Florida cattle rancher, and we hope you’ve enjoyed some interesting facts about natural predators and how they are managed in our state. Florida Raised is committed to providing the highest quality locally sourced (antibiotic, hormone and preservative free) meats fresh from the Sunshine State, and exclusively for local residents. But one of our favorite jobs, is helping to educate the public about Florida cattle ranchers, and encouraging everyone to show their support, by purchase locally produced agricultural products.