If you’ve been around cattle, you’re familiar with horn flies. These pests may be small, but they do an incredible amount of damage. Ranches in Florida alone suffer a loss estimated at $36 million annually due to the horn fly. Up to $60 million annually is spent on insecticidal control in the United States to [...]
What is gut health? In cattle, it’s a two-parter. Gut health refers to how well nutrients from their food are being absorbed and can be utilized by the body, along with how well pathogens are contained within the digestive tract. Why is gut health important to cattle? If they have to expend extra energy fighting [...]
With over 12 million acres of pasture land in Florida, the Florida Cattlemen’s Association and the Florida Department of Agriculture are determined to cultivate clean resources in the state. That means implementing pollution prevention and reduction strategies. Organizations have worked together to accomplish this in a number of ways, including recommending “best management practices” (BMPs) [...]
Florida alone has about 12 million acres of pasture land. That’s a lot of land dedicated to growing and feeding grass-fed cattle and providing for our communities. But with the sheer number of cattle and amount of rangeland comes great responsibility to our environment. By taking on the duty of rancher, we’re pledging to do [...]
If you’re a cattle owner, you know how important it is to protect your herd. Livestock loss is a major issue to ranches all over Florida, especially calf loss. According to the USDA’s 2015 report on livestock loss, ranches suffered a loss of 4% of their calves, with 25% of those losses due to predation. [...]
Selenium (Se), an element on the periodic table and a mineral found in soil, rocks, and water, is an essential trace element for ruminants like cattle and sheep. While it isn’t required in high amounts, without it, cows can suffer from deficiency symptoms and health disorders. In today’s blog, we’ll unpack what role selenium plays [...]
Grass-fed beef is delicious and nutritious, but these steaks may require a little more preparation than conventional beef. Since grass-fed cows are raised completely in pasture, they get a lot more exercise than cows living in feedlots. This results in a much healthier cow and final product, but all this walking and exercise also develops [...]
As global temperatures continue to rise and populations and food needs grow, ranchers struggle to produce cattle more efficiently and ethically. Some researchers at the University of Florida are working to improve cattle’s ability to withstand hot summer temperatures by targeting their genetic code. This shows promise to improve overall cattle production with selective breeding, [...]
As the July 4th holiday quickly approaches, you may be planning your cookout and menu items. By incorporating grass-fed beef into your backyard barbecue, your grilling is sure to be a standout. This recipe brings together the delicious flavors and health benefits of grass-fed beef with a taste worthy of an Independence Day celebration. For [...]
Cows eat grass, right? Most cattle get a mixture of fresh grass, stored hay in the wintertime, and, if they’re conventionally raised or finished, a mixture of grains and other add-ins to fatten them up. But how do cattle get so large solely existing off grass, a fiber, for part or all of their lives? [...]
