Florida is known for its warm temperatures, many days of sunshine, and lush growth. It sounds like the perfect place to raise cattle, especially when compared to some cold areas of the United States that have trouble growing enough forage for their cattle. However, many areas are suffering from lack of potassium (K) in their [...]
If you’re trying to shop healthier for you and your family, you might be baffled by the labels in the grocery store. They’re confusing and hard to navigate. In today’s blog, we’ll break down the organic and grass-fed classifications so you have a better idea of what you’re looking for in the store. For more [...]
Cattle need vaccinations to help maintain their health, just like humans do. Vaccines for cattle help protect them from viruses, bacteria and dangerous protozoans. While they cannot prevent exposure to an infection, they can help protect the animal and stimulate an immune response, preventing an infection or lessening the severity. We’ll explore the ins and [...]
According to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the cattle tail louse is the most damaging species of lice in Florida. With repetitive treatment methods, their spread in the herd can be maintained. While still tiny, it’s the largest louse species found on cattle, and it packs quite a punch. Protect [...]
Consumers have seen skyrocketing prices due to inflation and the pandemic. Prices are rising in many different areas, from rent to groceries. Beef prices aren’t exempt from that either. Thankfully, things have recently taken a better turn for beef consumers. The USDA reported beef prices dropped 0.6 percent in June, and have stayed steady for [...]
The Florida Cracker breed is a living piece of history. It first descended from cattle brought over by the Spaniards in the 1500s. As they colonized parts of Florida, they established cattle systems that were far-reaching and required little supervision to maintain. These breeds that came from their herds are known as criollo cattle, meaning [...]
While many families look forward to their summer vacation to visit Florida’s theme parks, beaches, or many other tourist attractions, cattle aren’t too fond of this season. That’s because many of the elements are not too kind to cattle. Today we’ll discuss some problems cattle may experience during the summer, and some ways you can [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
