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Cracker Cattle in Silvopasture Systems

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Cracker Cattle in Silvopasture Systems Cracker Cattle in Silvopasture Systems Dr. Tim Olson Department of Animal Sciences UF_IFAS Outline • History of Cracker Cattle • Types/Strains of Cracker Cattle • Why Cracker cattle for silvopasture systems? • Characteristics of Cracker Cattle • Beef from Cracker Cattle • Getting Started with Cracker Cattle History of Cracker Cattle • 1600’s Spanish cattle are established in Florida • 1700’s Spanish‐origin cattle increased in number, generally without much management • 1800’s Probably some interbreeding, especially in North Florida of Cracker Cattle with North American Native Cattle • 1900’s Near loss of Florida Cracker Cattle due to crossing with Brahman and other breeds Preservation of Florida Cracker Cattle • Crossing with Brahman and other breeds nearly eliminated Florida Cracker cattle by the late 1950’s • Still some “unadulterated” Cracker cattle could still be found in the 1970’s • Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Doyle Conner was responsible for setting up a herd of surviving Cracker cows in Tallahassee in 1970 • Simultaneously the Florida Park Service established hdherds of CkCracker ClCattle on P’Payne’s PiiPrairie and at the Lake Kissimmee State Park Florida Cracker Cattle Association • In the late 1980’s , the FCCA was formed and soon started having annual “gatherin’s” and sales of Cracker Cattle in early November each year • The purpose of the FCCA is to promote the preservation of Cracker Cattle and to work to inform the public of their importance to the history of Florida Strains of Florida Cracker Cattle • West Florida Strains: – Barnes (Flora la, Ala bama ) – Conway (Mississippi) – Robinson • Peninsular Strains: – Durrance (Okeec ho bee ) – Ezell (Taylor County) – Department of Agriculture (Tallahassee/Brooksville) – Payne’s Prairie/Lake Kissimmee State Park Barnes (Florala, Alabama) Barnes (Florala, Alabama) Barnes (Florala, Alabama) Conway (Mississippi) Robinson Robinson Durrance (Okeechobee) Ezell (Taylor County) Department of Agriculture (Tallahassee/Brooksville) Payne’s Prairie Preserve State Park Payne’s Prairie/Lake Kissimmee State Park Old Blue Cow No. 8 Who Lived over 25 years and Calved at about 22 years Lake Kissimmee State Park, circa 1978 Why Cracker cattle for silvopasture systems? • Cracker Cattle should have the lowest nutritional requirements: Cracker Cattle are relatively small CkCracker ClCattle are relilative ly low milk producers CkCracker ClCattle are well‐adddapted to Flor ida Cracker Cattle may browse and thus remove competing plant species better than other breeds Cracker Cattle are relatively small • Nutrient requirements, especially those for maintenance are directly related to size • Mature weights for Cracker Cows vary from even less than 600 lbs up to nearly 1100 lbs for cows with Pineywoods heritage • The smallest Cracker cows are often referred to as GiGuineas • Guineas probably have several types of dwarfism involved Other Characteristics of Cracker Cattle • Longevity – It is not unusual for cows to calve past 20 years of age • Heat tolerance – Most Cracker cattle have short hair and seem to be as heat tolerant as Brahman cattle • Possible parasite resistance – This has not been tested but my cattle are never treated for internal parasites – Florida Native Sheep were proven to be resistant to internal parasites many years ago Can you make money with Florida Cracker Cattle???? • Keep costs low but don’ t starve them • Good quality hay is probably enough for winter feeding of adult cows • Breed Cracker cows to Angus or Charolais bulls when you d’don’t need replacement hifheifers • “Pretty” Cracker cows with lots of white spotting need to be bred to Charolais bulls to prevent excessive discounts of the calves Selling “Natural” Beef from Cracker Cattle • An area still to be developed • An interest does exist for locally grown foods • Se lling as organic bfbeef is difficu lt to establis h • Cracker cattle can easily be raised on pasture without any antibiotics, growth hormones or even the use of chemicals to control internal or external parasites • Most animals produce very palatable beef Getting Started with Cracker Cattle • Cracker Cattle are available at reasonable prices • A few small herds exist in west Florida • Larger herds and the State of Florida herds are ldlocated in Eastern, ClCentral, and ShSouth Flor ida • Cattle from the state herds are available only at the annual auction of the Florida Cracker Cattle Association in early November At the Cracker Gatherin’ prior to the Annual Cracker Cattle and Horse Sale .
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