• Feeding cattle (remember our blog about feeding cattle in the winter?)
• Moving cattle and fixing fences (remember our pasture management blog?)
• Providing medical care
• Repairing machinery and equipment

What we don’t always realize is the amount of thought and planning that goes into successful farm management. The less physical, more thoughtful chores may not require as much blood and sweat, but they *may* involve at least a few tears! One necessary job that appears, at least on the surface, to be a brief mental exercise, can be complex: farmers must make decisions about the genetics of their herd.

At first glance, this decision appears simple and straightforward, but with thousands of recognized cattle breeds and innumerable cross combinations, you can see how this decision requires a great deal of knowledge and thought. The farmer or rancher needs to consider the traits they want and need in order to be successful. The climate, the ecosystem and level and type of vegetation, as well as desired qualities of the meat products inform the breed or combination of breeds that will be used on farm. Even when this decision has been made, it’s important to assess and re-assess it regularly.

Beauchamp Farms, a new G.A.P. Animal Welfare Certified Pasture Raised (Step 4) beef cattle ranch in Virginia, raises heritage Irish Dexter cattle. Where modern commercial breeds can be about 25-40% larger than Dexters, Beauchamp Farms has found a special niche with this breed, and finds they are a perfect fit for their G.A.P. Certified farm.

As their name implies, these cattle originally hail from Ireland and were brought to North America in the early 1900’s. They are among the smallest cattle breeds in the world and are known for being docile and easy to handle. Their small frame and lighter body weights make them well suited for small farms as they don’t cause as much soil compaction or need to graze as much as their larger counterparts. Maintaining specific levels of vegetative cover in pasture areas is an important animal welfare standard for G.A.P. beef certification. Mary Ganous of Beauchamp Farms says “Our gentle Irish Dexter cattle’s efficient use of available pasture allowed us to easily achieve G.A.P.’s Pasture Raised (Step 4) certification.”.

G.A.P.’s comprehensive standards are truly unique and are developed specifically for each animal group, while taking into account the different production systems and geographic climates around the globe. G.A.P. develops and sets the standards, our valued partners implement them, and our third-party certifiers audit every farm to ensure the standards are being met. It’s an important process that helps us impact the lives of more than 416 million animals annually.

If you are a farm or ranch, we would love to hear about how you manage your breed choices on-farm. If you’re thinking about the G.A.P. program, learn more about our standards here and click here to fill out a pre-application and be contacted by someone from our farm team.

Keep up-to-date with the G.A.P. program and more posts like this by following #GAPFarmLife on social media (Instagram and Facebook)!

The post Breed choice: A critical decision in cattle ranching appeared first on Global Animal Partnership.

It’s a simple field, full of grasses, shrubs and forbs. It seems expansive and never-ending with only trees and the occasional hill hiding the horizon. Grazing animals dot the landscape in the distance, content with the abundant vegetation around them. As tranquil as this simple field seems, its health and vitality require not only the presence of the animals grazing, but also the removal of those animals.

The large group of animals that are currently occupying the field graze contentedly, harvesting the very best forages. They are able to eat the best this field has to offer because they get moved to a new and fresh spot every day. As the land sustains the animals, providing them food and shelter; the animals sustain the land, returning nutrients to the soil. To maintain this relationship, it is important for the field to be rested for a period, preventing degradation of vegetation that can occur if overgrazed.

In this spot in the Northwest Hill Country of Texas, it would seem that approaching ATVs would disrupt the peace, but their arrival has little effect. These are no joy-riders tearing around the terrain for their own pleasure. They are there to work, using the most efficient vehicle for that work. As the four-wheeler rolls to a stop, it not only carries a person, but fencing materials. It’s time to move!

Quickly the fence is strung, and the animals are on the move, seeming to know what they are doing and where they are going. They are almost lazy as they head for the small 15-foot break in the fence, looking unworried as they are followed by the ATVs. It appears orchestrated, but in reality, it is evidence of good planning, proper tools, and effective stockmanship. It also doesn’t hurt to have the reward of new and delicious food on the other side of the fence, enticing the cattle through.

Finally, the animals are gone, off to fresher, greener pastures. They will be back, but not before the field is rested, allowing the vegetation to replenish itself.  And with only a couple of four-wheelers, some fencing, and good management, this ecological dance is possible.

Like this post? Let us know! To keep up-to-date with more animal welfare posts like this, follow #GAPFarmLife on social media (including Instagram and Facebook)!

The post On the Move: Achieving Symbiosis in Cattle Ranching appeared first on Global Animal Partnership.