Recently I was in Florida and saw an impressive sized herd of Water Bufflalo beside the road. Actually the people who own the buffalo also own a big Cattle Co., but the buffalo are located on one of their other ranches. I was wandering where this owner got these buffalo? Where do you get Water Buffalo and what is the market for them? And has anybody ever been brave enough to try Cape Buffalo?
Cape Buffalo
- Thread starter CopeMan
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Crowderfarms
Well-known member
Those would be water Buffalo, not Cape Buffaloes. Capes are one of the most dangerous animals in the world. I believe what you saw are from Asia. Got wind of those a few years ago, fell by the wayside like Ostriches, Emus, etc. They were going to be on everyone's supper plate.Try this link, heck they even have an Assoc. http://www.americanwaterbuffalo.org/
Where in Florida did you see that herd ?
~~
Dr. Hugh Pompano, a professor at U Fla first imported water buffalo in the 80s to see if they would eat all the vegetation in the canals and be productive on it.
He was a cattleman and raised Charlolais cattle himself and experimented with feeding them non-inked newspaper and molasses. They gained on it, but it sure made a mess of those white coats.
The ranch I worked on in Florida was down the road from his ranch and one day I got a blow out on my tire and walked to his place to call for assistance and stumbled upon his new feeding routine. Just about anything you read about water buffalo will have his name attached to it.
In Vermont we have the first water buffalo dairy in the USA. They make the best yogurt and mozerella cheese I have ever tasted. The yogurt is 8% fat and stops ulcer burn, stomach upset and any gastrointesional issue in minutes. Local farmers provide the berries and maple syrup for their variety of yogurt flavors. The cheese is prized and is as good, if not better, than the Mozarella Buffalo cheeses made in Italy. Italy has many water buffalo dairies--it's where their real Mozarella cheese comes from.
The owner of this unusual venture is the doctor that invented laser eye surgery. So every time you have your eyes repaired--he gets another water buffalo.
Some unusual facts about the dairy:
Most of the water Buffalos in the dairy come from 2 places--the Florida line and the midwest line. In the beginning, most came in a feral state and had nevert been milked before. It takes a long time to get them into a routine and tamed down. Their custom built milking parlor is enormous and made just for water buffalo and their special needs. The cows don't automatically drop their milk, so they must recieve a shot of oxytocin each time they are brought into the milking parlor. Hopefully this is being phased out as more of their own homebred stock is being brought into the milk lineup. Each animal has their own water bed matress in the free stall barn. And that free stall is bigger than anything I have seen for Holsteins. The state had to change some laws in order to include water buffalo as "dairy animals & livestock." In the process they forgot about the growing population of Yaks here as well.
There seems to be a growing interest in all the bull calves and I am sure it will be a short time before we start to see water buffalo jerky, Buffalo beef, hotdogs, etc in the specialty stores in the upscale areas like Woodstock and Stowe Vermont.
Here is their website for more information:
http://www.starhilldairy.com
Here is a photo to give you an idea of size, color, hair ( almost none ) and curiosity factor. When I first saw them 2 years ago they looked like 900 lb potbellied pigs with their lack of hair and tough hide.
They are very strong animals and they need really heavy duty everything.
~~
Dr. Hugh Pompano, a professor at U Fla first imported water buffalo in the 80s to see if they would eat all the vegetation in the canals and be productive on it.
He was a cattleman and raised Charlolais cattle himself and experimented with feeding them non-inked newspaper and molasses. They gained on it, but it sure made a mess of those white coats.
The ranch I worked on in Florida was down the road from his ranch and one day I got a blow out on my tire and walked to his place to call for assistance and stumbled upon his new feeding routine. Just about anything you read about water buffalo will have his name attached to it.
In Vermont we have the first water buffalo dairy in the USA. They make the best yogurt and mozerella cheese I have ever tasted. The yogurt is 8% fat and stops ulcer burn, stomach upset and any gastrointesional issue in minutes. Local farmers provide the berries and maple syrup for their variety of yogurt flavors. The cheese is prized and is as good, if not better, than the Mozarella Buffalo cheeses made in Italy. Italy has many water buffalo dairies--it's where their real Mozarella cheese comes from.
The owner of this unusual venture is the doctor that invented laser eye surgery. So every time you have your eyes repaired--he gets another water buffalo.
Some unusual facts about the dairy:
Most of the water Buffalos in the dairy come from 2 places--the Florida line and the midwest line. In the beginning, most came in a feral state and had nevert been milked before. It takes a long time to get them into a routine and tamed down. Their custom built milking parlor is enormous and made just for water buffalo and their special needs. The cows don't automatically drop their milk, so they must recieve a shot of oxytocin each time they are brought into the milking parlor. Hopefully this is being phased out as more of their own homebred stock is being brought into the milk lineup. Each animal has their own water bed matress in the free stall barn. And that free stall is bigger than anything I have seen for Holsteins. The state had to change some laws in order to include water buffalo as "dairy animals & livestock." In the process they forgot about the growing population of Yaks here as well.
There seems to be a growing interest in all the bull calves and I am sure it will be a short time before we start to see water buffalo jerky, Buffalo beef, hotdogs, etc in the specialty stores in the upscale areas like Woodstock and Stowe Vermont.
Here is their website for more information:
http://www.starhilldairy.com
Here is a photo to give you an idea of size, color, hair ( almost none ) and curiosity factor. When I first saw them 2 years ago they looked like 900 lb potbellied pigs with their lack of hair and tough hide.
They are very strong animals and they need really heavy duty everything.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
Looks like some more that qualify for the CAB program.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
MikeC":kuuambs6 said:
Heck every body has tried to turn ever breed black to get in on the marketing ploy. We have Black Hereford,Chars, Simm,Limm and etc.
I am waiting on the Black Bramer now. It can't be marketed under Brangus. Pretty soon the entire industry will be black hided by idiots chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. They just can't figure it out its about management not color.
Nothing against Angus hateful little breed, if you can't beat em join em just quite screwing up every other breed trying to copy.
Crowderfarms
Well-known member
CopeMan":1qwut85s said:
Do Ex Mother in Laws qualify??
OP
OP
CopeMan
Well-known member
Yes you are right, after I checked the american water buffalo site and saw that he was the president and I emailed him. They are in fact his herd. I told him the exact location, on the corner of Hwy 241 and 335 in Archer Fl. near Williston and Gainesville. He said that they have 800 head on 3 farms. I ve heard that the Whitehurst Cattle Co. down the road from them also has some water buffalo along with there cattle operation.
CopeMan":2kaumr8n said:
Did you ask him what they are doing with all these buffalo?
Are all 800 his ?
Are they for beef, are they milking them or providing stock for dairies?
Dying to know the details.
Dr High is an interesting man.
When is the next time you are going to Fla ?
Bet you stop in for a visit.
BRING A CAMERA~!!
frenchie
Well-known member
Cow Cop
Those are some critters.. :lol: I could ,nt help but wonder if they can be crossed with cattle. I had visions of holstein coloured critters.
Those are some critters.. :lol: I could ,nt help but wonder if they can be crossed with cattle. I had visions of holstein coloured critters.
Mahoney Pursley Ranch
Well-known member
Naw Caustic it wouldn't be the CAB program it would be the CWB program. Certified Water Bufalo. :roll:Caustic Burno":21a5z0vy said:
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
Mahoney Pursley Ranch":112tgl5t said:
To qualify has to be 51% black hide looks like those ugly beast can punch their ticket to ride the CAB train.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
tapeworm":3rhi7qjk said:
To funny Parasite I prefer the dirt road to the Angus train, IMHO Angus are for people with poor management skills and need a marketing ploy to compete .
Arnold Ziffle
Well-known member
Looking at that picture of the water buffs in the pasture makes me think that guy sure better hope they never get even a little bit stirred up. It sure doesn't look like the fence would be much of a deterrent to that herd. I wonder what they would do if a few crazy dogs got in there and started harassing them, other than kill a dog that got too close?
guest25":1kv8ire1 said:
"a mere 15 percent graded choice" You don't bother to post a link, but I'll bet it was 15% graded CAB, which is not just commodity "Choice." The burgers are hardees and burger king are not CAB, they're "angus".
Yes, when people have cattle that can't make the CAB grade, many of them call the program "poop." On the other hand, some learn and improve the genetics of their cow herd, whether they are aiming for CAB or not. Since most any black animal can be considered for the CAB program, it would be very difficult to figure out how "they really stack up..." There are producers running straight Angus and doing very well in aiming for high quality beef programs.
Hey, we agree on something. But you should know that in the Angus business, there's very little connection between the beef business and show business. I recently saw a heifer being advertised for the right to flush. She had a distinguished show history, but had no EPDs. That's a sad commentaly on Angus show business, as far as I'm concerned.
Choo Choo - watch out for that train!! It's just starting to gain speed.
