Collier County
Beef Cattle Industry Stats
The Collier County cattle industry is comprised primarily
of commercial beef cow-calf operations. Feeder calves are marketed in
late summer at an average age and weight of 8 months, and 500 pounds.
While some feeder calves are moved directly to feedlots, most are shipped to background grazing operations such as winter wheat in Texas or Oklahoma. Once the cattle reach sufficient weight, they are placed in feedlots for finish feeding on grain.
Breeding is mostly Brahman-type crossbred cattle
which are well acclimated to the warm, sub-tropical environment of Southwest
Florida. County herd size is approximately 13,480 head of adult brood cows. This places Collier County 26th in the state in beef cattle numbers.
Beef cattle production is, by far, the largest single agricultural land use
in Collier County, with more than 238,000 acres under grazing.
1995 Beef Cattle and Acreage Statistics - Southwest Florida
| | Charlotte | Collier | Glades | Hendry | Lee | Total |
| Beef Producers | 90 | 55 | 119 | 81 | 76 | 421 |
| Brood Cows | 22,000 | 13,480 | 45,000 | 75,000 | 10,000 | 165,480 |
| Improved Pasture | 36,135 | 16,200 | 106,718 | 61,812 | 19,380 | 240,245 |
| Semi-Improved | 28,950 | 59,000 | 21,155 | 60,218 | 19,817 | 189,140 |
| Native Range | 107,570 | 150,000 | 204,314 | 250,815 | 68,852 | 781,551 |
| Total Pasture | 194,655 | 238,680 | 377,187 | 447,845 | 118,049 | 1,376,416 |
Last modified: Saturday, May 04, 1996 9:36:37 PM
Kevin U. Hill, Extension Livestock Agent, Collier County,
kuh@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu