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Florida Range Cattle Problems

University of Florida

Abstract

Florida has an area of 35,000,000 acres of land with approximately 5,000,000 acres in cultivation. A vast portion of the undeveloped area is better suited for grazing than for any other purpose. Cattle have been raised in Florida for centuries. Camp (1) states that there are two facts which would seem to establish definitely that cattle were introduced into Florida by the Spanish settlers: (a) there are certain sections that consisted of grants from the Spanish crown to persons who could provide necessary supplies, equipment and stock to settle on the lands of the newly discovered country; and (b) the native cattle of Florida today have many characteristics of the cattle found in Spain and Portugal in former years.

Bartram (2) in 1791 refers to the Alachua savanna located near Gainsville, Florida, and the cattle of this area as follows: "The extensive Alachua savanna is a level green plain about 15 miles over and 50 miles in circumference, and scarcely a tree or bush of any kind to be seen on it.—At the same time are seen innumerable droves of cattle, the lordly bull, the lowing cow, and sleek capricious heifer". He further states, "The cattle were as large and fat as those of the rich grazing pastures of—Pennsylvania".