# Cost of raising cattle in Florida

> Florida cow-calf operators spend roughly $921 per head per year to maintain a beef cow, driven mainly by hay and supplemental feed during the wet summer forage slump and winter cool-season gap.

**Headline:** $921 per head/year

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Feed and hay | $312 per head/year |
| Pasture and lease | $228 per head/year |
| Labor | $186 per head/year |
| Veterinary and health | $72 per head/year |
| Miscellaneous (fuel, repairs, minerals) | $123 per head/year |

## Detail

Florida runs roughly 883,000 beef cows across about 15,000 operations, making it the 10th-largest beef cow state in the US and the largest east of the Mississippi, according to USDA NASS. Typical commercial herds in the state range from 50 to 500 head, though mid-size cow-calf operators in the 200-2000 head range are concentrated in the central peninsula counties of Okeechobee, Osceola, Highlands, and Polk, where improved bahiagrass pastures dominate.

The state's humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa in the north, Aw in the south) allows near year-round grazing, which is the single biggest reason Florida cow-calf costs run below the US average of roughly $1,096 per head reported in the USDA ERS 2023 cost-and-returns series. Feed and hay average about $312 per head annually because stored-forage needs are limited to a 90-120 day winter gap when warm-season grasses go dormant. Pasture and lease costs average around $228 per head, reflecting NASS 2023 non-irrigated pasture cash rent of about $19 per acre and stocking rates near 1 pair per 2-3 acres on improved bahiagrass.

Brahman and Brahman-influenced breeds — particularly Brangus, Braford, and commercial Brahman crosses — dominate Florida herds because of their heat tolerance, parasite resistance, and ability to hold condition on lower-quality forage, traits documented in UF/IFAS Extension's Florida Beef Cattle Enterprise Budget. Veterinary costs run near $72 per head annually, with fly, tick, and internal-parasite control representing a larger share of the health budget than in drier western states. Labor at roughly $186 per head and miscellaneous costs (fuel, fencing repairs, mineral supplementation) near $123 per head round out a total cash cost near $921 per head per year for a typical 200-2000 head Florida cow-calf operation.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Why are Florida cow-calf costs lower than the US average?

Florida's subtropical climate allows nearly year-round grazing on bahiagrass and bermudagrass pastures, reducing the stored-feed window to roughly 90-120 days compared to 150-180 days in the Upper Midwest.

### What breeds dominate Florida cow-calf herds?

Brahman-influenced cattle and Brangus crosses dominate because of their heat tolerance, tick resistance, and ability to maintain body condition on lower-quality forage in Florida's humid climate.

### What is the typical pasture lease rate in Florida?

USDA NASS reports Florida non-irrigated pasture cash rent averaged about $19 per acre in 2023, with stocking rates of roughly 1 cow-calf pair per 2-3 acres on improved bahiagrass.

## Sources

1. USDA ERS Cow-Calf Production Costs and Returns, Southern Seaboard Region (2023) — https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/commodity-costs-and-returns/
2. USDA NASS Cash Rents by County, Florida (2023) — https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Todays_Reports/reports/cashrd23.pdf
3. UF/IFAS Extension — Florida Beef Cattle Enterprise Budget (2022) — https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/AN350

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Source: Vellum — https://vellum.app/cost-of-raising-cattle/florida