Brazil Day 4

Today (well yesterday now) was just like any other farm visit I normally do. I traveled down bumpy dirt roads that made no sense to a beautiful oasis where I (and the group) was welcomed by a family who is passionate about raising quality beef using black Angus genetics. One thing was different though... instead of conducting an interview in English, our conversations were in Portugese.
A Brazillian farm worker from one of the farms we visited today. You can see a black spot or two in the background. 
Yes, that's right. The two farmers we met yesterday love raising good cattle and getting better at it all the time. For them, that means Angus genetics. Some coming from the United States and from families that many producers in the U.S. know, love, and routinely use even if they aren't necessarily purchasing the same semen straws as the Portugese farmers. A conversation I often have when visiting ranches is what a producer is looking for when selecting his bulls and these Portugese farmers weren't like our U.S. ranchers looking to produce Certified Angus Beef. While they disreguard IMF score and $B, the Portugese want big framed cattle with short hair and the black hide that will survive their heat but provide the high growth and fat that they are looking for. Not necessarily the conversation I normally have with producers, but interesting none the less.



To see the black cows among the Nelore looked so funny but also made this girl's heart so happy. A personal lover of the black hided cattle and quality beef I was ecstatic to see these ranchers using Angus genetics to make their herds and beef better. I swear my jaw nearly hit the floor when one of the sons who helps in the operation said that one of the reasons they use Angus is for better meat quality when they don't get any premiums or discounts on their carcasses in Brazil.

Nelore cattle with a gorgeous background. The scenery on this ranch was amazing, like jungle and palm trees mixed with pasture.


I finished off the day with a ranchero steak (basically a ribeye) and while it wasn't necessarily a CAB steak, I enjoyed my beef whole heartedly.

I have found that there is one thing that just doesn't change from the U.S. to Brazil; it just doesn't get much prettier than a black cow against that green grass.

until next time,

Nicole

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