Buzzard's Beat by Brandi Buzzard

04/25/2025

🍂 Booking Now for Fall 2025! 🎤

If you're planning an event, conference, or workshop this fall, I’d love to bring powerful, engaging, and transformative speaking to your stage. I’m now accepting bookings for Fall 2025 — let’s make your next event unforgettable.

🔗 Learn more & book: https://buzzardsbeat.com/speaking/

Let’s connect and create something amazing!

04/23/2025

Burning our pastures - why would we do that?!
🔥🌾🔥
And what's happening with Foot & Mouth Disease across the pond?!
🐮 🤒🐏
Find out in this week's episode of AcresTV. Check the first comment to watch and let us know if burning pasture is a common practice where you live!

04/22/2025

EARTH DAY MUSINGS
🌍🌾☀️
The other night I was monitoring a controlled burn on our property and enjoying the warm night air while chatting with my husband about some cow stuff. As we were talking, some cars drove down our gravel road and slowed to see what was going on – likely they wanted to know why there was a fire and we were just sitting there!

So that got me to thinking how many things we do for the sustainability and long-term health of our ranch that our urban neighbors and onlookers would think warrant a “WTH?!”

🔥 Burning pastures 🔥
Let me start with saying that we are not pyromaniacs. Yes, my husband stocks up on roman candles and sparklers every 4th of July, however we do burn our pastures for a reason. Burning the dried, dead grass allows for new green grass, which is far more nutritious, to spring up and grow. Additionally, burning off dead, brown shrubs and grass controls w**ds and keeps our pastures from getting overrun with trees. Lastly, if we use fire to get rid of w**ds and unwanted brush, we are able to use fewer herbicides to control growth of those unwanted w**ds and invasive trees.

🌾 Rotational grazing 🌾
Long name. Lots of work. WORTH IT. We implement rotational grazing practices year-round. We strive for a life in which our land, family and livestock are intertwined and sustainable for generations.

In the summer, we will rotate our cows through pastures as they eat the grass down. We won’t let them graze the pasture too short before moving them to a new piece of ground, because we don’t want to stunt or damage the grass. By leaving a little bit of length, we are able to keep the pasture healthy and growing and avoid longterm damage which contributes to the longterm health of the land.

🫘 We feed our cattle local feedstuffs and by-products 🌽
There is an ethanol plant in our county and they use a lot of corn. Ethanol production creates by-products from corn known as dried distillers grains (DDGs). They are very nutrient rich and provide a lot of energy and protein to our cattle and since the ethanol plant is only about 10 miles away, the DDGs don’t travel very far to get to our ranch.

Taking care of our land and continuously improving the ways in which we are sustainable is the right thing to do. And we are honored to do it.

Read the whole post at: https://buzzardsbeat.com/2018/04/sustainable-beef-starts-at-the-ground-level.html/

04/21/2025

Worried about hormones in your food? This eye-opening article reveals that an 8oz serving of tofu contains more than 51 million nanograms of estrogen compared to just 3 nanograms in beef from an implanted steer. You'd need to eat 95 steers DAILY to match a woman's natural estrogen production!

As low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets grow in popularity, beef takes center stage once again on Americans’ dinner plates.

04/18/2025

Tractor time! Join me for a ride-along while I tackle pasture spraying solo - just me, the tractor, and lots of thin . Watch it on AcresTV

https://www.watchacrestv.com/brandibuzzard/videos/pasture-spraying

Ever tried driving a sprayer with precision while dodging rocks and gullies?

🚜

04/18/2025

We’re getting so close to grass turn out, but before we do that we have to deworm all the calves and cows, and give the calves their booster immunizations. It’s been a long day but we have a system that works with the flow of cattle and the strengths of each person on the team!

We even ate supper before 8 pm tonight!

04/16/2025

Looking back at my Earth Day blog full of practical tips for year-round planet care! Did you know food waste would be the 3rd largest methane producer if it were a country? Or that grazing cattle can offset carbon equivalent to taking 6 BILLION cars off the road each year? Check out the simple ways I'm reducing my environmental impact beyond just one day - from tackling phantom energy to cutting plastic use.

https://buzzardsbeat.com/2022/04/earth-day-resolutions-that-will-actually-help-the-earth-hint-a-meatless-life-isnt-one-of-them.html/
What eco-friendly steps are you taking in your daily life? Share your earth-friendly hacks below! 🌎

04/15/2025

People always talk about little boys leaving stuff in their pockets for their mama to wash.

Add "little cowgirls" to that mix 😉

What's the craziest thing you've ever found in the washer?!

04/14/2025

We eat veggies, whole grains and fruits in this house.

We also eat Cheetos, fruit snacks and ice cream.

We love growing our own produce but also purchase a lot from the grocery store.

We buy food from the farmer’s market when we are out and about running errands.

We buy food from Wal-Mart and support farmers and ranchers that sell their products through that avenue.

We eat conventionally grown produce and protein because we know it’s no different health or safety-wise.

We support choice in the ag industry because there is room for all of us (but make informed decisions, *please*).

We do eat, in moderation, a wide variety of foods (including animal protein, veggies, Cheetos, fruit snacks, whole grains and ice cream).

We drink real milk. From cows. Because it’s healthy and helps fuel our whole family. We don’t do soy, rice, coconut, oat or almond drinks because real milk is best for our family. That may not be your choice, and that's fine.

We believe in science and education and support food technologies that embrace sustainability and efficiency.

We don’t believe in fear-based marketing and we denounce food companies that do so.

We share kindness and love with everyone.

We know our little cowgirls deserve the same rights and opportunities as little cowboys.

Our little cowgirls will know how food is grown and raised long before the topic comes up in an indoor classroom. They will be able to tell their classmates what it’s like when a calf is born, how to collect eggs (and break them), what to yell for the cows to come, how to make tomatoes grow and a whole host of other things.

We don’t know everything but we know that food education and science experiments start at home, with your kids, in the dirt and grass. Our daughters will thrive in this lifestyle and will appreciate the land and animals that make it possible.

Read it all on the blog here at: https://buzzardsbeat.com/2022/11/meat-veggies-cheetos-healthy-life-on-the-ranch.html/

04/11/2025

Ever wondered why the U.S. both imports AND exports beef?

In this episode on AcresTV I'm breaking down the global beef trade puzzle that impacts prices at your grocery store!

Plus, catch our behind-the-scenes preg-checking day and my secret technique for stress-free weaning that keeps the ranch peaceful.

Watch the full episode here!
https://www.watchacrestv.com/brandibuzzard/videos/preg-checking-and-weaning-in-the-wind
What's your biggest question about how beef gets from ranch to table?

04/09/2025

I caved and asked ChatGPT to make me into an action figure - but I couldn't choose just one persona (cowgirl, rancher, speaker) so I combined them into one!

Interchangeable accessories depending on what I'm doing - filming a reel, writing down records in the calving book, entering a rodeo or speaking on a stage delivering a keynote.

Whaddya think?!

04/08/2025

📉 LOW PAIN = HIGH GAIN 📈

Farmers and ranchers know that the less stress and pain their animals experience, the better, especially during banding. Elastration can cause pain, stress and decreased performance in calves so we want to do whatever we can to alleviate
those factors and keep our cattle comfortable.
🐂
Lidoband - lidocaine-infused elastration bands - has upped the game. Not only are the pain-relieving bands available for calves under 250 lbs., but there’s also a new addition to the line, coming out next month (May), that can manage pain for cull bulls. For seedstock producers like us, that’s a massive improvement to our work processes!
🙌🏻 👏🏻
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, our goal is for every animal to have a pain-free, comfortable life with us on the ranch. And whenever we can find a tool like Lidoband that helps us reach that goal, we are all in.
🛠️ 💯
Have your tried Lidobands in your herd yet? What are your questions or concerns?
To get your hands on some Lidobands of your own, check out
www.Lidoband.com/en/contact-us.

04/07/2025

Those little feet don’t reach the stirrups yet. And she can't quite control the reins. She doesn’t understand the importance of horses to our lifestyle but one day, she will.

One day she'll understand how a horse can be part of your family. How a horse can simultaneously help you through life lessons, but also be the cause of those lessons.

One day she'll understand why we treat them like gold - because they take care of us in the arena and in the pasture. She'll understand how to earn their trust and keep it. She'll learn how to trust them, as well.

One day she'll experience one of many ways that life can get you down. Anxiety, depression and the struggles of keeping it all together under pressure can weigh immensely on a person. But she'll also learn how horses can free our spirit and breathe new life into our lungs. How going for a ride can clear your head, fill your heart and lift your soul to a new level.

One day, she'll pin all her hopes and dreams on winning a championship, saddle or buckle (probably all three). And she'll likely experience the heartbreak from not winning (we all do) - but I hope she also experiences the way her horse will look at her with love and respect, whether she wins it all or gets a no-time.

One day she'll know what it's like for her horse to take care of her when she's alone - by avoiding the gopher hole, walking when she wants to run or giving her that extra shot in the breakaway. I hope she recognizes when she has a great one and doesn't take it for granted.

One day she'll know. But for now, she's just enjoying the ride.
Written by: Buzzard's Beat by Brandi Buzzard

04/04/2025

Just posted a new blog exploring how your beef goes WAY beyond what's on your plate! Did you know we use "everything but the moo" from cattle? While you're enjoying that juicy steak, parts of that same animal could be in your paint, medicine, cosmetics and even the asphalt you drive on! Seriously - 25+ pounds of each animal goes to international markets for specialty dishes, and countless by-products end up in everyday items.

What surprised you most about beef's hidden uses?

Check out my full post to learn how cattle are the ultimate upcyclers!
https://buzzardsbeat.com/2025/04/how-the-beef-community-strives-for-efficiency-and-least-waste-production.html/

04/02/2025

Check out this episode on AcresTV ! Diving into global beef trade - why we import, what we export, and how it all benefits cattle producers. Plus, get a behind-the-scenes look at our preg-checking and weaning day on the ranch. I'm sharing my favorite technique for low-stress, quiet weaning that you won't want to miss!

What questions do you have about beef imports/exports or cattle handling?

Watch the new episode here!

https://www.watchacrestv.com/brandibuzzard/videos/preg-checking-and-weaning-in-the-wind

04/01/2025

See that right there? That’s hate. Raw hate for someone he doesn’t know, will never meet and doesn’t care to learn about or extend empathy to.

Before I go any further, PLEASE DO NOT go after this user. Don’t DM him, don’t attack him online etc. That’s not what I want and is probably what he wants anyway. Just read this, digest it and if you feel so inclined, share.

Now, back to what I was saying. I wish this was an April Fool’s joke but it’s such a common thing to be called dumb, heartless or have hate slung my way that I am completely numb to it now. Thick skin, Enneagram 8 and all that.

But you start threatening my family, and now it’s serious folks. Social media has made cowardly people “brave” enough to say these things. Do I laugh at conspiracy theorists online and tell them they’re wrong? Yes. Do I do it blatantly and not sugar coat it? Occasionally. Have I ever called for an “attack” of someone I didn’t agree with? Absolutely freaking not.

I feel the need to clarify a few things:
- Vegans and vegetarians, I seriously have no problem with you. I don’t care what you eat. I don’t care that you don’t like meat and/or dairy. I eat plenty for both of us. I have bigger stressors than what someone puts on their plate, in their own home. We will be just fine on all fronts as long as you don’t do what he did 👆🏼
- I am not an animal $er. I’ve had tears streaming down my face as the vet necropsied one of my favorite cows and told me she was “full of cancer.” I’ve gotten up at 2, 4 and 6 am (in the same night) to check on hurt, sick or high-risk animals more times than I can count. Most recently last week.
- There is not a single thing on God’s green Earth that means more to me than my kids. Nothing. Taking the tactic of sending people to attack my family or ranch is the wrong move. Trust me. He has been duly reported and blocked.

We are all humans. We need to do better and BE better. All of us - you and I (and this guy, for sure). Be kind.

p.s. No, I did not blur out his name. He felt bold enough to say this on Al Gore’s internet (please tell me someone will understand this joke) with his full chest, so I’m not going to give him any privacy. I’m past the point of enabling 💩 behavior in my life, regardless of its source. So this is me sticking to my 2025 “out” of tolerating bad behavior.

But again DO NOT seek him out, leave him hateful comments or DMs, etc., that would just be stooping to his level and I know y’all are better than that.

03/31/2025

Spring grass is just around the corner and I'm itching to move the cows! But before we send them to summer pastures, we have to be strategic. Just posted a new blog breaking down our 5-step process before cattle hit fresh grass - from soil testing to w**d control. Are you a too?

What signs of spring are you most excited to see on your property?
Check out the full post for our pasture management secrets! 🌱
https://buzzardsbeat.com/2023/05/blog-post-5-steps-ranchers-take-before-their-herds-go-to-grass.html/

03/28/2025

🔥 Watch this episode on AcresTV! We're taking on invasive sericea lespedeza with a fiery solution - literally burning those w**ds out! Plus, I'm climbing onto my soapbox to call out the divisiveness in food marketing, even from producers themselves.
🔥 Ever dealt with stubborn w**ds on your land?
🔥 Wondering what's causing drama in ag marketing? Share your thoughts!

https://www.watchacrestv.com/brandibuzzard/videos/burn-sericea-burn