Located in the Central Coast of California, among thousands of ranches, are hundreds of “-P” brands moving and grazing on mountains known as the ranches of California Polytechnic State University. These roaming four-legged creatures make up Cal Poly’s beef cattle program and cow/calf operation. The beef unit at Cal Poly runs hundreds of head among a few different ranches mostly nearby campus, with one exception. Stripping these hills, the herds have over 4,000 acres to graze on! That’s right, over 4,000 acres of beautiful grazeland. Most universities don’t even have the ability to fully run and manage an entire herd, let alone over a thousand acres. I am here to share why that number is so significant.
These ranches represent more than just the starting number of 4,000. These ranches stand behind hard work, learning, and most importantly, the lives of these animals. Located near campus, there are three separate ranches that embrace each of these values. One being closest to campus, the Peterson and Serrano ranches make up about 1,500 acres of the total estimated rangeland. Closer to Cuesta College off of Highway 1 in San Luis Obispo are the Escuela and Walters ranches and Chorro Creek Ranch, covering more than 2,500 acres of land. Near Davenport, California lies Swanton Pacific Ranch, which makes up alone 3,200 acres of grazeland, donated to Cal Poly in 1993. Behind each of these ranches is the best learning experience any agriculturist or young cattlemen could ask for. Through jobs, enterprises, and other involvement opportunities, students have the chance to learn what is takes to manage and keep a herd.
Why “surprising” may not be the word I choose to describe this number, beyond impressive is what it is. It is more than just a number value, but a value that shows the true meaning of a cattlemen’s lifestyle in the agriculture industry.
Agriculture Communications 