August 2022
After a pretty dry spring, summer is hot and wet!
If we could control mother nature, then of course ranching and farming would be easy; going from feast to famine is quite a roller coaster ride!
We have been blessed with excellent pastures for this time of year, and in the grass fed business we are always looking ahead to what comes next.
As far as herd health, we have a big day ahead on September 15. We will be weaning and weighing our calves, as well as deworming and vaccinating them. There are strict guidelines in place for managing our calves. If our calves aren't gaining at least 1.5 pounds a day then normally they don't gain very well for the next several months, so they have to gain at least 1.5 lbs a day to stay in our program. When selecting the best calves, the goal is to find the ones that are doing well on our pasture grasses. We weigh our calves two to three times before determining whether their levels are acceptable.
In addition to the calves, we’ll also be weighing our yearlings to monitor their progress, and we’re also going to check our heifers for pregnancy.
Because there’s a drought in Texas, hay supplies are starting to be limited. Consequently, we’re also stocking up and planning our supply of hay for the fall and winter. One of the biggest expenses in our program, quality hay is a necessity. Last year our herds ate around 600 bales of hay. Of course we do bale some of our own pastures, but the hay that we bale is grass that can’t graze, so it usually ends up being more cost effective to buy extra hay to supplement the grazing.
Lastly, we are fertilizing pastures for strip grazing so they will be ready for our herds in November. Strip grazing allows us to graze our pastures in strips. After the cows have eaten everything but the soil, we spread ryegrass and use those pastures for winter grazing.
All the best,
Shannon Gonsoulin, DVM
Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse is once again transforming itself into an indoor picnic, complete with Louisiana grass-fed beef from Gonsoulin Cattle Ranch & Coastal Plains Beef.
Chefs from Dickie Brennan and Company Family of Restaurants will expertly prepare various cuts of Louisiana beef to showcase their creativity. A Louisiana picnic would not be complete without libations.
Cocktails, craft beer, wine from our partners Girard Napa Valley Winery, Hendrick’s Gin, Balvenie Single Malt, Rabbit Hole Bourbon & Redbreast Irish Whiskey, Wetlands Sake, and Great Raft Brewing will be served.
Weekly Specials
Quantities are limited so don't wait!
August 3 - 9
Beef Roast 10% off
August 10 - 16
Steaks 10% off
August 17 - 23
Beef & Lamb Stew Meat 10% off
August 24 - 30
Chuch & Seven Steaks 10% off
One of the many benefits of grassfed beef is found in the actual grass itself. Our grassfed program focuses on our pastures as a source of nutrition for our herd, because the minerals and nutrients of the native flora are healthier (and tastier) than any other feed.
When you eat our grassfed beef, you are also eating Coastal Bermudagrass, Dallis grass, Bahia grass (grazed through summer and fall), as well as ryegrass and white clover (grazed during the winter and spring).
Using Bermudagrass Pastures to Meet Cow Nutrient Requirements, May 2018
Ryegrass, September 11, 2017
Seared Grass-Fed NY Strip with Gulf Crabmeat Butter & Lyonnaise Sweet Potatoes
Chef Grant Wallace
Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse
716 Iberville Street
Ingredients
- Fill a small pot with water and 2oz of salt and bring to a boil. Blanch the diced sweet potatoes until al dente, then strain and pat dry.
- Season strip with salt and pepper. In cast iron skillet, heat 1oz of oil until it pops then sear the strip about 3 minuets on both sides for medium rare (will vary depending on thickness of the steak). Once medium rare, take steak out of pan and set aside to rest for five minutes.
- In a sauce pot, add 1oz garlic, shallots, thyme, and white wine. Reduce by half and add the crawfish. Once the crawfish is hot, whisk in 2oz butter.
- Sauté the rest of the garlic with onions until the onions are caramelized, and then add the sweet potatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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