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Center Director's Message~
Welcome to the home website of the University of Florida - IFAS, Range Cattle Research and
Education Center (REC). We hope that you find this site informative and easy to use. We
are attempting to place priority on the creation of timely updates. Please view the "In Focus"
links on the home page for our most recent updates.
In only 3 years, The Range Cattle REC will celebrate 70 years of service to the state of Florida.
Over this time, the Center has earned the respect of our state's many beef, dairy, and forage producers.
Our research and education programs have always been directed toward the creation of applicable
solutions to real-world problems. Our efforts are a direct reflection of priorities that have been
established by our clientele and associated industry groups. Because of this collaborative relationship,
the Range Cattle REC has been called the "Cattlemen's Research Center" by all who know us.
Being only the 4th Director in nearly 70 years, it is my foremost goal to continue this tradition.
This will be accomplished by continued support of existing programs along with the establishment of
new programs geared at tackling relevant issues related to the sustained productivity of Florida's
grazing lands and the natural resources associated with them.
In terms of land area, the Range Cattle REC is the largest of the 13 UF/IFAS Centers. It is
the only Center in south Florida that is focused solely on the enhancement of the livestock,
forages, and natural resources associated with Florida's grazing landscapes. Our field
laboratory resources are unique and involve 1,200 head of cattle grazing both improved and
native pastures. We reside in the heart of Florida's grazing lands, with nearly 80% of Florida's
1 million cows found within 150 miles of the Center. These resources cannot be duplicated in a
laboratory. Clearly, the individuals that founded this Center in the late 1930's can be proud
of their foresight. Their investment is still paying large dividends today. To continue to
enhance the effectiveness of our programs, we are working hard to update our Center's facilities.
These new facilities will provide essential support to our faculty programs, while increasing
the ability to expand our educational capacity, which is so critical to our mission. Our total
enhancement project will exceed $6 million and will be the result of private, local, state, and
University support. As a result, the state of Florida and the owners of our valuable grazing
lands can expect many high-impact outcomes.
A growing priority at the Range Cattle REC is being placed on student training. The field
resources of the Range Cattle REC are viewed as an outstanding tool for the training of students
interested in pursuing career opportunities in livestock and forage production, as well as the
enhancement of natural resources that are linked to grazing landscapes. Early success of this
effort is already evident by the number of high-quality graduate students pursuing learning
opportunities at the Range Cattle REC. In conjunction with the development of the Educational
Complex, we will continue to illustrate our commitment to student training by establishing expanded
education and certification programs. One example of this effort is the future creation of
land-use modules that will provide a multi-disciplinary education experience focused toward the
management of grazing landscapes and the enhancement of their water, wildlife, and plant resources.
I encourage you to become involved with your Range Cattle Research and Education Center. There
are many opportunities throughout the year to participate in educational activities. As our
faculty programs and facilities continue to improve, you can expect the development of even more
opportunities with expanded areas of emphasis and curriculum. Please share your ideas with us.
We want to continue to be recognized as the "Cattlemen's Research Center". If you have any ideas
or suggestions, please let us know by sending an E-mail to our webmaster, Andrea Dunlap at
asdunlap@ifas.ufl.edu. Additionally, you can always reach me personally at my office (863-735-1314),
my home (941-505-7092), or by E-mail: jdarthington@ifas.ufl.edu.
Kind Regards,
John Arthington
Center Director
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