Mennonite Farming in Belize (Livestock)
What all creatures are raised by the Mennonites in Belize ? Keep on reading !!
Cattle
The KG Mennonites are no longer the biggest cattle growers. Some of the liberal German speaking Mennonites and also the Old Colonists from northern Belize hold that record. Types of cattle raised are the common Brahmin, Holstein, Angus, Brangus, and recently Jerseys. The Brahmin are the most marketed since they require very little attention, and the bulls are prized above all for crossbreeding. Holstein are used for dairy farming and old cows are either sold to slaughterhouses or to Guatemalan butchers. Western Dairies in Spanish Lookout is the country's biggest milk buyer and is owned by the community, which means all dairy farms within the town can only sell their milk through it.
Dairy farms are not huge establishments like Mexico or Paraguay, but rather, many farmers who do both crop and livestock also own Holstein cows as a side business. Only a few have dedicated themselves solely to dairy business.
Old Order Mennonites also do cattle raising but on a much smaller scale and for the family's food supply.
All in all, cattle business has been booming for the German speaking Mennonites, not so much for the Holdeman and Beachy. These folks, like mentioned earlier, are here more as missionaries than as farmers. They have been around almost as long as other Mennonites but have remained focused on expanding their churches and not their business.
Pigs and Sheep
Pigs are raised by all groups of Mennonites, with the ones from Blue Creek and Spanish Lookout owning the biggest hog farms. Generally pigs are kept six months after birth and then sold to meat-packing plants. Mostly, the pigs raised for meat are the Yorkshire and Chester White. While they bring in a sizeable income, there are only 2 or 3 in Spanish Lookout who have made their living by raising pigs. The demand for pork is low in Belize compared to surrounding countries.
Sheep business is slowly but steadily growing in the 3 communities of Blue Creek, Spanish Lookout and Shipyard. Old Colony Mennonites have a sturdier grip on sheep farming than other Mennonites. Sheep meat is even less popular than pork, but the wool is creating a profit.
Goats are raised mainly by Old Colony and Old Order Mennonites, and usually for domestic purpose. Goat meat, milk and cheese is said to be far healthier than a cow's.
Horse business so far has only profited the Old Colonists and Old Order Mennonites. You see, among many German speaking cattle ranchers, they prefer to use 4-wheeled quads instead. A horse or two is kept for working within the herd such as when a specific cow needs to be brought out. Besides that, horses are only for pleasure riding.
Chickens and Turkeys
White broilers are the Mennonite's specialty. Farmers from Blue Creek and Spanish Lookout are competing via Quality Poultry and Caribbean Chicken. Since the 1970's they have provided the whole country with poultry products. Chicks are hatched here but sometimes imported from the US. Old Colony Mennonites have their own poultry business but very small compared to the 2 mentioned above.
Red laying hens are supplying the whole country with eggs. Once the hens are too old to lay, they are sold to the chicken processing plants.
Turkeys are raised by very few Mennonites and the chicks are usually imported.
In Belize, chicken is the number 1 meat in demand, next is beef, then pork, then fish, then turkey, lastly sheep and at the bottom is goat meat.
On the poultry, the farmers can only sell through their respective processing plants; also the government is much more involved, regulating the prices and having health personnel daily at the plants. Any disease is immediately and keenly scrutinized and if necessary a ban on by products will be placed.
Cattle
The KG Mennonites are no longer the biggest cattle growers. Some of the liberal German speaking Mennonites and also the Old Colonists from northern Belize hold that record. Types of cattle raised are the common Brahmin, Holstein, Angus, Brangus, and recently Jerseys. The Brahmin are the most marketed since they require very little attention, and the bulls are prized above all for crossbreeding. Holstein are used for dairy farming and old cows are either sold to slaughterhouses or to Guatemalan butchers. Western Dairies in Spanish Lookout is the country's biggest milk buyer and is owned by the community, which means all dairy farms within the town can only sell their milk through it.
Dairy farms are not huge establishments like Mexico or Paraguay, but rather, many farmers who do both crop and livestock also own Holstein cows as a side business. Only a few have dedicated themselves solely to dairy business.
Old Order Mennonites also do cattle raising but on a much smaller scale and for the family's food supply.
All in all, cattle business has been booming for the German speaking Mennonites, not so much for the Holdeman and Beachy. These folks, like mentioned earlier, are here more as missionaries than as farmers. They have been around almost as long as other Mennonites but have remained focused on expanding their churches and not their business.
Pigs and Sheep
Pigs are raised by all groups of Mennonites, with the ones from Blue Creek and Spanish Lookout owning the biggest hog farms. Generally pigs are kept six months after birth and then sold to meat-packing plants. Mostly, the pigs raised for meat are the Yorkshire and Chester White. While they bring in a sizeable income, there are only 2 or 3 in Spanish Lookout who have made their living by raising pigs. The demand for pork is low in Belize compared to surrounding countries.
Sheep business is slowly but steadily growing in the 3 communities of Blue Creek, Spanish Lookout and Shipyard. Old Colony Mennonites have a sturdier grip on sheep farming than other Mennonites. Sheep meat is even less popular than pork, but the wool is creating a profit.
Goats are raised mainly by Old Colony and Old Order Mennonites, and usually for domestic purpose. Goat meat, milk and cheese is said to be far healthier than a cow's.
Horse business so far has only profited the Old Colonists and Old Order Mennonites. You see, among many German speaking cattle ranchers, they prefer to use 4-wheeled quads instead. A horse or two is kept for working within the herd such as when a specific cow needs to be brought out. Besides that, horses are only for pleasure riding.
Chickens and Turkeys
White broilers are the Mennonite's specialty. Farmers from Blue Creek and Spanish Lookout are competing via Quality Poultry and Caribbean Chicken. Since the 1970's they have provided the whole country with poultry products. Chicks are hatched here but sometimes imported from the US. Old Colony Mennonites have their own poultry business but very small compared to the 2 mentioned above.
Red laying hens are supplying the whole country with eggs. Once the hens are too old to lay, they are sold to the chicken processing plants.
Turkeys are raised by very few Mennonites and the chicks are usually imported.
In Belize, chicken is the number 1 meat in demand, next is beef, then pork, then fish, then turkey, lastly sheep and at the bottom is goat meat.
On the poultry, the farmers can only sell through their respective processing plants; also the government is much more involved, regulating the prices and having health personnel daily at the plants. Any disease is immediately and keenly scrutinized and if necessary a ban on by products will be placed.
Brahmin cattle
Vast ranches northeast of Spanish Lookout
