September 2025
Fall doesn’t arrive in South Louisiana all at once. It sneaks in with shorter days, cooler mornings, and the scent of sugarcane harvest drifting across the fields. The sun rises later, sets earlier, and reminds us that the rhythm of the land is shifting.
This is also when the grass in our pastures starts to change. After a summer of steady rain and strong growth, the grasses are maturing and slowing down. That forces us to make important choices: do we graze down a pasture and plant ryegrass for winter forage, or let the grass keep growing and bale it for hay? Both are valid strategies, but which we choose depends on how many cattle we plan to carry through the winter.
These aren’t small decisions. They determine whether our herd stays well-fed not just in October, but all the way into February of next year. Planning forage and feed is a matter of looking ahead — working with the cycles of the land instead of reacting to them after the fact. That’s what we mean when we say “back to basics.”
Why These Decisions Matter Beyond the Ranch
For anyone paying attention to the U.S. beef market, you’ll know why this matters. Across the country, drought in the Plains and high input costs have pressured ranchers to cull herds, leading to a tighter national supply of cattle. Wholesale beef prices have spiked over the past two years, and retail cuts in the grocery store often reflect those swings.
At Gonsoulin Land & Cattle, we operate differently. Our vertically integrated model — raising, finishing, and selling directly — means we aren’t simply at the mercy of national cycles. But we aren’t insulated either. The choices we make with our pastures today balance not just our herd size, but also the stability of beef pricing for our customers.
When we bale hay or plant ryegrass, we’re doing more than just feeding cattle. We’re building resilience into our supply chain. That resilience is what keeps a quarter, half, or whole beef share consistent in price, even when grocery store beef jumps with volatility.
The Long View
September is about preparation. It’s about aligning with the land’s cycle of abundance and scarcity. We’ve been fortunate this year with rainfall, but we know the slowdown is coming. By planning now — grazing strategically, planting wisely, storing enough forage — we keep our herd strong and our beef program stable through the winter months.
For our customers, that translates into trust. You know that the beef in your freezer isn’t tied to short-term swings on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. It’s tied to the land under our feet and the choices we make season by season.
Back to basics means remembering that: the cattle, the grass, the rain, and the planning all connect. And when we get those fundamentals right, everything else — quality, flavor, supply — follows.
Thank you for supporting our ranch.
Sincerely,
Dr. Shannon Gonsoulin
Brennan’s Summer Steakhouse Picnic Recap
This August, we joined Dickie Brennan and his team in New Orleans for the Summer Steakhouse Picnic. Our cattle were the star of the menu—transformed by chefs into plates that proved just how far Louisiana beef has come. Families gathered, stories were shared, and the room felt like a turning point: culture and cattle pulling in the same direction.
Upcoming Event: Grand Réveil Acadien — Loreauville Day
This fall, Loreauville hosts the Grand Réveil Acadien, a celebration of Acadian heritage and resilience. As part of the program at the new Acadian Memorial, Dr. Shannon Gonsoulin will deliver remarks tying together ranching, stewardship, and the Acadian thread that runs through Louisiana agriculture.
Expect straight talk about land, cattle, and the ethic of work that keeps both alive.
📍 Loreauville, LA
📅 Date: check official schedule for confirmation
Get event details →
Grass-Fed Beef and Weight Management
There’s a stubborn myth in modern diet culture that if you want to manage your weight, red meat has to go. It’s treated as something heavy, indulgent, even reckless — a guilty pleasure you cut out when you get serious about health. But the truth is, what matters most is not simply how much beef you eat, but how it’s raised and how it fits into the rhythm of your diet.
At Gonsoulin Land & Cattle, our beef is raised entirely on grass and finished on forage. That matters, because the way an animal is fed shapes the food it becomes. Grass-fed beef has a leaner profile than conventional grain-fed beef, often carrying fewer calories per ounce while still delivering the same dense hit of complete protein. For anyone aiming to manage weight — whether that means losing fat, maintaining muscle, or simply stabilizing energy — that matters.
Protein is the quiet backbone of sustainable weight control. High-quality protein does three crucial things: it helps regulate appetite hormones so you stay fuller longer, it supports lean muscle during weight loss, and it requires more energy to digest than fats or carbs. That means you burn more calories simply processing it — not enough to be magic, but enough to matter over months and years. Grass-fed beef lets you get that protein in a package that’s naturally leaner, cleaner, and richer in micronutrients than most conventional cuts.
It’s not just leaner — it’s better. Beef from grass-fed systems carries a healthier balance of fats: more omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), both of which are linked in research to improved metabolic health and lower inflammation. It also brings higher levels of antioxidant vitamins like E and beta-carotene, which come from the green plants cattle graze. These nutrients don’t make grass-fed beef a weight-loss drug, but they make it a more supportive food within a balanced plan.
None of this means you can eat unlimited steaks and expect your body to change. No single food does that. Weight management comes down to energy balance, daily habits, and patience. What grass-fed beef offers is quality: calorie-efficient protein, healthier fats, and nutrient density that supports long-term health while you manage portion sizes and overall intake. It’s not about restriction. It’s about choosing foods that do more for you in every bite.
We raise cattle on grass because it’s better for the land, better for the animals, and better for the people who share our beef. When you choose grass-fed, you’re not choosing less — you’re choosing smarter. You’re getting the protein your body needs, in a form that helps you stay full, preserve muscle, and fuel your body without the excess calories and industrial byproducts that often come with conventional beef.
Weight management isn’t about cutting out the foods you love. It’s about building a plate — and a life — that actually works. Grass-fed beef can be part of that.