After building a tech empire, Mark Zuckerberg is feeding his cows beer and macadamia nuts as he aims to create the world’s best beef | World News
After establishing a global technology empire with Meta, Mark Zuckerberg He turned his attention to a more unusual project: raising cattle. The Meta CEO recently revealed that he is feeding his cows roasted macadamia nuts and even beer as part of an ambitious effort to produce what he calls “the best beef in the world.” The project is unfolding on his vast Ko’olau ranch in Hawaii, where he has been raising Wagyu and Angus cattle since around 2024. While unconventional diets attract a lot of attention, Zuckerberg said the experiment was motivated by his fascination with bovine genetics rather than any commercial ambitions.
Mark Zuckerberg’s unusual cow project
Zuckerberg spoke about the project on the Idea Generation podcast, describing raising cattle as one of his favorite personal pursuits besides running Meta.“One of my projects on the ranch is that I’m trying to breed the best beef in the world,” he said. “It’s like low risk, right. Like, I wouldn’t sell it, but like, I really like the genetics of the cattle.”The Meta CEO explained that he will start raising a cross of Wagyu and Angus cattle around 2024, focusing on breeding, nutrition and long-term genetics rather than producing beef for sale.
Why do cows eat macadamia nuts and drink beer?
The cows’ unconventional diet has become one of the most talked about parts of Zuckerberg’s project. At Ke’olau Ranch, a portion of the land is dedicated to macadamia trees, specifically for cattle feed. The nuts are roasted before being fed to animals because they are energy dense, which helps cattle burn more calories and gain weight as they mature, Zuckerberg said on the Creative Generation podcast.Beer has different uses. Zuckerberg said he brews his own beer and gives cattle a choice between room temperature water and ice-cold beer. According to him, the purpose of beer is to stimulate the animals’ appetite and encourage them to eat more feed. The idea reflects his broader focus on carefully managing nutrition alongside breeding and genetics in the pursuit of producing what he calls “the best quality beef in the world.”“
The ranch behind the experiment
The cattle are raised at the Ke’olau Ranch on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, where Zuckerberg began buying land in 2014. Over the years, the property has expanded into a large private estate of over 2,300 acres.In addition to cattle pastures, the pastures include orchards, farmland and residential buildings. The property has also drawn public attention to the land purchase and concerns raised by some Native Hawaiian groups about nearby cultural and burial sites.In the podcast, he admitted that he can get deeply immersed in his work and said that personal projects help him maintain balance. He also revealed that his daughters enjoy helping plant trees and caring for the family’s animals, making ranching a shared family activity.“I’ll never stop, like no matter how important something is or whatever it is,” Zuckerberg said. “Like, yeah, I’ll do some less important projects.”He adds that exploring interests outside of work helps him rekindle his creativity and avoid becoming overly consumed by a single pursuit.
