OSU has weekend classes on a myriad of topics related to the cattle industry. TCU Ranch Management has a great program if you want a diploma’d education. Visit your local Farm Service Agency and NRCS. They have various socialist programs that will help you get started. Past that, my only advice is find an avenue to sell your product somewhere other than the sale barn. On average your small time farmer profits $100/hd at the sale barn, and the packers profit ~$600/hd. It’s rigged, like every other market. Seed stock and show calf operations seem to do well if you can get involved in the right circles of people. Luxury meat like Wagyu and Kobi has taken off but the entrance cost is 10x the amount per head of a commercial black cow, so you’ll want plenty of insurance. Outfits that are vertically integrating and bringing the final processed product to market as all natural or organic (there’s a big difference) are seeing higher returns but the labor and equipment cost is significant.
Long Story Short: if you’re a “Have”, hire a good ranch manager who’s well versed in all this and he’ll pay for himself in short order.
If you’re a “Have Not” then it’s a great lifestyle, but I’d look at it as a supplementary part time income (or lack thereof) that is a more fulfilling way to fill ones time than most things, and may eventually be something worth leaving to your kids in the future.
Long Story Short: if you’re a “Have”, hire a good ranch manager who’s well versed in all this and he’ll pay for himself in short order.
If you’re a “Have Not” then it’s a great lifestyle, but I’d look at it as a supplementary part time income (or lack thereof) that is a more fulfilling way to fill ones time than most things, and may eventually be something worth leaving to your kids in the future.
Dad always said to turn a billionaire into a millionaire go raise cattle.
The only people who will possibly make money on your operation are your heirs.
Now if you owned the royalties and were making money on the minerals or were making good lease money you could stay in business longer.
Now if you owned the royalties and were making money on the minerals or were making good lease money you could stay in business longer.
I’ll be back when I’ve got more time. There are numerous ways to make money and lose money in the cattle biz.
With no experience, it will be very hard. And you'll need to know a lot more than just cattle to succeed. The basics of pasture management alone will take a while.
There are a million (more/less) little things cattlemen take for granted, that will never cross your mind. Many of them won't cross a cattleman's mind either when he's giving you advice, because it's such common knowledge that they take it for granted.
If you can afford an experienced ranch hand/foreman to help run the operation, you might have a shot. Otherwise, it's gonna be a long and expensive row to hoe.
Just my 2¢ ... Best of luck.
There are a million (more/less) little things cattlemen take for granted, that will never cross your mind. Many of them won't cross a cattleman's mind either when he's giving you advice, because it's such common knowledge that they take it for granted.
If you can afford an experienced ranch hand/foreman to help run the operation, you might have a shot. Otherwise, it's gonna be a long and expensive row to hoe.
Just my 2¢ ... Best of luck.
O/T but I dont see how anybody could try to get into farming from scratch nowadays. Cost of land and equipment is astronomical. I know people still do...but most everybody I know who is a farmer has basically taken over previous generations operations and kept it going. Even still not all of them make it.
Props to the farmers, I'm glad they do it and I'm glad I don't have to!
Props to the farmers, I'm glad they do it and I'm glad I don't have to!
I’ve heard a lot of guys use the exact same logic on cattle raising. “I’m not making money with 150 head, so I need to lease more land, buy more equipment, and increase to 300 head.” By the time they lease the land, buy the equipment and cattle, they ain’t going to be making money at 300 head either.
I know some guys that are raising “contract cattle” and give the impression of doing OK. All they have to provide is the land, time, equipment, and labor, and they get a monthly check. The cattle owners pay for the cattle, feed, hay, and any medicine or vet bills. It sounds less risky than most ag enterprises.
I’ve heard a lot of guys use the exact same logic on cattle raising. “I’m not making money with 150 head, so I need to lease more land, buy more equipment, and increase to 300 head.” By the time they lease the land, buy the equipment and cattle, they ain’t going to be making money at 300 head either.
I know some guys that are raising “contract cattle” and give the impression of doing OK. All they have to provide is the land, time, equipment, and labor, and they get a monthly check. The cattle owners pay for the cattle, feed, hay, and any medicine or vet bills. It sounds less risky than most ag enterprises.
Sounds like the Perdue/Pilgrim's Pride/Tyson's business model that has led to multiple empty chicken houses around Arkansas.
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