Have you ever wanted to own your own cattle ranch? Have you driven by signs offering “cattle farms for sale” and been tempted to stop in? The idea of running a cattle farm has become more appealing in recent years. In 1988 Ted Turner spent more then $20 million to get a ranch in Montana. If you are considering or have ever thought about owning your own ranch property, here are some tips to get you started.
Tips for Running Your Own Cattle Ranch:
Do your research.There is a saying, “A failure to plan equals a plan for failure.” Owning and running cattle ranches is hard work. The first thing you need to do is reasearch the business and develop a business plan. Your business plan needs to include a strengts, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis. Research different approaches to running a cattle ranch and write up a budget. This should include research into what breeds of cattle are best suited for your part of the country. Learn as much as you can about raising healthy cattle.
Decide what kind of ranch you want. Light or moderate cattle grazing is promoted in some areas as these kind of grazing do more to help other area wildlife. To qualify as a light cattle grazing area, your cattle can only be on less than 35%. A moderate cattle grazing ranch has them on less than 45% of the land.
Find cattle farms for sale.If you want to start a cattle ranch, the chances are that you do not yet have the property you need. Again, you need to research what federal, state and local laws may apply to cattle ranches for sale. Every state has its own rules that pertain to ranching and farming. The congressional staff person who can help you with funding issues shoulld also be able to help you decipher the rules and regulations around ranching and farming.
Secure your water source.The two things you need the most for a successful cattle ranch are water and land. The best thing you do for your cattle is install automatic waterers that can self refresh after the cowsandnbsp;drink. These are usually connected to pipes that run from your water source (usually the source is a ground cistern or well). These are not hard to install and maintain and make sure your cows have all the water they need and want.
Build or repair your fences.You need to have a sturdy corral to hold the cows when you first buy them and bring them to your property. You also need to inspect, repair or replace the fencing around your property. When you are looking for cattle farms for sale, do not pass one up because of the condition of the fences. When you buy your ranch, take some time to inspect all of the fencing and buildings to find what needs to be repaired or replaced.
Find cattle to buy!At this point, you have done your research on what cattle thrive in your area and should have an idea of where you can buy them. You also need to decide how old the cattle you buy will be. These are all things you should have decided long before you are ready to go out and buy your cattle.
Get your cattle back to your farm.You should have your holding corral all set up for your new arrivals. If you have a truck and trailer, you can use that. If you do not have these things, you can rent them. These do not have to be fancy, your cattle just need to fit inside. Some cattle producers can help you transport them to your ranch but it is always better to be able to do that yourself. You need to keep them in the holding corral for a few days. Once you think they are ready, you can let them out into their pasture area.
There is a lot more involved in running a cattle farm than some people realize. You cannot just look on Craigslist for “cattle farms for sale” and grt up and running the next day. Do some research and you will be able to run your very own cattle ranch.