How to Start Ranching

Perhaps it has been a dream of yours to start ranching. You want to be able to wake up in the morning and see cows grazing in a pasture. You could also want to raise a family in more wide open spaces.

Raising cattle can be a viable option for people that own some property. They can utilize certain types of pastures that are not suitable for other types of animals.

Though it may be seem like an easy life it is not without it’s issues and problems. The thing to remember is that even though it may seem like an easier life it is still a business. Like a business it requires some planning on your part in order to get it off the ground. Here are some things to consider when looking to start ranching.

What are you wanting out of it?

One thing that you should consider is what type of operation that you want to pursue. You will need to decide if you want to be a cow/calf operator, a stocker/backgrounder, or even a purebred operation. Each type will have it’s own pros and cons as well as requirements.

One piece of advice I could give is that if you are just starting out you could look into being a stocker operation. It doesn’t require as much time investment and it will give you more flexibility with weather conditions and the market outlook.

Another thing to consider is how much time you can commit to this operation. Will this be a full-time or more like a part-time deal? When you are figuring this part out it is best to not overestimate yourself and over-commit what all you will be able to do.

Next you will want to develop out a plan on how you will move forward. Much like with any other goals you will set for yourself it will give you the direction that you will be going along with little “checkpoints” to let you know that you are progressing. Adding little checkpoints will be helpful for you during those time that it doesn’t feel like you are doing anything to let you know how far you have come.

Purchasing the land to start ranching

If you already have the land that you will need to do this then you can skip this step. If you don’t then you can go ahead and continue reading.

During your planning phase you will have some idea of how much land that you will need in order to start. It is a good idea if you are just starting out to look for a somewhat smaller size, like 200-300 acres, to start off with. This will help you from over-committing while you are trying to learn. As your abilities and profitability improve you can always purchase more land as needed.

When you are in this phase much like buying a home it is a good idea to get pre-qualified before you do any serious looking. This will help know what your budget is that your are working with and keep you from falling in love with a place that you cannot afford.

There are many different types of loan options out there that you can go with when purchasing your new place. You could go to your local bank. there are even agriculture lenders that could help you out. If you are more on the younger side, say less than 40, the USDA has a young farmer program that could help you out if you qualify.

If you are not feeling completely comfortable in committing yourself to a 30 year note then finding some land nearby to lease may be an option. You will not have the freedom to do with the land that you may want but it does give you some flexibility if things do not work out.

What resources do you have?

When you are selecting a place to start ranching it is important to take stock of what is already there. This will help you not have to reinvent the wheel but rather just build off of what is already there.

Take a look at the forage quality and quantity that is already present on your place. Knowing this information will help determine just how many cows you can have there.

Also a good idea to inspect the condition of the fences that are on the property (although you should really do that before you close on the property). Having to completely rebuild all of the fences can require a large initial investment on your part.

As your doing this inspect the working facilities, if there, to make sure that they are in good condition. You will want this are to not be completely rusted over and fairly clean of debris in order to provide a safer working environment for both you and the cattle.

Where to buy cattle

This step is typically where people try to cut corners by buying cheaper cattle. It may work some of the time but it has been my experience that they are cheaper for a reason.

Whenever possible you should purchase your animals from a reputable breeder or operation. I talk more about the steps to take in picking a breeder in a previous post “Picking a reputable breeder”.

If you are going the cow’calf way you do not want to purchase older cows. They are at the end of the production life and will not produce enough to pay for themselves. You will want to go with ones more in the 3-4 year old range.

If you are not completely competent in how to purchase cattle it would not be a bad idea to take someone with you that does that you can trust. Cattle are a rather large investment and it does not really pay to guess at it.

Always keep learning

Now this mantra is a good idea for life in general not just in ranching. Things are always changing in production and the markets so you will always want to keep improving your skills.

There are many resources and educational programs out there to help any new or experienced ranching. Your local county extension office or even the NRCS is a good place to start.

If you are able to another good source of information is to talk with more experienced ranchers in your areas. They will have more experience in how to deal with any situations that you may come across. As the saying goes a smart man learns from his mistakes but a wise man learns from the mistakes of others.

If you are just starting out and would like to learn more about how to make your operation more efficient and profitable then check out my e-book “Nuts and Bolts of Successful Ranching”