Cattle, land and money.

[True Grit Farms]

Everyone always says there's no money in cattle, so I have a few questions concerning cows and property. What else can you do with you land besides cattle and make more money on a yearly basis per acre? Is there anything you can use your land for and have less money out than cattle on a yearly basis?
Lots of pine trees around here but they only return $100 per acre per year in 25 years. And you also have to pay capital gains in one lump sum. Pine trees don't eat corn so expensing corn against the trees to feed the deer won't work. Planting winter and summer annuals for the cows that the deer eat also won't work. And watching pine trees grow is a little to slow paced for my lifestyle.
Cattle are a fairly cheap investment and a liquid assets. And if you buy cattle right you can trade them on a weekly basis and make money. Truth be told you really don't need anything more than a truck for a piece of equipment. And deer and cattle work excellent together. There's more pocket money in deer than cows, but you can do both fairly easy on the same property. Farming requires a lot of over head, headaches and is very hit or miss business. I enjoy my cattle and can't see anything else I could do on my property that would be anymore profitable. Just curious on what I'm missing by being in the cattle business?

 

[skyhightree1]

Direct sell different types of animals people eat and can come purchase the animal they want and slaughter on premises if they choose that's pretty darn profitable. However, It also depends on your area and demand but for me cattle can't touch the true profitability of that.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Direct sell different types of animals people eat and can come purchase the animal they want and slaughter on premises if they choose that's pretty darn profitable. However, It also depends on your area and demand but for me cattle can't touch the true profitability of that.

I can see what your saying. We tried to sell on Craigslist and Facebook but I can't handle the majority of people wasting my time and the scams are ridiculous. More power to you Sky, I can't deal with it.

 

[Brute 23]

It's not about what you can make off the land but you can make more money with your time and capital away from the land.

Cattle are a good investment but only after you have maxed out other investments and accumulated some wealth else where.

You will make more money by leasing your land to a cattle guy than actually being the cattle guy.

 

[TexasBred]

Cut it up into 5 acre tracts and sell it one little piece at a time....Should be able to get $20-30,000 per acre. Everybody wants a little place out in the country with a shetland pony, a few chickens and a couple of dogs. With a nice down payment might want to finance some of it.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Cut it up into 5 acre tracts and sell it one little piece at a time....Should be able to get $20-30,000 per acre. Everybody wants a little place out in the country with a shetland pony, a few chickens and a couple of dogs. With a nice down payment might want to finance some of it.

Be sure to have a spot where they can shoot their guns,, first thing a new owner does when they move in is, to Start slinging lead.. I bet some beat their chest and howl at the moon

 

[skyhightree1]

Direct sell different types of animals people eat and can come purchase the animal they want and slaughter on premises if they choose that's pretty darn profitable. However, It also depends on your area and demand but for me cattle can't touch the true profitability of that.

I can see what your saying. We tried to sell on Craigslist and Facebook but I can't handle the majority of people wasting my time and the scams are ridiculous. More power to you Sky, I can't deal with it.

I don't do Craigslist I put out cards at chicken swaps and Farmers markets the brewery and it's amazing I run out of animals and have to buy more sometimes.

 

[boondocks]

Cut it up into 5 acre tracts and sell it one little piece at a time....Should be able to get $20-30,000 per acre. Everybody wants a little place out in the country with a shetland pony, a few chickens and a couple of dogs. With a nice down payment might want to finance some of it.

Be sure to have a spot where they can shoot their guns,, first thing a new owner does when they move in is, to Start slinging lead.. I bet some beat their chest and howl at the moon

Wait, I think you're talking about me. (Insert hiding-under-chair emoji here. Mine ain't working)

 

[boondocks]

Everyone always says there's no money in cattle, so I have a few questions concerning cows and property. What else can you do with you land besides cattle and make more money on a yearly basis per acre? []

Lose less money on a yearly basis per acre.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Cut it up into 5 acre tracts and sell it one little piece at a time....Should be able to get $20-30,000 per acre. Everybody wants a little place out in the country with a shetland pony, a few chickens and a couple of dogs. With a nice down payment might want to finance some of it.

Be sure to have a spot where they can shoot their guns,, first thing a new owner does when they move in is, to Start slinging lead.. I bet some beat their chest and howl at the moon

25 acre tracts sell like hot cakes here.

 

[alisonb]

Cut it up into 5 acre tracts and sell it one little piece at a time....Should be able to get $20-30,000 per acre. Everybody wants a little place out in the country with a shetland pony, a few chickens and a couple of dogs. With a nice down payment might want to finance some of it.

The big question would be...does one trade their peace and tranquility for $$$?

TGF - What about Olive trees?

 

[jltrent]

From my experience in the cattle business you have to have another job, the wife has to work (other source of income, insurance) and keep your costs as low as possible. Through the years I have maintained 80-100 cows plus calves, worked at least one full time job and did most of the work myself. I can't say I have ever at the end of the year made any money farming, but usually if I keep my cost down, that way I can do it another year (farming is a good tax write-off). I can't make money on high dollar cattle or equipment. I try to find the best used equipment I can and fix, sometimes that is hard to do. I don't buy $3000 cows or $6000 bulls as it just want pay off for me. As my dad use to say farming is a good hobby.

Around here land is selling pretty fast and at some prices hard to believe, but if you sell the government will take a big chunk as I have no interest in selling.

 

[ddd75]

horse boarding makes a lot around here.. trail rides on top of that make more.

 

[ddd75]

seems like the most money making thing you can do to your land is involve the public in some way or the other... some type of activity for them...

need a good location for that to work... but I have seen a few off the path that do well.


but... is the extra money worth dealing with people??? not to me.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Cattle are a fairly cheap investment and a liquid assets. And if you buy cattle right you can trade them on a weekly basis and make money. Truth be told you really don't need anything more than a truck for a piece of equipment. And deer and cattle work excellent together. There's more pocket money in deer than cows, but you can do both fairly easy on the same property. Farming requires a lot of over head, headaches and is very hit or miss business. I enjoy my cattle and can't see anything else I could do on my property that would be anymore profitable. Just curious on what I'm missing by being in the cattle business?

You covered the sources of income well. A little seasonal trading, crop aftermarket grazing, back grounding, and deer hunting can do wonders for net per year. You need to hit a lot of singles! My goal is $200/cow/year after direct costs and OH and a modest labor charge but with no land charge. Bean counters usually call this Return to Land and Management and do it per cow. I don't have 2000 pound cows, and I work at stocking heavy, so it comes close to $100/acre. In certain situations this will allow you to cash flow land here, or cover family living expenses, but not both. Gordon Hazzard had this pegged.

A thing you skimmed over is wealth building. Cattle are better at wealth building than income. By buying (and deducting or subsidzing) things that can appreciate Uncle Sam will help you build up a pile. Your heirs will thank you. I have a daughter in law who adds it up every time she visits...

A third area of benefits is around stewardship. I think this is very important, and I take a lot of pride in turning around property. Check out a copy of "Cows Save the Planet" is you are interested in one take on this.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Everyone always says there's no money in cattle

Take me out of the "EVERYONE" part of that.

Cows have been good for me. Land has been better.

 

[M-5]

Everyone always says there's no money in cattle

Take me out of the "EVERYONE" part of that.

Cows have been good for me. Land has been better.

I told the tax lady yesterday that their is no money in cows and she still handed me a form to mail a check to the IRS on the 17th

 

[Stocker Steve]

Everyone always says there's no money in cattle

Take me out of the "EVERYONE" part of that.

Cows have been good for me. Land has been better.

I told the tax lady yesterday that their is no money in cows and she still handed me a form to mail a check to the IRS on the 17th

Need a new tax lady.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Everyone always says there's no money in cattle

Take me out of the "EVERYONE" part of that.

Cows have been good for me. Land has been better.

I told the tax lady yesterday that their is no money in cows and she still handed me a form to mail a check to the IRS on the 17th

That's what happens when your a hay jockey.

 

[Aaron]

Summer grazing leases would be my plan. $80 a yearling, $130 a cow/calf pair. Run them over all my pastures and fields. Probably could stock at least 400-500 with proper rotation paddocks. Run a few summer grassers myself just to maintain farm tax status. Take winters off and go visit CT members in much warmer areas.

I don't see that happening anytime soon, but it does make for an awesome retirement plan in 30 years.