I need advice in Starting a Cattle Farm

[scottdaniel14]

I have 113 acres of land that my grandfather once used to raise cattle and various other types of livestock. I don't know a great deal about the industry, but I do know some. I've always been interested in farming, and now that i'm a little older, I would like to begin working on making the farm productive again. If anyone has any advice please let me know. Thank you...

 

[novatech]

I have 113 acres of land that my grandfather once used to raise cattle and various other types of livestock. I don't know a great deal about the industry, but I do know some. I've always been interested in farming, and now that i'm a little older, I would like to begin working on making the farm productive again. If anyone has any advice please let me know. Thank you...

You can do a search on here and find about a million answers. I think the most important thing is to start with a plan. Figure out your goal and work backwards figureing out how to get there.
At the very beginning you start with the dirt, land. That is the place to start, a soil test, then the grass, then the infrastructure, and last the cows. Don,t forget marketing. Find out what people want and not just what you want to raise.
Welcome to the boards.

 

[grannysoo]

You should be able to find all of your answers here. As novatech stated, figure out your goal and go backwards to figure out how to get there.

Dirt, grass, water, fence, corral, vet, shelter, and more.

Many things to have in place before the 1st cow ever arrives.

 

[Beef11]

I did it the other way around, wander into a salebarn raise my hand a few times, call a buddy with a trailer, line up a pen, go find some hay, go buy a beat up old trailer, find some grass, calve out, figure out vaccination protocol.

I learned that it is easier and cheaper to have everything planned out ahead of time.

 

[HOSS]

I did it the other way around, wander into a salebarn raise my hand a few times, call a buddy with a trailer, line up a pen, go find some hay, go buy a beat up old trailer, find some grass, calve out, figure out vaccination protocol.

I learned that it is easier and cheaper to have everything planned out ahead of time.

I think Beef11 and I learned the same way. Save yourself allot of trouble and headaches by getting the infrastructure in place before the cows. Get the pastures in good shape also. It's much harder to do that with cows on it.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Learn to be a grass farmer first, build your infrastructure before you get the first cow,and control front end cost as that is where the profit is.

 

[BusterBrown]

Learn to be a grass farmer first, build your infrastructure before you get the first cow,and control front end cost as that is where the profit is.

Please Mr. Burno, for those of us that are not in tune with the cattle raising jargon, excuse the ignorance in the question, What is the "front end cost"? The answer will help us to understand the scope of establishing a profitable beef operation. Thanks again........

 

[KMacGinley]

For those not in the know with the cattle raising Jargon, He is telling you that you don't need $2000 cows, a $40000 pick-up and a $15000 trailer to raise cattle.

You do need a corral, fences, a head-gate and some know how before you put the first cattle on the place. Hope this helps broaden your Jargon knowledge.

 

[grubbie]

It depends on what kind of money you want to make with your operation,....
If you plan to make $25,000, then go to the bank and borrow $50,000. If your goal is $50,000,...borrow $100,000, etc. etc.

Just joking, of course. Start small, a couple or three cows or so. With a little common sense, and learning all you can as you go, you'll do fine.

 

[Ryder]

I have 113 acres of land that my grandfather once used to raise cattle and various other types of livestock. I don't know a great deal about the industry, but I do know some. I've always been interested in farming, and now that i'm a little older, I would like to begin working on making the farm productive again. If anyone has any advice please let me know. Thank you...

You can do a search on here and find about a million answers. I think the most important thing is to start with a plan. Figure out your goal and work backwards figureing out how to get there.
At the very beginning you start with the dirt, land. That is the place to start, a soil test, then the grass, then the infrastructure, and last the cows. Don,t forget marketing. Find out what people want and not just what you want to raise.
Welcome to the boards.

Good advice.
One other very important ingredient is money. You will need some to meet expenses and particularly unexpected expenses.

 

[Hitch]

There are some good postings that have been sent to you. You are blessed to have the land and my compliments on your motivations to think of a serious cattle operation. Now, take a really deep breath and sloooow down. You are talking a serious business undertaking and emphasize business to yourself over and over again. First, what kind of cash, or assets that can be converted to cash in less than a year, do you have in hand? Many highly talented business people go bankrupt due to growing too fast. You will need lots of cash equity, sweat equity, and excellent credit on top of that. You should have rather formal business and marketing plans; no hunches, memories of days gone by, or warm sentiments will do. Develope a proper mission statement and strategic goal for your business to start with. Write out an implementation plan for your strategic plan that is flexible and realistic and monitor/modify it carefully. What do you know about inventory management and control? Get a good accountant. Climb into your county agent's back pocket. Visit with some experts at Ag schools via the internet at least. You may want to offer your land assets to someone that has a proven record in the cattle business and that you can trust. Be a partner/student so-to-speak and grow into the business at somewhat less risk and costs. It's the up front costs (front loaded costs) that can knock you for a loop before you even get started. Study successful/profitable outfits that are similar to yours in size, breed of cattle, and scope of operation - and limit your 'benchmarking' to operations that share the most similarities to what you want to do and where you want to do it. How are the successful people doing it?From the time your first beef calf drops, plan on 12 to 18 months to get the best possible return on investvent in that cow/calf. I bet you can do it in the long run but use your calculator more than you heart. Have fun. Redefine all of the challenges you meet as opportunities to do something in a new or better way.

 

[shorty]

Start out with what you can afford without going into debt, with a lot of hard work and asking for advice along the way you'll do alright .

 

[dun]

Small bites. Get one chunk of land fenced and the pastures improved then buy a couple of cows. Work on it over time. I'll gaurantee that trying to whip an entire farm into shape at once will be frustrating. Never enough time/money/labor to get it all right up front. As you get one part where you want it, start on the next. That doesn;t mean you should neglect the rest, trying to keep it from getting worse while you're improving one part will keep you more then busy enough

 

[Bama]

You been given some great advice I'll add some points to think about.

You can't buy a profit.

Use your cattle to make money, not your money to make cattle.

I ain't in the cattle business, I'm in the money business - I'm just using cattle to make money. Run your operation as such.

Preventing disease cost less than treatment.

A smart rancher knows that the way thing are are not the way things are going to be.

Pretty cattle are not neccessarily the most profitable cattle.

It is better to creep forward through accumulation then to leap forward through debt.


good luck

 

[farmerdude]

scottdaniel14,

Don't go into debt.

Find the local old timers, and talk to them!!! They will be your best source of wisdom.

Pay little attention to the extension service...if you do everything they say...you'll be bankrupt in 6 months.

Don't expect too much, and keep it simple.

 

[OhioRiver]

I am learning that I need to do this too. It does take time.

I did it the other way around, wander into a salebarn raise my hand a few times, call a buddy with a trailer, line up a pen, go find some hay, go buy a beat up old trailer, find some grass, calve out, figure out vaccination protocol.

I learned that it is easier and cheaper to have everything planned out ahead of time.

 

[OhioRiver]

I am thinking I could do it before and after work and weekends. I know they need extra care but to what extent are you referring in total hours time for any particular week?

How much seed capital do you have to get started? This will dictate can and can't do and how fast. How much time will you have to donate to your new venture?

 

[OhioRiver]

What am I missing about labor that I do not see? What I mean is this.....is the total labor picture laid out in a book somewhere I can see it.

Your hours needed may well depend on how much money you have to hire others to do what needs to be done. Or, if you want to do everything yourself then it all depends on what needs to be done compared to the time you have to donate.
In case #2, is it realistic?

Cows are fun but, will you be around if a calf needs to be pulled? In my case, I am not there every day so I chose a breed that is known for low birthweights so I don't have to worry much about birthing issues.

Will you have any help?

Like the others said, think infrastructure first - how much will it cost? What all is involved? You can have a lot of fun with it if you got the bucks or you like a lot of manual labor.

 

[rouxshortorn]

Good luck getting the farm back in order and don't get it done all in one day, it all takes time. I've been at it for 13 years and still working at it.