what I've learned so far about cattle business

[tncattle]

Feel free to correct me on anything cause I might/probably need it.

-cattle farming ain't easy but rewarding
-some say you can make a reasonable profit, some say you can't
-if your cattle can eat year round on your grass/pasture that is better for them and cheaper for you
-have your infrastructure in place before you buy one cow
-a lot of people say you can lose $ but it seems there are A LOT of people doing the cattle thing, that doesn't make sense to me.
-be a grass farmer first
-red cows and a black bull can be a good thing
-I haven't figured out how much for and when you sell beef cattle
-cows aren't as dumb as I thought

 

[dun]

-a lot of people say you can lose $ but it seems there are A LOT of people doing the cattle thing, that doesn't make sense to me.

This is an easy one. A lot of people have no idea what their costs are. All they see is that calf check and think everything is dandy.

dun

 

[novatech]

-a lot of people say you can lose $ but it seems there are A LOT of people doing the cattle thing, that doesn't make sense to me.

This is an easy one. A lot of people have no idea what their costs are. All they see is that calf check and think everything is dandy.

dun

Ditto that; I hear it every morning. These guys have been raiseing cattle all their lives. They have outside jobs. Do not keep any kind of books at all. Just talk about that sale barn check and the high price of hay.
The only way to know, put it on paper.

 

[tncattle]

So maybe hardly anyone is actually cattle farming ONLY? It seems if you just made your living at cattle farming and was losing $ you would not make it very long. Maybe I have the books part, I even keep old fashioned books/log on our everyday cars as I do most of my own work/maintence on them myself. I can't imagine doing this business(cattle) and not keeping records. Would probably do it on the computer as I'm not bad at that and my wife is great at it.

 

[novatech]

So maybe hardly anyone is actually cattle farming ONLY? It seems if you just made your living at cattle farming and was losing $ you would not make it very long. Maybe I have the books part, I even keep old fashioned books/log on our everyday cars as I do most of my own work/maintence on them myself. I can't imagine doing this business(cattle) and not keeping records. Would probably do it on the computer as I'm not bad at that and my wife is great at it.

There are a lot of people that make their sole income off the cattle business.
It is like anything else. You must have the education, book and experience. Then after you get this you need money and a business plan.
Or you can start off small, with a few cattle, learn as you go program. Then you must have outside income for support.

 

[KNERSIE]

It always amazes me that some farmers don't even know which calf belongs to which cow and then I am not talking about the guy who runs a thousand cows.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

This is an easy one. A lot of people have no idea what their costs are. All they see is that calf check and think everything is dandy.

dun

:nod: :nod:

Katherine

 

[Caustic Burno]

Bama is one of the best at tracking cost that I have seen on the board .

 

[BAGTIC]

"a lot of people say you can lose $ but it seems there are A LOT of people doing the cattle thing, that doesn't make sense to me."

Half of all new businesses fail within two years but millions of Americans aspire to own their own business and be self employed.

Hope springs eternal and it seems to sprout on ground so poor that not even weeds will grow.

Contrary to a popular adage the 'Road to hell is paved with good intentions', it is more often 'paved with wishful thinking.'

 

[tncattle]

So if half of all new businesses fail, then half of them make it. It seems if you put in your time and study/research your butt off and get a very experienced mentor you have a decent chance.

 

[novatech]

So if half of all new businesses fail, then half of them make it. It seems if you put in your time and study/research your butt off and get a very experienced mentor you have a decent chance.

Sounds good to me.

Go for it.

 

[tncattle]

Me and the wife are planning on keeping both our jobs for the first year. Then hopefully I will leave my teaching job and devote full time to cattle and she can still keep her job as it is 98% work from home on the computer with a steady salary.

 

[dun]

Me and the wife are planning on keeping both our jobs for the first year. Then hopefully I will leave my teaching job and devote full time to cattle and she can still keep her job as it is 98% work from home on the computer with a steady salary.

I like the sound of that steady salary part. Are you maybe looking to adopt a crotchety old granpa?

dun

 

[tncattle]

Dun,

I sure as heck need me a mentor, wish you lived closer. Maybe we can communicate through this board or e-mail.

 

[dun]

Dun,

I sure as heck need me a mentor, wish you lived closer. Maybe we can communicate through this board or e-mail.

I was hoping for someone to keep me in the style that I'ld like to become accustomed to when I get more dodery then I am now.
Correspondence either here or pms is alwasy fine with me

dun

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

-a lot of people say you can lose $ but it seems there are A LOT of people doing the cattle thing, that doesn't make sense to me.

This is an easy one. A lot of people have no idea what their costs are. All they see is that calf check and think everything is dandy.

dun

DUN "done said it"! So very true. Some of those people are also the ones that write a receipt for a customer using a crayon and the back of a junk mail envelope.

"If you don't know where you've been, can't really know where you are now, and dang sure don't know where you're going!"

 

[Ryder]

So if half of all new businesses fail, then half of them make it. It seems if you put in your time and study/research your butt off and get a very experienced mentor you have a decent chance.

Yes, a 50 per cent decent chance.
Whatever I do, I pretty well know what I know. The part that bothers me is the part that I don't know and I don't know that I don't know it.

 

[Caustic Burno]

So if half of all new businesses fail, then half of them make it. It seems if you put in your time and study/research your butt off and get a very experienced mentor you have a decent chance.

Yes, a 50 per cent decent chance.
Whatever I do, I pretty well know what I know. The part that bothers me is the part that I don't know and I don't know that I don't know it.

Sounds like someone that has been schooled in JMW.

 

[backhoeboogie]

So if half of all new businesses fail, then half of them make it. It seems if you put in your time and study/research your butt off and get a very experienced mentor you have a decent chance.

Yes, a 50 per cent decent chance.
Whatever I do, I pretty well know what I know. The part that bothers me is the part that I don't know and I don't know that I don't know it.

Sounds like someone that has been schooled in JMW.

Funny thing is, people figure if an old farmer can make money with cattle, anyone can.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Some of those people are also the ones that write a receipt for a customer using a crayon and the back of a junk mail envelope.

I have one of those reciepts. Except the guy wrote it out with 2 different colored pens. (the first pen ran out of ink). He gave me the strangest look when I requested a reciept.

Katherine