Cattle as a business

[vet tech]

Do any of you on here raise cattle for a living? If so how much land and how many cattle do you have? Did you grow up and take over the family farm? Go to college? Just curious.. can it be done?

 

[Turkey Creek Ranch]

We have around 100 cows that dad started building up after college. We only own on 100 acre pasture, and the rest we rent. We have lost a few pastures to farm land, but we have been looking out west for some more. He had a hard time getting going, but right now it is great. I don't know if we could make a living off our commercial cow herd. We farm over 5000 acres along with the cows. We do both, and it is a great living. I dont think we could make it with just one or the other.

It can be done, just have to be determined!

 

[ELBEE]

My father was 45 years my senior and suffering from heart disease when I graduated from high school, consequently I decided not to go to college and stayed on the family farm. At 24 I lost my father and that same year added 240 acres (which I'm still making payments on) to the original operation of 600 acres, most of which is native grass. Cattle have been the mainstay, I given up cash grain and a 1000 acres of rented farmland, due in most part to the floods of "93". Here in the Flint Hills an operation this size can maintain 90-100 cows. Some of the things I've learned in the last 25 years; keep barrowed money to minimum, go without a few "unnecessary wants", utilize you and your neighbors natural resources, learn a few essential vocations (mechanics, carpentry), do a little custom or trade work on the side as time permits. It can be done if your willing to trade off a few of life's so called "gotta haves" for a way of life second to none.

"When a man reaches the point in his life when what he wants and what he needs become the same, he will be a success!"    

 

[red]

we farm for a living. The cattle are an important part of our operation. We run about 65 brood cows. We finish the calves out & will also buy some from smaller breeders.
My hubby & I have a registered herd of Maines but it is primarily my hobby.

Red

 

[dori36]

Do any of you on here raise cattle for a living? If so how much land and how many cattle do you have? Did you grow up and take over the family farm? Go to college? Just curious.. can it be done?

That's such a great question.  I don't farm for a living so will readily admit I don't have the knowledge of those who do.  I would ask, however, where do you live?  I think some areas are better suited for raising cattle for a living than others.  How much grass do you have in your area?  If it doesn't rain, willl you 'still' have grass?  In some areas you can run 250 cows on somewhere around 5 acres/animal unit but in others, like where I lived in Wyoming, you'll need upwards of 50+ acres per animal unit.  Here in Michigan, there's pretty darn good grass but such a small number of cattle farmers (besides dairy) that we don't have any strong markets to take cattle to. Also, if it's high desert, you'll need water rights attached to your property so you can irrigate.  Again, no water, no hay crop.  And, there's the attitudes and creativity of just raising cattle and settling for whatever the market offers (talking commercial, here) or being wise and bright enough to use the futures markets to your advantage.  I don't know how a young farmer/rancher can get started on a place capable of supporting a family without being able to step into an already existing family operation.  I just don't see how starting fresh with enough land, etc, and, then, stocking it fresh with good cattle can ever be paid for.  Impossible, probably not, but a real challenge, imo. It seems today that many families have at least one of the adults who work off the ranch to provide a more consistent income along with the health insurance.