First generation

[Big Muddy rancher]

Be hard to make a living on a place that size in that area.
Be a nice little retirement property for a Saskatchewan rancher tired of the winters and wanted to run a saddle horse and 10 cows.

 

[Firstgen06]

Is this big enough?
https://www.landwatch.com/rio-arrib...xico-farms-and-ranches-for-sale/pid/338398919

 

[Faster horses]

This is the type of ranch I had in mind
https://www.landsoftexas.com/property/644-acres-in-Roberts-County-Texas/5645910/

I hope you have a big sock to draw from. Have you figured the annual interest on a ranch like that?
Merry Christmas and the best to you in the New Year!

 

[Faster horses]

Is this big enough?
https://www.landwatch.com/rio-arrib...xico-farms-and-ranches-for-sale/pid/338398919

Did you notice they didn't show you grazing ground? That's still a gentleman ranch size in that area.

 

[Firstgen06]

Did you notice they didn't show you grazing ground? That's still a gentleman ranch size in that area.

what should I look for in a ranch?

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

You would be better off in South Dakota then down there.

 

[Faster horses]

what should I look for in a ranch?

If it is cattle you are wanting to raise, look for GRASS and lots of it. Cows need fed hay in the north, so that adds another problem so best to stick with yearlings for awhile. You have to have money to buy yearlings, and a place to run them. If it is farming, I don't think you would like NM. Anyway, the places where we have been in NM.
This is hard to say and even harder to hear, but until you have money, you are a tire kicker. It's fine if you want to look up property online, but when you get a realtor (ugh) involved the first thing you will be asked is, "do you have the monery?" We've been tire kickers, so we know, but my point is start saving now. Anything. Everything. This won't be easy, and it will seem impossible. Sometimes it is...
The upcoming political climate will make it even harder. Lots of uncertainty abounds.

 

[webfoot]

It can be fun, interesting, and educational to look at different areas and what it takes to run cows there. Starting out one of the best ways is to find a lease. You can build a herd without spending a couple million on the land required to run them on.

 

[Firstgen06]

You would be better off in South Dakota then down there.

yeah my main are I want a ranch in South Dakota and Wyoming and maybe Colorado and anther thing Is have been told by other ranchers that I don't need a tractor

 

[Firstgen06]

It can be fun, interesting, and educational to look at different areas and what it takes to run cows there. Starting out one of the best ways is to find a lease. You can build a herd without spending a couple million on the land required to run them on.

I want to run bison

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I want to run bison

Careful they are pretty fast.

 

[Firstgen06]

Careful they are pretty fast.

yeah I am just fascinated by them though

 

[Faster horses]

Fences don't stop them. Need to be tall and very strong.

 

[webfoot]

Fences don't stop them. Need to be tall and very strong.

But you don't need roller skates.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I want to run bison

It will take a lot more infrastructure to run bison compared to cattle. With cattle you could rent some land put up a hot wire and rent some portable panels for a corral. Not so with bison.

 

[Firstgen06]

It will take a lot more infrastructure to run bison compared to cattle. With cattle you could rent some land put up a hot wire and rent some portable panels for a corral. Not so with bison.

so someone earlier told me that leasing land would be the best starting option thats a great idea but how many times can i close breed cattle if i start out with 100 cows and about 4 bulls

 

[webfoot]

"how many times can i close breed cattle"??????? What?

 

[Firstgen06]

"how many times can i close breed cattle"??????? What?

well yeah cause I have been talking to the farmers in the area and they say that i could get away with a father-daughter type thing but how true is this and would it affect health, fertility, etc

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Well seeing as how it takes two years from breeding to breeding a hfr you will have turn over in your bulls. If you are breeding hfrs you might want to breed them in a separate pasture or it might make better economic sense to buy your hfrs bred rather then wintering and breeding your own at least until you get established.

 

[Faster horses]

well yeah cause I have been talking to the farmers in the area and they say that i could get away with a father-daughter type thing but how true is this and would it affect health, fertility, etc

You would need to be careful, I mean REALLY careful. In line breeding the bad traits can be magnified. Larry Leonhardt did this, bred a son to his mother, I think he called that bull Echo. But he REALLY understood Angus genetics, probably better than anyone, so it was successful for him. I wouldn't try it, but good luck if you do.