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How many folks does your ranch employ?

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Whitewing

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I employ 4 at the moment. One lives at the ranch and basically cares for the place 24 hours a day. The other 3 I bring in from the local pueblo on a daily basis.

Eventually I'd like to get to the point where all the help (including me) live at the ranch.

With a better fencing system I figure I can down on at least one position. Having said that, this past weekend we were 3 total....the foreman, the cowboy, and yours truly. Worked my tail off and we weren't even baling. :?
 
We only hire a couple guys when we work cows...dayworkers. Then there's another that we use occasionally. Woman that works construction...builds houses and such. When she's got nothin else to do she has been spraying thorn bushes for us. She's licensed, and knows how, when, and can buy the chemical stuff to spray them with. Other than that....it's Mr. Lilly, his dad, and myself.
 
I'm going to try to get my place down to 3 eventually and like you, hire day hands when I'm doing extra stuff like baling bermuda for instance.

There's a 125 acre piece that I bought back in late 2008, cleared with a bulldozer in April and May of 2009, and have now planted it in sorghum and bermuda. I also put two ponds on the place and have laid out a fencing system of 5 pastures that will allow animals in every area free access to water during the day.

I'm thinking such layouts will help me cut down on the number of permanent hands I need on board as we can move animals around in those areas each day without having to watch them constantly.
 
Our place works me and the "Hostile Native" to death. That being said employeed would mean we actually made a decent living. A friend and I do quite a bit of day labor going all over the area which includes 3 states just to make some extra $$$. We spent a week in the Blackhills 3 weeks ago helping folks gather. When we need extra help here, he will come out and give us a hand. So to answer the question, its just us two here with occasional help.
 
None. Our is a family operation and we all have day jobs along with the cows. Somebody once told me ranchers work 100 hours a week so they don't have to work 40. :wink: A lot of us probably can relate to that. :D
 
The wife and I and 3 kids. I always remember a friend from New Zealand joking about how in NZ and Australia, the challenge between farmers is not who has the biggest weaning weights, it's who can run more cows or sheep - in the thousands at times - with the least amount of help.
 
Hmmm, me, myself, and I makes 3! :wink: :lol:

Seriously, I do have a guy who helps me on a share basis at haying season. It's mostly my equipment anymore but he stacks the bales with his tractor and loader.

Like most ranchers for branding and other cattle jobs neighbors all help each other. I'm going to a neighbor's to help preg check this afternoon.
 
John SD said:
Hmmm, me, myself, and I makes 3! :wink: :lol:

Seriously, I do have a guy who helps me on a share basis at haying season. It's mostly my equipment anymore but he stacks the bales with his tractor and loader.

Like most ranchers for branding and other cattle jobs neighbors all help each other. I'm going to a neighbor's to help preg check this afternoon.
Click to expand...

Sometimes I feel like I work more at my neighbor's place than my own. :D
 
Plenty, my cows work for me. I look after the grain farm and any real work is done by my wife and a few hours here and there from my dad.
 
Dad and I. Both part time, with 3 live in hands ages 1, 4 and 6.
A neighbour that we help with cow moving and they return the favour, and a neighbour or two that like to cowboy and will help brand.
We probably spend more time planning for cows than working for cows...
 
answer this just about like i do every Ranch question................depends on the weather,if you have ranched long,you know exactly what i mean.
unless you are irrigatin and even that depends on the weather to a lesser degree..
good luck
 
My problem is I am one of those "fake,phonie,ranchette with a horse in the backyard" :p
I do have the couple who are keeping thier horse here, do some work on the pens.
Shoer will be doing some work next spring and I have done alot.
 
Me and my Dad but do get some day labor when we work cattle. I do try and buy some FFA kids to do some work that I leave until spring to get caught up. But mostly its just me and dad helps when we start haying during the summer but that just running the rake tractor.
 
None.

I'd rather have better equipment than hired help.Equipment that functions proper weeds out the need for help.

We do trade help at brandings,shipping and corn chopping.

At this time we run a 150 cows plus build about 15 livestock trailers per year with very very little outside help beside myself.My wife works in town and the older kids have jobs and the younger are just learning.
 
John SD said:
Hmmm, me, myself, and I makes 3! :wink: :lol:
Click to expand...
I see you hired the same folks I do. Only thing I find is they all three have to work together or they don't work at all. Cause if I don't do it, me and myself won't do it either. :???:
 
it seems this little survey shows that ranching is still a 'family' based job.
or--theres not many'corporate' ranchers on this site anyway.
every rancher seems to be his own boss.maybe it just seems this way
 

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