movin' on
Well-known member
PureCountry said:
Right On. Read Greg Judy's book No Risk Ranching. It may give you a whole new outlook on making money off the land.
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Right On. Read Greg Judy's book No Risk Ranching. It may give you a whole new outlook on making money off the land.
gcreekrch
Well-known member
per said:
Per said a lot there.
As long as you can keep paying the mortgage the rest of it can be breakeven. (We all would like better than that but it doesn't always work that way.)
As my German grandmother would say, "Get the land boy, GET THE LAND. It is something that never goes away.
BTW, I'm under 50 also. First debt at 16, still in debt, still growing and still meeting our obligations. Don't be afraid to try anything as long as there is light at the end of the tunnel. :wink:
When I die there will be 6 bankers as pall-bearers as they've been carrying me all my life.
flyingS
Well-known member
Remember direct marketing sounds great but you are not going to be able to run as many mother cows becuase you will need the grass to feed your product. Put a pencil to it and if it looks good, go for it. I am pretty young myself, if I could come close to making a ranch cash flow and could get the financing I would bail right in the middle of it. You only live once. There are so many opportunities to add value and income sources to a property. You could start a bed in breakfast, lease the hunting rights, sell the experience. Think it through real well, I think if you keep and open mind and are willing to think outside the box and try new things, you can make it work. I have a hard time believing that you can't make money in the cattle business. Don't get hung up on what everyone around you is doing, explore your options and remember the neighbors don't pay the bills. You don't have to have the prettiest best producing cows around, make sure she is affordable and limit your risk. Look at buying odd cows at the barn and putting them together for below market price. If you give $700 for a cow and her calf brings $450 and you have to weigh the cow up at $500, if it cost you $100 to run her you just made $150. If you give $1000 plus for that cow you lost your butt. One other option might be to buy odd calves that will fit together to make even loads to sell in the fall. Sell high and buy low.
JRDbuilt
Member
Something else that was just brought up when i got off the phone with the current owner.
He was saying that there is a big potatoe company in the area that will lease land for 350 an acre. that is due to the fact potatoes take out so much nutrients of the land. that by itself on the 65 acres would yield me enough to pay the mortgage for the first year.
This is getting exciting!!
thanks again guys for your time!!
CJ
He was saying that there is a big potatoe company in the area that will lease land for 350 an acre. that is due to the fact potatoes take out so much nutrients of the land. that by itself on the 65 acres would yield me enough to pay the mortgage for the first year.
This is getting exciting!!
thanks again guys for your time!!
CJ
JRDbuilt
Member
Lots of very good ideas!!
Purecountry,
The quote of 400-600 to process. thats per cow correct.? id rather ask "stupid" questions and learn than than to not ask and be stupid.
Well ive gotten rid of alot of my debt. I got the debt lesson pretty early when i was 18, making great money, bought all the toys and the brand new F450, bla bla bla. now ive gotten rid of all of it except my old work truck with 305k ( go powerstrokes!!) and my drag car ( expensive but its advertising for my racing business).
I am a risk taker, obviously, I love racing.
a question about running other organic livestock. is what kind of land does it take for stuff like free range chickens, hogs, goats, etc. I know the rule of thumb here in GA is an acre per cow. what about everything else? there are alot of smaller fenced areas that could be perfect for other livestock.
thanks again!
Purecountry,
The quote of 400-600 to process. thats per cow correct.? id rather ask "stupid" questions and learn than than to not ask and be stupid.
Well ive gotten rid of alot of my debt. I got the debt lesson pretty early when i was 18, making great money, bought all the toys and the brand new F450, bla bla bla. now ive gotten rid of all of it except my old work truck with 305k ( go powerstrokes!!) and my drag car ( expensive but its advertising for my racing business).
I am a risk taker, obviously, I love racing.
a question about running other organic livestock. is what kind of land does it take for stuff like free range chickens, hogs, goats, etc. I know the rule of thumb here in GA is an acre per cow. what about everything else? there are alot of smaller fenced areas that could be perfect for other livestock.
thanks again!
Blkbuckaroo
Well-known member
:lol2: :clap: :lol:gcreekrch said:per said:
Per said a lot there.
As long as you can keep paying the mortgage the rest of it can be breakeven. (We all would like better than that but it doesn't always work that way.)
As my German grandmother would say, "Get the land boy, GET THE LAND. It is something that never goes away.
BTW, I'm under 50 also. First debt at 16, still in debt, still growing and still meeting our obligations. Don't be afraid to try anything as long as there is light at the end of the tunnel. :wink:
When I die there will be 6 bankers as pall-bearers as they've been carrying me all my life.
PureCountry
Well-known member
JRD, yes that $400-600 of fees at the butcher is PER ANIMAL.
As for leasing to potato growers, I don't know anything about growing potatoes on a large scale, but I would ask some questions before jumping into that. If someone came right out and told you that the high rent is because it leaches so many nutrients, it's worth looking into. Maybe it's possible that $300 of that $350 they're paying will have to go back into the soil to make it productive again. Who knows?
Now, land required for hogs, chickens, etc. - Very little. Our hogs are in 15' x 20' pens and moved every morning. Through the summer they may cover 10 acres, and that's for 20 hogs. From the sounds of it though, you have alot more growth than we do. Our area of Alberta is far from 1 acre per cow. We're more like 15-20 acres/cow, depending how you do things.
You'll figure it out quick once you try.
As for leasing to potato growers, I don't know anything about growing potatoes on a large scale, but I would ask some questions before jumping into that. If someone came right out and told you that the high rent is because it leaches so many nutrients, it's worth looking into. Maybe it's possible that $300 of that $350 they're paying will have to go back into the soil to make it productive again. Who knows?
Now, land required for hogs, chickens, etc. - Very little. Our hogs are in 15' x 20' pens and moved every morning. Through the summer they may cover 10 acres, and that's for 20 hogs. From the sounds of it though, you have alot more growth than we do. Our area of Alberta is far from 1 acre per cow. We're more like 15-20 acres/cow, depending how you do things.
You'll figure it out quick once you try.
JRDbuilt
Member
pure country,
good to know!! is hogs the only thing you personally do?
Id love to hear about goats, hogs, and free range chickens if anyone knows the land requirements for em.
CJ
good to know!! is hogs the only thing you personally do?
Id love to hear about goats, hogs, and free range chickens if anyone knows the land requirements for em.
CJ
leanin' H
Well-known member
I don't know the land requirements for free range chickens but you'd better hope a family of free range coyotes and the neighbor family of free range skunks don't move in next door. :wink:
scout
Well-known member
I guess i'm coming into this late but if you have a oppurtunity to buy ground buy it . If it is priced reasonable doit because land is the one thing the good lord isn't making any more. I don't know how old you are or what your circumstances are but I'm 27 I work construction with seasonal lay off married and a child due in april.I may not be making a entire living off my cows yet but these cows are paying there way and building me a really nice set up and i keep expanding where ever i find oppurtunity. theres money in the cattle busness if you watch your ps and Qs . but do your home work put pencil to paper first you don't have to do a cow calf operation either do a stocker system do it right and you don't need no hay no chores in the winter. don't know how your winters are just a suggestion.
montanastate33
Well-known member
JRD, That might be your best bet to try the first year...stock the 200 acres of grass with some steer calves. Finish them on the grass and sell them. No dealing with calving or weaning. Also, you would get an idea of the revenue you will make, places they will hammer (overgraze), etc. I don't know too much about the markets though...What do you all have to say about that?
JRDbuilt
Member
Well there actually isnt a coyote problem in that area at all. That was one of the first questions I asked the owner of the ranch currently.
Winters aren't bad at all. substantially warmer than 4 hours north where i am.
scott,
What exactly are you talking when you say a "stocker" system
also, I will be gone for a few days. Have a big drag race in South GA that's paying around 20k to win..
Winters aren't bad at all. substantially warmer than 4 hours north where i am.
scott,
What exactly are you talking when you say a "stocker" system
also, I will be gone for a few days. Have a big drag race in South GA that's paying around 20k to win..
per
Well-known member
Take some pics for us. There are a few here that like their horse power under the hood.
scout
Well-known member
It is were you go buy 300 or 400 pound calves around april or may you turn them on grass and i would grain them a little you put cheap weight on turn around and sell them in aug sep at 800 to 900 pounds for a profit hopefully. you can get more info from your local extension for practices in your area.JRDbuilt said:
montanastate33
Well-known member
scout said:
I would agree with this. Seems like a good way to start out and get a feel for how they do on the grass, see which areas they hammer, see where additional fences need to be put in, etc. before starting a cow-calf operation down the road (if that is what you want to do in the future).
marksmu
Active member
I read alot here, but dont post often...but I read all these you cant make money ranching threads and it kills me.
I have made spreadsheet after spreadsheet after spreadsheet to verify that my particular numbers add up. Each time I do it I get a different number, but the same result - good profit.
I think it is much more difficult for a rancher to make money the farther north you go. The colder it is, and the shorter your growing season the less grass you will have and therefore you can have fewer cattle.
Im located in South East Texas - we have 768 acres - 100% grazeable - 168ac in rice base. I was nervous about starting out b/c I was unsure how much time and effort was needed to really do this thing right. I take exceptional care of my animals, and I want them to be very low input.
I have a day job, and so the ranch is my hobby - really more a passion. I love it. I think it about constantly, and can not stand the day job. But the day job pays the bills and until I have enough to retire, and a full retirement herd, Im not quitting the day job. I calculate 11-13 more years of day job and I should have enough in the bank and a full retirement herd built up
Started with 20 pairs, mostly 3 n 1s. Bought all heifer calves. Invested in a good bull. My plan is to finish the steers on grass, and sell them finished. My grass goes to waste if I dont graze, so I have no incentive to pull a steer off of it. I will retain good looking heifer calves and sell bad ones. I plan to sell all of my cattle that are wild or non-cooperative.
Figure I invested $1000 per 3n1 and I sell the calves. Its a loss in year 1,2,3 - but year 4 is break even, and every single year after that is profit. The costs associated with cattle after the initial purchase are manageable.
I feed cubes once a week to keep them friendly, and I run them through the squeeze twice per year for shots. Cubes are cheap, shots are cheaper. I understand opportunity cost, but if your willing to forego "opportunity cost" the profit is there to be made.
20 pairs all female build a herd quickly. Keep unhealthy cattle out, and you will be there.
Every way I calculate this 768 acres can flip a PROFIT, after depreciating equipment, fuel, feed, transport, shots, and 8% losses year after year at approximately the $135-170,000 range.
At 1.4 pairs/acre in my area - and never taking the herd above 300 to keep a safety factor for grass losses, I dont see why profit cant be made.
Land is an upfront cost, I dont include in the costs, b/c its an entirely separate investment. Even if I had to include the land though, its still profitable, but it takes the profit closer 70,000-100,000 per year.
The ability to make money on cattle is there. The $100/hd calcs are all based on opportunity costs. If you grow your own, once the first cow has calved twice - everything else is profit.
Just my 0.02 - I say go for it. You only live once. Im going for it, but not until I have everything neeed to retire anyway.
I have made spreadsheet after spreadsheet after spreadsheet to verify that my particular numbers add up. Each time I do it I get a different number, but the same result - good profit.
I think it is much more difficult for a rancher to make money the farther north you go. The colder it is, and the shorter your growing season the less grass you will have and therefore you can have fewer cattle.
Im located in South East Texas - we have 768 acres - 100% grazeable - 168ac in rice base. I was nervous about starting out b/c I was unsure how much time and effort was needed to really do this thing right. I take exceptional care of my animals, and I want them to be very low input.
I have a day job, and so the ranch is my hobby - really more a passion. I love it. I think it about constantly, and can not stand the day job. But the day job pays the bills and until I have enough to retire, and a full retirement herd, Im not quitting the day job. I calculate 11-13 more years of day job and I should have enough in the bank and a full retirement herd built up
Started with 20 pairs, mostly 3 n 1s. Bought all heifer calves. Invested in a good bull. My plan is to finish the steers on grass, and sell them finished. My grass goes to waste if I dont graze, so I have no incentive to pull a steer off of it. I will retain good looking heifer calves and sell bad ones. I plan to sell all of my cattle that are wild or non-cooperative.
Figure I invested $1000 per 3n1 and I sell the calves. Its a loss in year 1,2,3 - but year 4 is break even, and every single year after that is profit. The costs associated with cattle after the initial purchase are manageable.
I feed cubes once a week to keep them friendly, and I run them through the squeeze twice per year for shots. Cubes are cheap, shots are cheaper. I understand opportunity cost, but if your willing to forego "opportunity cost" the profit is there to be made.
20 pairs all female build a herd quickly. Keep unhealthy cattle out, and you will be there.
Every way I calculate this 768 acres can flip a PROFIT, after depreciating equipment, fuel, feed, transport, shots, and 8% losses year after year at approximately the $135-170,000 range.
At 1.4 pairs/acre in my area - and never taking the herd above 300 to keep a safety factor for grass losses, I dont see why profit cant be made.
Land is an upfront cost, I dont include in the costs, b/c its an entirely separate investment. Even if I had to include the land though, its still profitable, but it takes the profit closer 70,000-100,000 per year.
The ability to make money on cattle is there. The $100/hd calcs are all based on opportunity costs. If you grow your own, once the first cow has calved twice - everything else is profit.
Just my 0.02 - I say go for it. You only live once. Im going for it, but not until I have everything neeed to retire anyway.
SaskHerf
Active member
sounds like i need to move to texas
Hoop
Well-known member
same thing I was thinking
Broke Cowboy
Well-known member
SaskHerf said:
Mooove over - I want to come too!
BC
JRDbuilt
Member
Looks like alot more good information while I was gone. Id be more than happy to upload some pics of the rides but not sure how to on here.
ill be looking at another property tuesday just doing alot of thinking.
ill be looking at another property tuesday just doing alot of thinking.