Post High School Education

[WI Rancher]

This is my first post here, but I have been "lurking" for some time now.

My question is for my 15 year old son. We have a small 40cow beef herd here in Wisconsin. My 15 year old son loves working with cattle and is looking ahead to college. He is homeschooled and in addition to being my main go to helper, he milks for a local dairy farmer. He is really undecided at this point on what exactly he would like to go to school for, but he knows that he would like it to be related to ranching and cattle-not in a dairy related field. Wisconsin being the "Dairy State" does not have a lot to offer when it comes to ranching and beef management courses. So I was wondering if members of this site could offer some suggestions for post secondary schools, that that we can research further on our own.

Thank you.
WI Rancher

 

[loomixguy]

University of Nebraska-Lincoln...college of agriculture, or there is the University of Nebraska School of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska...they offer a 2 year program.

Sul Ross in Alpine, TX, or Texas Tech in Lubbock offer ranching programs, I believe.

 

[Carter]

TCU ranch management program, very good!! there is some kind of ranching program at a junior college in Vernon Tx, I don't know much about it but have heard good things, wouldn't hurt to take some of the dairy related courses as to nutrition but you can prob get that with the ranching courses as well feedlot related, hope that helps I would look into the program in Vernon and see what its about

 

[honyak]

South Dakota State

 

[LCP]

I have a BS from South Dakota State in Range Science with a Livestock Production emphasis. Not a bad degree if you need something like that to land a job somewhere. I would also encourage him to take in the Ranching for Profit School. It would cost a lot less than a 4-yr degree, only takes a week, and would cover more than just livestock production - everything involved in ranching, from business to working with people to land ecology.

My personal opinion is that education in range & pasture management and business are perhaps more important than animal science classes. If you can't manage your grass or your money, it won't matter how well you manage your herd because you probably won't have one for very long.

 

[Mike]

Good point, LCP. Ranchers are really grass farmers that are selling their product in the form of beef.

 

[rancher rick]

Good point on grass/range management. When folks ask me what I do for a living, I usually tell them "I`m in the grass business!".

 

[Brad S]

Beef nutrition and accounting are areas he could learn from the dairy. As part of his home schooling, you could send him to savoy grazing school.

 

[graybull]

The best education your son (or any other cattle producer) could receive is to read and understand Johann Zietsman's book......

MAN, CATTLE & VELD

http://mancattleveld.com

For an even better education in profitable ranching......attend a course taught by Johann. For more details and to check when and where these opportunities will be.......even though this year's schedule has not been finalized.........Johann will teach in the U.S. again this summer.......

http://profitableranching.com

Guaranteed to be worth more in terms of learning about profitable ranching than ANY 4-6 college degree program.

 

[WI Rancher]

Thanks for all the suggestions. We already have information for the Ranching for Profit School and that is definitely on the list of things to do. Since it was suggested, we have been looking at the University of Nebraska School of Technical Agriculture and we really like what it has to offer. LCP's suggestions are spot on, we are nothing without our grass/forage.

Thank you,
WI Rancher

 

[littlejoe]

A lot of 18 yo kids, esp boys, ain't ready for college.

I suggest a tank of gas, few hundred bucks and go get a job working on ranch for somebody else. Learn how the other guy does it, start at the bottem, visit and read with whoever and whatever you can get your hands on. IN a yr or two, might have better idea of what you want to do, will value a dollar and maybe ready for college.

 

[Roundup]

Michigan State University has an excellent 2 year beef management program. I would encourage some type of higher education, sounds like he already has the hands on experience.