Aztumbleweed said:
My owner is selling out and I should do pretty good. I see adds for places up in Nebraska I am native to Az. and have only worked in Nevada and New Mexico was wondering what carrying capacity is up there on average? On this place we are running about 6 to the section. Any advice you might have would be appreciated.
Thank You
Aztumbleweed, I assume you might be looking for a ranch job. If so, a good "clearinghouse" lining up potential employees with available ranch jobs would be the Sandhills Cattle Association, headquartered in Valentine, Nebraska. The phone number is: 1-800-658-0551. The web page for the SCA is www.sandhillscattle.com.
As far as carrying capacity on Sandhills ranches, it varies. A good average would probably be one cow/calf pair for 25 acres of land year around, or about 25 pairs per section (one square mile, or 640 acres). This would include the necessary hay ground providing winter feed.
Cherry County, Nebraska, is 96 miles east and west and 63 miles north and south. It has the most momma cows of any county in the United States. Population is one person per square mile, just the way we like it. It is as good a ranch country as there is. We have an abundance of water, both above ground and below ground, lots of grass, hay, and fresh air. The wind knows how to blow, but we depend on it to turn the windmills which provide fresh drinking water for the livestock. Temperature extremes are not unlike Siberia, but we know how to deal with it. It can get as low as 40 below zero and as hot as 120 above. Just dress accordingly. Come check it out.