Starting up a new old ranch, would like some info please

[BAR I V RANCH]

I have been away from the cattle buisness for about 24 years and was only 15 at the time my father decided to sell out. Well I helped with everything but you all know how well teenagers listen to there parents because they know nothing dummy me. But I wanted to start out with yearlings until I build up some capitol and would like to know the difference between feeder and stocker? which one would be best if there is a difference. One more thing where can you find portacorrals and what is the best company? Thanks for reading this and any info would be greatly appreciated.

Moe

 

[Shortgrass]

All I know about yearlings is that you want to buy stocker calves on the same market as you sell the feeders. I would do it the same day. This business of buying in the spring and selling in the fall requires deep pockets. I'm sure there is a lot of guys more knowledgeable about it than I. But I have been close enough to the fire to have been burned.

 

[angus guy]

For an atv I'd skip those mentioned and get one of the Kubota's.

 

[John SD]

I didn't vote on the atv. I'm a Polaris man myself and the current models aren't anything like the ol' 300 air cooled/chain drive/2 stroker I have. It's been a good outfit for me and with the price of the new ones I'm gonna be riding this one a long time. You just as well buy what you want new, unless you know and trust the history of a used atv. Get 4wd if down the road you will be calving during spring storms. If you calve in the fall or late spring and don't have to fight too much mud or snow, 2wd works OK.

Don't know anything firsthand about the UTVs. I figure for what they cost if the 4wheeler can't carry enough stuff I might as well drive the pickup. Your mileage may vary.

Another thing you might as well buy new is the corral panels. "Experienced" panels at auction sales usually go for new or almost new price anyway. I prefer Vern's because they are most widely used "here". I pick up a few and add to my collection now and then when I have holes to patch in my corrals. If I ever get my corrals rebuilt, I'll have quite a set of portable panels to use, but at this time they are mostly permanent! :lol: Then if I decide to retire and have an auction I can get my $$$ back! :lol:

 

[IL Rancher]

I have a Yamaha 400 and a Polaris 500 (I think it is a 500)... The Polaris... I like it, I like it a lot but I have torn to CV boots to all heck on it and I can't say why. It is better in rough fields and thing simply flys but mostly I don't need to go 60 mph down the road with one so that is not so important... It doesn't get stuck.

The Yamaha we have had for 3-4 years now and had almost no problems until we decide to have the shop service it, change out all the fluids and such. They forgot to torque the oil plug down good and it came loose in the middle of a field and the engine of course seized. AFter a new Transmission and engine (Free) we have started having minor problems with it... Nothing major and the thing does take a beating....

If I was to get a side by side I would look long and hard at a used small pickup instead because they will be about the same price. If I had to get a UTV I would probably go with a Polaris because it is just plain faster than the other ones by a lot and the only reason I would get one is if we had another place 2-3 miles down the road that I had to run back and forth from all day with mineral, fencing suplies and things like that.


I think If I had it to do all over I would have gotten an ATV and a horse... At least the horse is nice to look at.

 

[Faster horses]

Now that makes sense, IL Rancher.

Mr. FH has a horse and a International Scout II.
When they start talking 4 wheelers, he says his has a roof
to keep the rain, wind and snow off him.

We had a 1973 Scout that we got in 1989. Belonged to
a Catholic Priest in Anaconda. 42,000 actual miles on it.
It worked fine until one of the Vigortone truck drivers
ran over it... :shock:

Now we have one we found on ebay. Got it over at Beach
for $1200. It's a dandy. Automatic, radio, the windows
roll up and down, WOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

 

[IL Rancher]

I almost bought a scout when I lived in Bozeman.. They were always for sale, them and Jeep Scramblers.. And they were usually cheap (I am sure there is a reason for that).. I talk to a neighbor all the time and we have pretty much come to the conclusion for almost 90% of the time the farm truck should be something as small as possible.. a 4 banger foreign pickup from the early 90's or something that will just be reliable enough to get the job done... Although a Jeep would work just as well and be easier to get work done on it if you needed it.

We have a 1/2 ton that I bought out in Montana that is now the farm truck... Would be better served with a scount now I think, lol.

 

[Faster horses]

Mr. FH would not be without his Scout. He can go anywhere in it,
and we haven't had any trouble whatsoever with them. He uses it
for putting out mineral, fencing, keeping the dogs with him. It's
full of dog hair and miscellaneous things. He drives it to town even,
kinda looks like Ace Reid when he and the two dogs go to town.

And no, he's not gone, he's here... :wink:

 

[IL Rancher]

Than I will have to go with RR's theory and believe that you are sampling a new Vigertone product :wink: :shock: :lol: :lol:

I took 5 dogs to the vet once in my extended cab pickup... I wouldn't recomend doing that again... Maybe in a crew cab, lol.. I got some interesting looks when I got there..

 

[Nebraska Sandhills]

portable corrals for us is usually a few panels and a pickup and trailer strategically parked to kind of make a wing, but if we were to buy a nice portable corral system I would look pretty hard at the Rawhide Portable Corral System. Might be a little pricey, but if you were going to be using them quite a bit i would say it would probably be worth a lot just to have a system that worked well and was easy to set up without wearing yourself out. Best of luck as you start a new ranching venture.

http://www.rawhideportablecorral.com/

 

[RoperAB]

4 wheelers sell for between $8000 to $12000 around here.
I cant see putting that much money into one. A second hand Jeep or even Faster Horses old Scout would make more sense but nothing beats a horse.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

We bought a 1995 Nissan Pathfinder. About 100,000 miles on it. Changed oil and the CV joints and it runs like a top. Goes thru the pasture and down the road. Not quite the replacement for a ATV but better dfor some things. Sure nicer to drive thru pasture then the Dodge Cummins.

Oh yea the Pathfinder was half the cost of a new ATV. Like Mr FH says it has a heater and roof.

 

[greg]

I have been away from the cattle buisness for about 24 years and was only 15 at the time my father decided to sell out. Well I helped with everything but you all know how well teenagers listen to there parents because they know nothing dummy me. But I wanted to start out with yearlings until I build up some capitol and would like to know the difference between feeder and stocker? which one would be best if there is a difference. One more thing where can you find portacorrals and what is the best company? Thanks for reading this and any info would be greatly appreciated.

First off yu better have made good money in them 24 yrs,yu will need it.Can tell yur hearts in it already cause yu use the brand as a handle.Habit I have been acused of.As for the type of ATV-Best I have found is a sound horse and a Border Collie dog-Get's yu through all problems

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I have been away from the cattle buisness for about 24 years and was only 15 at the time my father decided to sell out. Well I helped with everything but you all know how well teenagers listen to there parents because they know nothing dummy me. But I wanted to start out with yearlings until I build up some capitol and would like to know the difference between feeder and stocker? which one would be best if there is a difference. One more thing where can you find portacorrals and what is the best company? Thanks for reading this and any info would be greatly appreciated.

First off yu better have made good money in them 24 yrs,yu will need it.Can tell yur hearts in it already cause yu use the brand as a handle.Habit I have been acused of.As for the type of ATV-Best I have found is a sound horse and a Border Collie dog-Get's yu through all problems

G- R- E -G, That's quite a brand. :wink: Burn up alot of cow getting it on.

 

[Jinglebob]

About 1995 I bought a used Suzuki Samuri. Look exactly like the old International Scouts my uncle used to drive. Had an overhaul and it's still going, tho' oit sure looks like hell. Use it for sprayingweeds and fencing and even chasing wild turkey's a little. :lol:

I found a newer one a couple years ago. It's got a removeable hard top and everything works. Gets 30 mpg going down the road and 20 mpg on the place. Nice ride, got a heater and a top. Cost me $2000 and I've never had to work on it. Just some new tires and a little work on a brake pad that came apart.

Why spend all that money for an ATV when I can drive this to town? And I've had it up to 80 mph on the interstate. Bet you can't do that with an ATV.

And Gregs right. A good horse and a GOOD cowdog will get about anything done. Might want to add a good rope and then most times, you don't need the panels. Just a stocktrailer. :lol:

Good luck in your venture.

Get set to buy cheap cows in 2 years. :wink:

 

[Soapweed]

I have been away from the cattle buisness for about 24 years and was only 15 at the time my father decided to sell out. Well I helped with everything but you all know how well teenagers listen to there parents because they know nothing dummy me. But I wanted to start out with yearlings until I build up some capitol and would like to know the difference between feeder and stocker? which one would be best if there is a difference. One more thing where can you find portacorrals and what is the best company? Thanks for reading this and any info would be greatly appreciated.

Moe

I presume you might be a doctor, having an IV in your brand? :???: :wink:

There is still time to save yourself, if you haven't signed on any dotted line. If you are already into the game, pocketbook over teakettle, another option would be to take in cattle for someone else. They would have most of the financial risk, and as long as they paid their pasture bill, you would come out okay no matter what the cattle market does.

As far as an ATV, we have a Polaris Ranger that is a nice little outfit. It is kind of a cross between a regular ATV and a pickup, with a box big enough to haul a few things you need. It has a bench seat that will allow three people to ride fairly comfortably, and would be an excellent fencing rig. With no doors on it, the driver can reach out and check posts. A horse would be much better for working with the cattle, though.

As far as portable corrals, I would give Scott panels top marks. They are made in Clinton, Nebraska, which is just west of Gordon. The panels come in various lengths, but they are strong and still light enough to handle easily. The best part is the nice connecting system. No matter how the ground slopes, they still set up well. Extra doo-dads like rods or pins are unnecessary. The connecting bolt is always in place, and it just raises up or down on the top joint. Washers hold it in place. They work very well, and nobody builds any better ones that I am aware of.

Good luck in your upcoming lifestyle change.

 

[BAR I V RANCH]

Thanks for all the info. I'm a Polaris man myself if you couldn't tell. Have the atv need a fencing rig but the scout, pathfinder, and samuri are all great ideas I never even thought of. I am no Doctor and the brand is what was given to me from a great cattle and horse man. Horses I have some just hay burners though need to get some good ones. I have the pasture and have been renting but that is a hassle and I'm sick of working for someone else just figured get back in it slowly by running some cattle of the summer and slowly build into it. I have heard yearlings over the summer would be safe and profitable but only from a couple of people need a more broad response thanks for all the help.

Moe

 

[Faster horses]

If you go into yearlings, there is a cattle buyer here who can buy
them and sell them for you all at the same time.

He buys them then locks them in on the board. Takes a lot
of the risk out of the deal.

Yearlings used to be a 'make you' or 'break you' kind of deal,
but now there is some protection if you chose to use it.

Hedging, puts, calls~but I don't even pretend to understand
them. We sold our calves one year and a friend of ours bought
'puts' on them and made some money. Little that I know about
it, it just looks like folks who don't own cattle can make money
on the ones that do.

Why does Hilary Clinton come to mind? :???:

 

[katrina]

Gators Rule!!!!!!!!! :twisted:

 

[Shorthornguy]

Gator would be nice. Tractor and pickup get the job done. Spent my toy money on a new 21ft pontoon boat.
I don't see much money in buying feeders and running them for the season.
JMO you are better off buying 900-1000 pounders and finishing them out.