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Young new rancher

S

Starky

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2015
Messages
6
Hello all. Been seriously thinking about starting a cattle ranch of my own. I'm a 20yr old college student and I've been around ranches as a kid but since our move it all got away from me. I've been looking into it for quite a while now and have decided its what I wonna do. Im wanting to get some tips from some experienced ranchers and beef producers (I want to raise beef and hog specifically). The "Do's and Don'ts" as a beginner. Any help would greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 
The don'ts forget the hogs my family had been in that business since the 50's and if your not a huge operation close to the packing plants I'd forget it margins are to small to be done in a small scale operation commercially.
 
Welcome to ranchers.
I'd say get a job on a ranch and pour your heart into the work. Work seven days a week,don't take a day off for two years and see if you still want to ranch. That will give you an idea how much work it will take to start ranching. In 30 years or so it will get easier. :cowboy:
 
thanks guys. The hogs was more of an idea. the beef is what i really want to do. Me and my fiance both will have have our 40hr a week jobs with the ranch. I've been working on my uncles small ranch but I want to be much bigger than his operation.
Another question that i thought of last night....
What kind of farm equipment will I be needing. I know the obvious stuff but for example what size tractors am i gonna be needing. attachments that are absolutely necessary etc...
 
I have a lot of questions that I know I can just look up on google or something but Id like to learn from experienced fellas that know what is really needed. Got questions about feed and other stuff too. Like, how often do I need to grain my cattle, (We're fixin on moving to southern Tennessee) What kind of grain mix do I need to give em. Is it a better idea to buy my hay and grain or should I attempt to grow it?
What medicines are absolutely necessary to give my cattle and what are just too cautious to worry about.
Like I said, I got questions!
 
Don't worry too much about tractors and grain yet, or "medicines". It takes some serious money to get started, and at a minimum you need to learn all you can from successful operators in the area you'll be in. Be the apprentice. What are you majoring in? Do you have collateral?
 
I'm planning on getting a bigger agriculture type loan for my property and I'm saving quite a bit for the down payment and my first round of cattle (Just a few) I have a couple properties that I can keep my cattle on and raise them until we buy our property. I'm working with a small rancher now and work for some close friends that are Amish and keep me busy with a little of everything. I am always learning, my father is a carpenter and my grandfather is a jack of all trades you could say. My close aunt raises beef as well as rodeo bulls and I work with her seasonally. My college major isnt for my cattle business, I want to be a full-time police officer (Criminal Justice is my major) and my fiance is almost done with her schooling and will be working full-time as a school teacher. Her father will be moving away with us and living with us so we'll have his income as well as help with the ranch.
What do you mean by collateral? Why kind do you suggest I get?
 
It's obvious you have never borrowed money if you don't know what 'collateral' is. :D It is what you put up to borrow money.
It can be anything the bank can use to secure a loan. It is something of value that you OWN free and clear.

Sounds like you have a plan....best of luck to you!!
 
One more question..... When you actually have cattle, at what life stage is it best to sell them off? I was told you get better money for calves but is that the best route to go?
 
Most of us rancher have grown up on a farm or ranch and some have gone to school taking Ag related education.
Maybe you should switch majors and take Ag in university and learn to be a policeman from asking question of a police forum.
 
:agree:

You just mouthed off to one of the best guys on this board. He wasn't being a smartass.

And you want to be a cop?

I think we already have enough with that attitude. They make the headlines regularly...
 
Big Muddy along with many,many other's on this board have forgotten more about the cattle business than YOU will ever know.

You should take some public relation's course's along with your police course before your BIG MOUTH attitude get's you shot
 
Boy, don't ya look forward to seeing a badge on his chest?? In all seriousness, young rancher wannabe, the first response about pouring your heart into working on a ranch for a couple of years with no time off is excellent advice. To answer my own question, no, I am not anxious to see any authority handed you UNTIL you have paid your dues.
 
A lost cause, all around. I was going to refer this young buck to a forum that seems to raise a lot of cattle in the southeast, But....
 
Big Muddy said it well....and you didn't like it and now you are calling him names. :( Remember, you are the one
who came here and ASKED for advice. Maybe you need to learn something about 'pecking order' while you are at it.

Ranchers and farmers do a lot to get along with their neighbors as good ones are very necessary. Respect is HUGE
in rural communities. You entered one when you came here....not a physical community, but a community non-the-less.
Your respect was lacking.
 
Several have answered the questions well, and especially FH has given a good and compassionate lesson in basic ranch manners. A fairly good guess would be that most ranchers posting here know at least several dozen other ranchers, and most have grown up in the business. Simply stating the fact that is how ranches continue on, whether on the same ground or in the same family or not.....as some marry into other ranches, locations may change via sale and buying elsewhere, etc.

Whether higher education is involved or not, or simply taking advantage of workshops and classes outside of formal schooling, very few successful ranchers have simply gone out and bought a ranch, unless they are older, with money from a successful career of some other sort, and those are few! There aren't many 'ranchers' who are totally on their own, either, as most of us 'neighbor' with the other ranchers in the immediate area.....or even further distant: that is, we trade work, help one another out, and simply are friends and discuss problems of the business, learning from one another. I wonder how many years it takes to be successful, or to consider oneself successful at ranching. The latter may take the longest, from the point of nearly 60 years in the business of raising cattle.

There are several books out that could be helpful to any rancher, of any age. One of the best is "Cowboy Ethics", by James P. Owen. There is also a website, www.cowboyethics.com. Not saying we are lacking ethics, but the book details where our ethics originate, and ethics are necessary and valuable to us all. Baxter Black wrote a book with more than his usual seriousness, along similar lines as "Cowboy Ethics" a couple of years ago. The title escapes me at the moment, but would probably be relatively easy to find on his website if anyone is interested.

Young man, if you truly do want to be a rancher, and re-gain respect on this forum, you would do well to seriously consider the gifts of our knowledge and, yes, wisdom, offered here.

mrj
 

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