Anyone own a small cattle ranch?

A buddy of mine and I are looking into starting a small cattle ranch. Just wondering if anyone on here owns one, or is a partner in one.

 

Grew up on one with my dad. Wouldn't call it a ranch, but we had about 8-10 cows. He still raises them now.

He has a bull come in every year and hump em all.

Good home grown beef is great.

 

A retirement dream...

 

Grew up on one in Southern Colorado, parents still have it, 3rd generation. What questions do you have? Are you prepared for the work and the time? Not an easy way to make a living.

 

We raised a few every now and then when I was growing up. Not a ranch by any means. I gotta agree, fresh home grown beef is awesome. Raising cattle for beef and making money at it can sometimes be a hard thing if you're small time. Like most other industries there are corporations that have refined it into a money making machine which can make it difficult for the small timers to compete. However there are niche markets for "all natural" beef at local farmer's markets. If I had the means I'd raise a few just for myself and family.

 

I'm not sure if a cattle ranch and a farm work the same way or not, but if they do I say go for it. You guys will either make money doing something you enjoy or the government will give you welfare - sorry I mean subsidies - to keep losing money.

 

Why small cattle?

 

Gotta say I kinda saw this coming...

 

I have worked on a couple larger cattle ranches here, but never looked into the actual "owning" of the ranch. The nice part about where i live is people up here love their organic beef. So we were thinking about going that path. I guess one of my questions would be what is the adequate space needed needed for each animal. At first were wanting to start small to make sure we can handle it.. then possibly expand.

 

The grain based feedstock is increasing in price and will likely do so for the foreseeable future because of increased global demand and what my stepfather calls the 'damn ethanol boondoggle'. There are at least two ways to manoeuvre:

-As afd23a suggested, exploit a niche. Because of the economic climate, I do not see this being economical because the competition has the advantage of vertical integration. The farmer from whom I purchase my meat has been talking about his margins being squeezed from increased costs, and I do not foresee a deceleration.

-Instead of buying land immediately, learn how to trade the 'soft commodities' (e.g. wheat, corn, soybeans, sugar, cotton, and yes, cattle) with the capital set aside, make bank, then play cowboy with a small number of cattle without having to worry about money. The fun would be greatest this way, as being penny-wise is not one of my great joys in life.

Disclosure - I have toyed with wheat futures and did well

 

I've got two kids, does that count?