Beef Cattle Ranching

    Beef Cattle Ranching is a large and important segment of American agriculture and one of the largest industries in the world. Beef Cattle enterprises work well with most any other kind of farming operations such as corn, small grain, fruit & nut orchards, vegetables and other types of crops. Beef Cattle will utilize and make efficient use of feed resources that otherwise would have little alternative use. Things like cornstalks and other crop residues, marginal cropland, rough untillable land, or any kind of rangeland that cannot produce crops other than grass.

     For people who own and live on the land but work full-time off the farm, a beef
cattle operation may be the least labor intensive way to utilize their land. A beef cattle enterprize is easily operated with family members as the main or only labor source. Working cattle such as calving, weaning, vaccinations, castration, weighing and other types of non emergency cattle work can be scheduled for times when family members are available.

     Before getting onto beef cattle ranching one should consider your resources, the land available, and level of interest for all family members that will be involved before deciding to engage in the beef cattle business. You should identify why you want to raise beef cattle and set your goals to achieve
the most constant economic return or personal satisfaction. Your goals should be clearly defined, firmly fixed, achievable, and have a realistic time frame. Otherwise, your beef cattle operation may suffer from lack of meaning, objective, and focus.

     When planning your pastures it is less labor intensive and more economical to use perennial grasses if at all possible. Annuals must be replanted every year and that becomes very labor intensive and must be done on a timely basis.

     Establishing a Beef Cattle Ranching enterprise is a very interesting project. One that everyone involved with can  enjoy and gain responsibility as well as contribute to your overall economic status.