Beef Cattle Ranch Management Ideas

      One of your first Beef Cattle Ranch Management Ideas will be to decide and acquire the number of mature cows you will need or have space to adequately care for and provide their needed nutrition

     These registered females are your foundation stock to provide replacement breeding animals for yourself and your customers. Good ranch management  dictates that you should only use females with proven performance and characteristics that fit your criteria. They must be something you will be proud of and always willing to show off to any prospective customer, the kind that looks good to you in your pasture. Remember if you do not like their looks in your pasture you will surely not like them in your neighbors pasture. You will have the choice of breeding the cows by artificial insemination or natural breeding. Either way you should select the best genetics available.

     To reach more customers you may want to divide the herd into spring and fall calving groups. At weaning time one might typically sort off the better individuals, get all their registration papers up to date and retain them until they are 10-12 months old. This is typically a good age to start offering them for sale by private treaty on your ranch.

     A good ranch management idea or rule of thumb related to how to establish a rock bottom price for registered cattle might be one and a half times commercial price plus any added value you have put in them. Added value may come from many sources; reputation breeding, your integrity or willingness to stand behind them, free delivery, good conditioned cattle, current updates on all the information available through your association such as weights, measures, parentage confirmation and other tools. Probably the most valued feature will be your willingness to guarantee your cattle and prompt settlement of any problems that arise.

     Always work hard to manage your cattle so that they will not only please you, but your customers and the beef industry as well. British White Cattle will definitely be an easy breed to fulfill those requirements; they have the ability to excel as seed stock under all ranch conditions. With both fall and spring calving seasons, you will be able to provide the right age of cattle for any customer.

     If you choose artificial insemination you will be able to use the finest herd bulls of the breed and select groups of females for different bulls. This will provide a more varied group of blood lines in your animals and allow you to reach a wider group of customers.

     You should not be afraid to subject your cattle to a lot of scrutiny and select the very best. Along the way you will want to gather data to identify superior genetics by having your cattle pass tests in performance, disposition, fertility, maternal, carcass, and visual appraisals. This will require strict record keeping and processing. You will want to constantly evaluate your progress and be on the lookout for ways to add value to your customers.

     On some ranches cowherds are run on improved and native grasslands, only being supplemented in the winter or under extreme conditions. Bulls are developed with a limited amount of gain so they are capable of performing in the pasture on a mostly forage diet. Calves are creep fed a couple of months prior to weaning to ensure a good transition from mother to feedlot. All cattle are vaccinated each fall and spring against all common cattle diseases. They are also wormed and appropriate parasite controls are used. All calves receive their vaccination at two months of age and again one month prior to weaning.

     In marketing you will need to show the world that you are honest and as hard working as the cattle you raise. You should be as diverse in your operations as the market you strive to satisfy.

     Strive for a program that offers realistic cattle to excel in any environment, yet cattle that are practical and functional in a very attractive package.

     Set your goal to be regarded as a supplier of superior, yet practical cattle for every aspect of the industry from the purebred producer, to the commercial cattleman and to the youth of the business.
 
     Whether your customers are buying bulls or replacement females, you should believe that your cattle will offer the cattleman opportunities to improve their herd and calf crop; and be willing to stand behind them. To really be successful your number one goal must be customer satisfaction. Let your customer know that you will work hard for their success and no one will appreciate their interest more than you. Follow up; ask your customer how the cattle are doing. Have they performed to his satisfaction.

Long range success in cattle ranching always requires;

• INTEGRITY
• LASTING INTEGRITY
• STILL MORE INTEGRITY

Do you have it? Better yet, does your customer believe you have it?