How to Start a Cattle Ranch
There are many things to consider when you’re starting a cattle ranch. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Start small.
If you try to start with too many cows, you will most likely overwhelm yourself. Start with 10-20 cattle and increase as you go.
Develop a plan.
Like any other business, you’ll need to develop a business plan. That means asking and answering many important questions: How much money do you need for startup and ongoing costs? How much land will you need? Will you live on site? What type of ranch do you want to run? What will you name your business?
Get all necessary legal documents.
You’ll need to obtain all permits, tax forms, licenses, insurance and other documents necessary to legally run your ranch business. Not getting all documentation you need could cause you to get fines or even shut down.
Develop your brand/marketing.
You should already have a set dollar amount in your budget (business plan) for marketing, which is extremely important to get your new business off the ground. What is your target audience? How will you reach those people? How do you want others to see your business (branding)?
Don’t expect to be rich.
Ranchers typically make money off the sale of cattle. It may take a while before you see a profit. There are other ways to earn income like leasing land for hunters or farmers or creating and selling other goods.
Talk to professionals.
Seek advice from your local accountant, city and state government and even other area ranchers to get educated on what you should and shouldn’t do when starting a ranch business.
If you’re looking for some land to begin your operation, or if you want to sell your current business, visit www.UnitedCountry.com to search for available ranch land for sale and find a ranch land expert near you.
Sources:
https://www.agriculture.com/livestock/cattle/beef/starting-a-beef-herd-from-scratch_277-ar30862
