How does a cattle rancher make money

A change in production will usually require a change in marketing and vice versa. A change in either will result in a change in your economics and perhaps in your financing. Any change will impact people; and, yet, it is people who instigate and implement change. As Stan Parsons and now Dave Pratt have so clearly pointed out in their Ranching for Profit schools, there are three ways to improve profit:. Related: How to ranch simply, yet successfully.

Any management change you can think of will fit under one of these and then will have an effect on and probably cause change to the others. Why not profit per cow?

You can change profit per cow by changing cow size or by changing the calving or weaning dates; but what if you have to run fewer cows and reduce the profit per acre? And that is the typical result. Then we need to understand the major determinants of profit. These are usually not very well recognized or understood, but they are where we need to direct attention:.

You will notice that I did not include individual calf weaning weight in this list. It is pounds weaned per acre that is truly important. They are putting up the good fight, working smart and seeking a way forward. No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here. Thursday, November 11, Toggle navigation Main menu. Public notices. Send us your news! Web extras. Subscriber services. Cash cow: In a struggling industry, ranchers seek ways to be profitable By Kevin Killough.

This item is available in full to subscribers. Attention readers The Powell Tribune has expanded its online content.

Please log in to continue E-mail Password Log in. Need an account? Print subscribers If you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one.

Non-subscribers Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber. Cash cow: In a struggling industry, ranchers seek ways to be profitable. Park County cattle producers move cattle near Meeteetse in And a tornado doesn't wipe out your entire property. And your milo crop doesn't fail, and your beast of a tractor doesn't spontaneously combust, and you don't need an emergency appendectomy. You know what? Just accept that some years you'll do well, and some years not so much, and in those good years you'll save for the bad ones.

That's the best way to prevent moving out of the farm house and into the poor house. Cattle Rancher.