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Beef Cattle Ranch Management Ideas
First 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. 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 rule of thumb as 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 can be defined in three words;
INTEGRITY
LASTING INTEGRITY
STILL MORE INTEGRITY
Do you have it? Better yet, does your customer believe you have it?
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