How to Buy a Ranch

Owning a ranch can be a very rewarding experience. If you’re new to ranch buying, the list below should help you get started:

1. Decide what kind of livestock you’d want to raise and check them against zoning restrictions at the local Resources and Management office.
2. Obtain information about the maximum number of animals the property can support from the Natural Resources Conservation Service office.
3. Check that there is a working road to the property you plan to buy. If a road to the property does not exist, you will need to obtain an easement from a neighboring property owner, to allow you to cross their land to get to yours.
4. Check if your deed includes the right to use any body of water on the land or that runs through the property. If riparian rights are not included, you will have to secure a separate deed for this.
5. Check that your property can support a septic system, or that a system exists to move biological waste and waste water away from the property.
6. Check the water quality of any wells in the area. Ensure that the extracted water can be used in your ranching operations.
7. Test the soil to determine whether it will be able to support a reasonable crop.
8. If you can’t fork the entire price of the land upfront, find a lender who can help you cover the cost of ranches or rural properties.

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Of Cattle and Cash: Profitable Ranches

City living has its advantages, yet quite a number of people these days are also looking to acquire ranch properties in rural parts of the country to experience a different way of life and even make a profit. For those with the right disposition and perseverance, ranch ownership can prove quite lucrative.

Ranches can be classified as for-profit ranches or guest ranches. The former can be likened to farms in that they make profit through the sale of produce such as dairy products from cows. On the other hand, a guest or dude ranch gives paying guests an opportunity to experience the ranch life firsthand, and thereby make money as vacation destinations. Through proper planning and management, it is possible to combine both models in a single ranch property.

It takes some business acumen to realize what a ranch can and can’t do, and play upon those particular strengths. In any case, it pays to formulate a thorough ranch plan beforehand that will chart the course of the property and guarantee its success and sustainability. Interested buyers would also do well to work with a reliable ranch real estate company that can help them look for prime ranch properties with natural resources in abundance.

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How to Buy Ranch Properties

Ranch ownership can provide a fresh start for those planning to settle down in a calmer, rural part of the country. One can also raise cattle and profit from the sale of produce and dairy products. While folks may think they can purchase ranches as they would houses, the process works a lot differently.

Buyers can’t just decide on a whim that they want to acquire a ranch; careful deliberation is required before one even obtains financing. Aspiring ranch operators should, among other things, create a business plan that details the ranch category, scale of the operations, projected income, and other factors. Once the specifics of the ranch have been determined, buyers can then move to the process of taking out a loan.

Those buying ranch lands should understand that they’re not just taking out a loan to acquire the property; they also need the initial capital to purchase equipment and livestock. Lenders typically have specialized farm loans for this purpose, so buyers might want to iron out the specifics of the loan before closing any deal.

Ranches are unlike regular real properties, so folks should do their homework first before committing to a purchase to ensure a smooth process.

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Popular Cattle Breeds for New Beef Ranches

More often than not, people looking for ranches for sale in Colorado are thinking of starting a beef ranch. With the way that the national beef industry has been performing as of late, there is no wonder why.

It goes without saying that superior cattle breeds will yield superior beef. As such, only select breeds are typically raised in a beef ranch. Here are a few of the more popular ones in the United States:

Wagyu

Although known as a Japanese cattle breed, the truth is that the majority of the Wagyu beef used in Japan is imported from the United States and Australia. Wagyu beef is popular because of its great marbling and its rich and buttery taste.

Angus

Angus, by far, is the most popular in the United States because of the cattle's amazing ability to convert food into meat. This ability has led Angus to be regarded as the best among all cattle breeds. Also known for its superior marbling and tenderness, Angus beef is one of the most sought-after meats in the world.

Charolais

Charloais cattle are known throughout the beef industry for yielding the highest percentage of sellable cuts of beef. Charolais are also popular for cross-breeding due to their great growth rate and grazing to body weight ratio.

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Beginner’s Guide to Growing Cattle

With so many cattle breeds today, choosing which one to grow on your ranch can become quite difficult. Each breed has a wide variety of characteristics that make it unique—some breeds are better suited to certain environments than others, and some are easier to manage. Despite the variety, one particular breed will surely fit your goals, so you should look into each breed to find the one that will suit your interest, resources, environment, and growing capacity.

Cattle breeds differ in size, color and markings, carcass traits, weather tolerance, etc., and are categorized either as horned, scurred (cattle selected to be polled but are historically known to be horned), or polled (cattle that have absolutely no horns). Some horned breeds have been infused with Angus genes in recent years, so the offspring are now polled. Popular European breeds such as Gelbvieh, Limousin, Salers, and Simmental now come in polled versions, if you wish.

Beef breeds are leaner and stockier than dairy breeds, because the former are meant for beef production rather than milking. Many beef breeds were originally bred for size and strength—so they can be used to pull carts, plows, and wagons—as well as for beef. When farm machinery and trucks became widespread, the muscled beef breeds ceased to be used for basic labor and started to be selectively bred solely for beef production.

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Taking Care of Your Ranch Animals During Disasters

Colorado is no stranger to inclement weather and natural disasters that could be devastating for any ranch owner. This is why it's important to know what to do to minimize the losses and damage suffered when catastrophe strikes. This includes protecting your animals from harm, while at the same time protecting yourself. Here are a few tips.

Always remove headstalls and halters when not needed.

Headstalls and halters can encumber horses as they can get caught up in trees, posts, and other obstacles along the way. This is bad news when you have panicked animals running around, potentially hurting others or themselves.

Release them only as a last resort.

If there is no immediate danger to the animals—or to yourself—when they are in their shelters, avoid releasing them and letting them run free. It would be much safer to have them sheltered, unless there is a big danger of them getting trapped, hurt, or killed there.

When releasing animals, do not tie them together.

Rounding up your animals after a storm has died down may be hard work, but you should definitely not try to make it easier by tying the animals together when releasing them. They could end up getting tangled up in obstacles or hurting you or each other in a panic, giving you even more stress.

Disasters may not happen all the time, but investors who buy ranches in Colorado should know exactly what to do. If not for your own sake, do it for the sake of the animals.

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Facts on Common Ranching Cattle Breeds

So, you've just bought ranch property, and are now taking the first steps towards establishing a cattle ranch. One of the most common questions first time ranchers ask is “what breed of cattle should I use for my ranch?” This is a valid and important question because each cattle variety presents ranchers with different advantages and disadvantages; and selecting the right breed for your ranch can help boost profitability. As such, here are a few facts on the most common breeds of cattle ranchers being raised:

Angus

The Angus breed, originating from Scotland, is one of the most recognized breeds of cattle in the world. In addition, Angus is the US beef industry's number one beef-producing breed, and is one of the most heavily demanded type of beef in the world due to excellent marbling and tenderness. Angus is also known for a low rate of calving complications, and efficient grazing-to-bodyweight conversion.

Hereford

Brought by the British settlers, Hereford cattle are known as a hardy breed, easily adapting to a variety of climates. An early maturity and a good grazing-to-bodyweight efficiency makes Hereford cattle a popular choice for beef ranchers. Hereford cattle are also frequently used for cross-breeding with other cattle.

Wagyu

Wagyu beef actually comes from a variety of different cattle breeds. Literally meaning “Japanese cattle”, Wagyu cattle ironically develop better in the US than Japan, with most wagyu beef used in Japan being imported from the US, making raising quality wagyu beef a highly profitable venture for any investor considering a ranchland purchase.

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Herding Cattle in the Ranch? Just Trot Back and Forth

If you're that one man on horseback in a cattle ranch responsible for managing dozens of heads, what do you do if you want the herd to move? Cattle handling expert Bud Williams offers a simple three-step idea to herding cattle, whether it's a small herd or one with enough cattle to shoot a Marlboro commercial. You already fulfilled half of the requirement to pull this off by being on horseback; although riding an all-terrain vehicle would work, as would doing it on foot.

The herding technique involves shuttling back and forth in a straight or slight arc profile to force the cattle to group together in a loose bunch. Don't mind any stragglers as they'll come looking for the safety of the herd eventually. As soon as this bunch grows more compact, put more pressure on the herding by inching slightly toward the direction you want the herd to move. Continue doing this until the herd has finally reached the place you want them to be.

Every seasoned cowhand knows that this method can be useful if you're practicing rotational grazing in your ranch. You can have the cattle herd move to another patch of grass when necessary with this simple technique. To enhance the effects of the herding technique, Williams recommends wearing a “predatory” stare. That way, the cattle will be intimidated into bunching up and seeking safety in numbers. 

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