Beef Cattle Ranch

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  Beef Cattle Ranches

     There are numerous beef cattle ranches currently in use in various locations in the United States.  Many of them specialize in a certain kind of cattle, such as Angus cattle.  The cattle industry relies largely on the supply and demand principle.  Food prices and population growth drive the industry with America’s cattle owners working constantly to anticipate the industry’s needs.

     The main functions of a beef cattle ranch revolve around breeding new cattle, providing food and care for the cattle that is already on the ranch, and deciding which cattle are ready to be sent to the slaughter house.  The majority of the profit for a ranch is derived from cows and calves that are ready to be sent to the slaughter house.  Most cattle ranchers choose to breed their own cattle rather than to purchase new cows from competing ranches.  A cow can carry a single calf in a year, allowing ranchers to only breed as many new calves per year as they have viable breeder cows.  If the choice is made to send a cow to the slaughter house, it is only profitable for the ranch once the cow reaches an excess of twelve hundred pounds and has been fed a highly controlled grain-rich diet for a minimum of one hundred and twenty days.

     In the interim period between when a cow is conceived and when it is ready for the slaughterhouse, the rancher has to base their decisions regarding how many new calves they want to breed according to their stocking rate or the actual cattle capacity of their land.  The capacity number is determined by how many acres are available versus the amount of cow-calf pairs owned.  Each pair typically requires at least an acre of land in order to graze and successful gain the recommended amount of weight to make them a viable asset to the ranch.  Many ranchers will relocate their herds several times throughout the year in order to keep their land as viable as their cattle.  The movement of the herd prevents soil erosion and can cut down on costs associated with feeding the cattle through other means, such as providing them with hay as an alternative to food grown on the ranch’s own land.  Another concern is the amount of veterinary care that the ranch must provide to each cow and calf on property in order for them to remain a viable asset.  Cattle must be maintained a good physical condition, be disease free, and continue to gain weight at pre-approved levels in order to keep their beef cattle status and go on to become a financially sound product for the ranch.

     These ranches are still a very viable business in the United States.  The success of the ranch not only depends upon the supply and demand of the market, but also on how well the rancher takes care of his investment in the cattle by providing adequate food, space, and care for the cattle in his care.  Proper care of the cattle leads to solid financial gains for the ranch. This article researched and written by a paid professional ghostwriter.