READ Cattle farmers learn how to farm game. Cattle are large beasts and require strong fencing, water, grazing land or feed and a plan. To start a new farm, you need a business plan, a plot of land, and start-up money. Beef cattle production can be a viable option for small farms. This list of profit tips is by no means a complete list of recommended practices. Learning how to start a cattle farm throws you into the deep end of the homesteading pool. Beef cattle can be raised by any farmer with access to pasture. To make improvements to the bottom line of a beef cattle operation, be thorough in analyzing and planning all aspects of the operation. Income from a commercial beef herd comes mainly from the sale of calves and old or cull animals, whereas income from registered cattle comes mostly from sale of breeding stock. Success in this type of business is measured by the effort one exerts. Indeed, you can raise cattle on your small farmland; either raising a cow for beef or milk, it can be done. If you think that cattle can only be raised by people who have huge lands, then you better think again. This will allow you to get more one on one time with your cattle and appreciate the meat products from those cattle … There are actually plenty of people who are raising cattle on a small farm.And though they do not command a high profit margin as the larger scaled operations, these small-scale cattle farms do not require as much attention and work as the bigger farms. Cattle farming is filled with opportunities, from dairy and beef to selling calves for shows at local fairs. If the thought of not having more room in your farm to raise cattle bothers you, then you are reading the right post. Livestock enterprises, such as beef cattle production, can diversify farming operations and complement many other farm enterprises. How to Start a Cattle Farm. Bryan Thill set his sight on raising beef cattle while he was yet in high school. The beef market can be volatile, so price margins can fluctuate significantly when sending cattle to the market, but raising beef can still be an attractive venture because of the low labor requirements. The Beginning Farmer’s Guide To Raising Backyard Beef Even if your farm is less than 10 acres, you can raise a couple of beef cows to feed your family throughout the year. That’s my wife and I above with our herd of Murray Grey cattle and Katahdin sheep, and here’s a link to a story CNN did on our farm … Beef cattle can be raised by any farmer with access to pasture. Raising a few head of beef cows on small acreage can be a rewarding, family-oriented experience. But growing up on 3 acres with no natural prospects of getting either cows or land, Bryan had to be creative to live his dream. Tips On Raising Cattle On A Small Farm. Decide whether to run commercial cattle or registered purebred cattle. When we change our thinking from per cow to per acre, we begin to think of ways to improve whole ranch revenue. Rough idea – average annual profit per beef cow over cattle cycle I’ve been looking at a lot of cow calf budgets online but would like input from the pros on this forum. High return of investment is easily achievable with the right type of cattle farming operation and an effective business plan to go with it. Thus, the real measure should be profit per acre or whole ranch profitability. To save time and money, research cattle breeds beforehand and choose animals that will perform the best on your land. You might ask, “Is profitable ranching possible?” Even though good economists and Extension educators have told me that few or none of the ranches in America with 100 cows or less are profitable, I want to tell you that ANY ranch, regardless of how many cows you have, can be. Cattle farming can be a long process and would take a lot of dedication. Raising Wagyu beef cattle involves more time than raising other types of beef, especially if you decide to follow the daily deep tissue massage trend. Raising cattle for profit can be a lucrative business venture. In fact, it could be argued that, in constant dollars or buying power, profit per acre has even decreased.