Livestock...where is the most money to be made ???

[Cactus]

Horses/feeder calves/Raising steers to sell to people for show/4-H projects.
Exotic animals...where is the best money to be made ??

 

[Soundguy]

Depends. I think you can do 'ok' if you can fill a need in your local market. And possibly have your hand in a couple different pots 'so to speak'.

For instance. A local feed store owner raises calves.. and then rents them or sells them to rodeo students as roping calves. The then either get returned.. or sold back usually with a small 'lease' fee and then the store owner keeps them a tad longer, and then runs them thru the auction. Usually keeps a few more to breed for next year.

In the end.. the make out, as they get a rental or 'lease' fee from the rodeo students, and during that time the students are feeding them.. etc Then the animal is sold at auction for mor ethan it was bought for as a calf.. if anything.. as the store owner maintains a stock for raising his own calves.

The bulk of the money is in feed.. and if the store owner can keep them rented.. someone else is feeding them!

Other ideas are niche markets. For instance.. I raise royal palm turkies. They are hard to find around here. I also am working on a small flock of game cocks, and some other chicken projects.. like cochins.. etc. No money out of them yet, except I have enough eggs for myself, my immediate familly, and a dozen or so every month for the neighbor or a friend.. etc. Dollar for dollar.. I'm way ahead on the chickens when you figure feed price vs egg and chick production.

I'm not a full time farmer.. jst a hobby farmer. If I got serious.. I could do organic egg production and small poultry supply fairly decently.

Service industry is also a money maker.. as you don't have any 'holding' costs on the animals. For instance.. hauling.

You have no money into an animal setting out in your field eating.. but you can do 'haul' work for those people that have moved to the country from the city.. and have an ornamental horse or two.. .. but no truck or trailer.

In general, haying is not a huge money maker unless you got alotta land.. and have the equipment. However I knoe\w a few people that do specialty bailing, and will cut and bail your land.. or do custom bales.. like mini squares.. or stationary bailing stuff like straw or alfalfa.. etc...

Some people only raise animals for school use.. like lambs, pigs, rabbits, etc.. for a local school ffa. If you can get in as a 'preferred' provider.. you can be set for a small dedicated income..

Good luck

Might check out your local FFA or farm bureau.

Soundguy

 

[Bird]

It's been about 10 years ago that a local TV news report in the Texas panhandle was talking about the changes in ranching and they interviewed one of the bigger ranchers in the area and he commented that "you raise cattle for prestige; sheep and goats for money." /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[RobS]

I heard a bit on NPR the other day about suburban farmers making a killing in goats. Seems many transplants from the far east are having a hard time finding the goat meat they are used to eating /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[EddieWalker]

I read a story about a Rancher in West Texas who had a guy stop by his house one day and ask to walk his land looking for birds. The rancher said sure and forgot about the guy.

A few weeks later, a bunch of the guys friends stoped by and also wanted to look at the birds that lived on his ranch.

Eventually he had so many bird watchers comeing to his place to see his birds, he got rid of the cows and put in a Bed and Breakfast and hired some tour guides.

It seems bird watchers are the highest paying tourists and the most aggressive at their hobby.

 

[Bird]

Rob, people from the far east are one market, hispanics another, and actually I think just about anyone. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif When I had a few goats, I got a couple of books, some material from our county agent, etc. and one thing I remember reading was that world wide more goat meat is eaten than any other meat. One theory was that in the lesser developed countries, adequate refrigeration was often not available, therefore, people went for the smaller animals so all the meat could be eaten before it spoiled. I've only eaten barbecued goat myself, but I'd just as soon have it as beef. And I'd much rather work with goats than cattle simply because they're smaller and easier to handle alone. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Bird]

Eddie, one of my best friends and his wife are avid bird watchers. They especially like to go to Port Aransas and to Big Bend for that reason. So, from what they've told me, and from what I've seen and heard elsewhere, I don't doubt that story about the rancher at all.

 

[gates]

You want to know how to make one million dollars with horses?





Start with 2 million!!!!

 

[RobS]

<font color="blue">One theory was that in the lesser developed countries, adequate refrigeration was often not available, therefore, people went for the smaller animals so all the meat could be eaten before it spoiled </font>

That makes perfect sense Bird, thanks for the insight /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[dummy]

At the grocery store /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Anyone else notice the prices they get for some of that stuff?