Livestock farming business is an activity that appeals to people who own vacant land and resources. However, if you don’t own a piece of land you can as well lease a piece of land and practice livestock farming for sometime.
As long as milk, meat, leather products, etc. are in demand, cattle will remain a profitable business. For those who are interested in this cattle business, it is important you know that there are several factors to put in mind before starting the venture.
As an entrepreneur intending to venture in livestock business, you should ask yourself these questions:
Can you afford to support your animals when things go awry?
Disease can rip through your herd. Expect the unexpected when keeping livestock. The endeavor can be a pricey proposition. You need to ensure you have the financial resources to see yours through bumpy times.
What is your motive for keeping livestock?
Do want means of producing offspring to raise or to sell? Are you simply wanting to raise livestock as pets? If you keep livestock to claim a lower cost agriculture land tax assessment, your venture must eventually turn a profit. How much profit is enough? And would you be content if you lost money or your animals simply paid their way?
Are you willing to be on call for you livestock 24/7, 365 days a year?
Will you roll out of bed at 2 a.m. to feed a calf? Are you able to retrieve escaped cattle and repair their damaged fences under a sizzling sunset sun, missing that long-anticipated televised football game or that Soap opera program on Citizen Television? If you are sure you are willing to make your cattle a priority then you can invest in this venture.
Is a herds-man available whenever you need him?
If not, would you forego dinner invitations, overnight trips and well-deserved vacations to cater for your livestock? Keeping livestock invariably ties you down.
Can you weather the inevitable livestock keeper’s lows?
How will you react when your favorite bull shatters its leg or a cow steps on your chicks and plants and kills or destroys them respectively? Animals may die and injure themselves and each other. Evaluate whether you can handle these stressors.
If keeping livestock for profit, are you capable of selling the animals?
Could you send the steer to slaughter or could your sell the cow you love? Are you willing to pull out the stops to market your cattle and continually monitor market trends to stay on the cutting edge? Do you have a means to advertise and market your business, maintain your farm website, and haul your livestock to expos, demonstrations, shows and sales? If not, think “pets,” not “produce,” and don’t become a breeder.
If you have correctly answered the above questions then you are ready to dive into this lucrative venture.