Boviono

Make a business plan. Do a SWOT analysis of yourself and the cattle industry you will be entering. Plan what kind of cows you want without looking at any breeds, and what kind of farm you wish to operate.
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Keep in mind to start small. Don't spend your money in the first 2 yearsafter buying or inheriting the farm or ranch. If things need repairs, repair only the fencing or facilities that are top priority over other things, such as renovating the barn or the house, or redoing the handling facilities to what you plan on doing. Buy machinery at an auction, not brand new. Buy the equipment and other items that you need right now, not what you want. You will get what you wantover the next 5 to 10 years as you grow your new operation.
Try and aim for being a low-cost producer, as that is the surest way to make money, and the best way to start if you don't have much to begin with!
2Locate the area where you want to raise cattle for the next 10 to 30 or more years. This is important because you need to find a location that you are used to or really like and areconfident you can raise your animals in.
Location can range from as far north as Alberta, Canada, to as far south as Uruguay, South America. Factors such as climate, seasonal variances, markets, vegetation and topography differ for every location that you may choose.
3Once you've made a decision where you want to start up, find land that is up for sale. Keep in mind that you may need to invest in adown-payment, a loan, or a mortgage for the land you wish to buy, if you do not have enough money to pay it off within the year you buy it.
Land prices tend to increase in areas where there is a higher population, or land is in higher demand than in other areas.
Also note it is highly recommended to buy a farm or ranch that already has the facilities and fencing laid out for cattle than buying afarm that needs to be converted into the one of your dreams.
4Find out more about this land location you are interested in. Contact the local county extension office of the area you are interested in to get more information on soil type, vegetation, stocking rates and carrying capacity for pastures (tame grassland) or rangelands (native grassland), cattle market demands, etc. Also visit theneighbors that are in the area you wish to start farming/ranching in, and talk with them.
Often the neighbors will provide you with more information than what a government agency office can give you.
5Research then purchase the type of facilities, equipment and machinery necessary for the type of cattle you have chosen to raise. Analyze your operation and your financial situation to see what you need(not what you want) for current facilities, equipment and machinery. Fencing, watering facilities, feed bunks/troughs or bale feeders is priority above all other assets needed. A tractor, haying equipment, trailer, handling facilities and other buildings are also important.
If you have chosen a dairy operation, you will need multiple buildings and a milking parlour with stanchions to be able to runyour operation, in addition to calving facilities, a calf barn, and a barn to hold cows when they're not being milked.
When deciding upon the type of stanchion to use for milking, there are several items to consider: first, have the cows been milked before and what are they used to? It is best to keep the same type of stanchion. If you will be raising them yourself, research the different typesto determine what would work best in your situation.
With beef cattle, quite often fencing, some sheds and water sources are all you need, especially if you are wanting to raise a grass-based beef operation, be it finishing beefers on grass or a cow-calf operation. The exceptions are if you are willing to spend extra money on winter feeding costs and supplementing your cows with grain, or if...