Ranching as an Industry

Ranch work is often strenuous; work hours are frequently long; and ranchers rarely have days off. Responsibilities range from caring for livestock, to operating machinery, to maintaining equipment and facilities. Ranchers also oversee breeding, branding, and marketing activities. Many ranchers monitor and attend to the health of their herds, which may include assisting in the birthing of animals.

Advantages include an unparalleled rural quality of life, working outdoors, being self-employed, and making a living working the land.

Ranchers are managers. Their ranch output is strongly influenced by the weather, disease, fluctuations in prices of domestic and foreign beef products, and Federal farm programs. They may have to secure loans from credit agencies to finance the purchase of machinery, fertilizer, livestock, and feed. Like other businesses, ranching operations have become more complex in recent years and many ranchers use computers to keep financial and inventory records. They also use computer databases and spreadsheets to manage breeding, branding, and other ranch operations.