Cattle RancherOdds of Getting In

If you have a good chunk o’ change, you can buy yourself an already-working cattle ranch or just a piece of land on which to start one. But even if you have the cash, have inherited a ranch or just want to get into this career and lifestyle, you’ll need a precise business plan, business acumen and patience—lots of patience. It takes a while to become established and gain a reputation for healthy and high quality cattle and beef.

If you want to see if this career—no, this lifestyle—is for you, get a job at an already-established cattle ranch. There you’ll learn the basics of animal husbandry, equipment repair, construction of fences, sheds and barns, and maybe even be let in on some of the business aspects of the business.

Anyone can buy some cows and raise them; it’s a relatively low investment in land. But again, you need to know what you’re doing.