Profit, Planning, and Practical Ranch Work
#bfrdpwy #aginternship #RightRisk
This week looked a little different from the others because I spent Monday through Wednesday attending the Ranching for Profit School. It was a change of pace from being on horseback every day and gave me the opportunity to think about ranching from a business perspective. Much of the discussion focused on grazing management, financial planning, and decision-making to improve profitability while protecting the long-term health of the land. We skimmed over some of the bookkeeping and risk analysis that I learned last semester. It was nice to see some of that in practice. Many of the topics tie directly into what I have been seeing at the ranch, helping me better understand the reasoning behind many of the decisions made there.
After returning from the school, I spent time at the ranch’s leased place helping with a variety of odd jobs. While none of the projects were particularly exciting on their own, they are a good example of what goes into the everyday on an operation. There is always something that needs fixing, cleaning, or improving, and those tasks are just as important as working cattle. Being willing to help wherever it is needed is an important part of being a member of the crew.
I also spent time shoeing several of the ranch horses at headquarters. I continue to appreciate having a skill that allows me to contribute. Keeping the horses sound and ready to work is an important part of the operation, and it is rewarding to use my previous experience while continuing to learn from everyone around me. It has been a good balance between applying what I already know and developing new skills.
Looking back on the week, I realized that learning comes in different forms. Spending three days at the Ranching for Profit School challenged me to think differently about the business side of ranching, while the rest of the week reinforced how those ideas are applied through everyday work. One question I have after the course is how ranch managers decide when to prioritize long-term improvements over short-term profitability. For example, with how the cow market has been the past couple of years; I wonder how someone could work on the foresight to see how keeping your cow herd strong would be a good decision in the long term while having the opportunity cost of a lot of cash. It seems to me that balancing those two goals is one of the biggest challenges in managing a successful ranch, and I hope to better understand that decision-making process as my internship continues.
Submitted by: Sean Frost
Edits by: GrowinG Internship Team
