4 Elements of a Ranch

Running a ranch is no easy feat but many people find it to be a worthwhile and rewarding endeavor. It isn’t enough to bring a few animals onto your property and declare you have a working ranch. To be successful, every ranch needs these four things.

Fencing

Whether you choose to use metal or wood fencing, you need to enclose your property with a material that won’t harm your animals yet will be effective for keeping them on your property. Ranch fencing Texas keeps your animals safely on your property so they don’t get injured or hurt someone else. Fencing also helps designate your property line to keep trespassers out.

Shelter

Your animals deserve shelter from bad weather. After considering the climate you live in and the type of herd you own, you can decide whether a barn or lean-to better meets your needs. A barn may be a better option if you need a place to keep your animals confined when they are sick or injured, but a lean-to may be more cost-efficient.

Acreage

You need land to support a herd, whether you own cows or horses. As a general rule of thumb, you should have at least two acres of grazing land per animal. This land requirement varies slightly depending upon the type of herd you have and the diet you feed your animals, but this rule gives you a good idea of how many animals your land can support. If you try to keep more animals than your land can support, you may find that you have to supplement feed with a significant amount of high-quality grain, which can quickly get expensive.

Animals

Animals are a big part of a ranch. The type of ranch you own will determine which animals you buy for your herd. While horses or cattle may make up the majority of animals on the ranch, you may also want to bring a few other creatures onto your property. If you have a barn, cats are an easy, cost-efficient way to reduce the number of rodents and snakes on the property. A dog can be helpful for controlling and protecting the herd as necessary. You may even want to keep a few chickens on the property so you have a steady supply of fresh eggs.

If your property has these four elements, you can consider it a ranch. Start getting your property ready to turn your dreams into a reality.