These ain’t your Grandpa’s cows. In many cases this isn’t your Grandpa’s ranch anymore either.
As referenced the last three months; Buying or selling real estate in today’s market requires owner(s) or prospective owner(s) to understand more than just the comparative value of the investment they are about to transact. Last month we explored Farmland with Ag-Exchange Inc, and the month before, we explored timber. This month we will look at Ranching with Timothy O’Neil of Oregon Land and Wildlife, LLC. a Participating broker with Cabela’s Trophy Properties.
The days of ranching in the West are not like when I grew up watching Hoss and Little Joe on “The Ponderosa”. Today’s cattle ranchers are true stewards of the land and extremely well educated managers. This is mainly due to the wonderful work of our fine Agricultural schools like the University of Nebraska and Kansas State. Our cattle have reached milestones in performance, which I for one, say “Could never have been reached without the use of Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer work.” Genetically superior cattle have increased feed efficiency in feed to gain ratios, weight per day of age, marbling characteristics, percent muscle and even earlier puberty. Which all affect the bottom line or dollars returned to the producer. Along with strides in feed production, tonnage per acre and modern grazing techniques which all increase our pounds of beef per acre. The land has become a more valuable asset then could have ever been predicted by our grandparents.
The cattle market of today is very strong and with the old rules of supply and demand will be strong for many years to come. Combine that with ranch land prices adjusting down over the last few years and mortgage rates being at all-time lows 2 + 2 does = 4. Did you know there are lenders today that will even put a value on recreation when appraising your property purchase? I am sure there will be no better time in the rest of my life, to buy a cattle ranch in the West then today.
Even with all of the added value advances in livestock production, we still need the natural resources that this beautiful planet has to offer to produce affordable food. We have proven that use of Grazing, Timber, Coal, Oil and Gas production on private and public land can be done in a safe responsible renewable manner. If we want to continue to be the wonderful country we all know as the United States of America. We need to use all our assets. Ranchers graze the public land as if you owned it, “Because you do”. Land owners make your Grand Parents proud be good stewards, love this land, care for it and use it.
Tim O'Neil is a real estate broker for Oregon Land and Wildlife, LLC specializing in the best of the great outdoors. After receiving his Agriculture Degree from Oregon State University, he purchased a 40,000 acre ranch in Central Oregon. Tim spent the next 14 years on the ranch outfitting for elk and deer hunting, managing his timber and raising Registered Black Angus cattle. During this time, Tim also enjoyed consulting for other ranches from Montana to California. His recreational time over the last 30 years has been spent hunting big game and fishing all over North America and even Africa. The hours Tim has spent in the field hunting and consulting with others on there wildlife and cattle operations, has given him a priceless hands on education.
tim@landandwildlife.com www.landandwildlife.com
Cabela’s Trophy Properties is a worldwide network of recreationally orientated Land Brokers with regional expertise in, Ranch and Farm, Timber, Waterfront, Auction and Land Owner Services. We are a proud supporter of the Realtors Land Institute. www.cabelastrophyproperties.com contact Derrick Volchoff, ALC derrick.volchoff@cabelas.com
