Small cow-calf herd on pasture

Other farmers and feeders who finish cattle, order buyers and dealers at livestock auctions, and neighbors buying breeding heifers.

You sell weaned calves or breeding animals by weight or per head, usually once or twice a year. Costs are hay, feed, vet care and pasture upkeep, so income arrives in lumps rather than monthly.

• Safe, calm cattle handling
• Basic animal health and calving know-how
• Fencing, equipment and pasture upkeep
• Record keeping and budgeting

• Check zoning and any county rules on keeping livestock on your land
• Check whether your state requires brand inspection, premises registration or animal ID for moving and selling cattle
• Cattle prices, hay costs and drought can swing your results a lot; keep cash in reserve
• Get farm or general liability insurance and check coverage for animals, equipment and visitors
• Large animals can injure people; plan handling facilities and never work alone with risky animals
• Ask a tax professional how the IRS treats farm income and expenses, and whether a hobby-loss rule could apply

Startup costs are typically around $15,000 to $70,000, depending on herd size, whether you own or lease pasture, and your fencing, handling facilities and equipment. Treat this as an estimate and keep cash in reserve.

Monthly revenue is typically around $800 to $4,000, depending on herd size, calf prices, hay costs and drought. Results can swing a lot, so keep cash in reserve. These are estimates, and they assume about 8 hours a week at minimum.

Check zoning and county rules on keeping livestock, and whether your state requires brand inspection, premises registration or animal ID for moving and selling cattle. Also check farm or general liability insurance, and ask a tax professional about IRS farm income rules and the hobby-loss rule.