High Plains Ranch Practicum
Nebraska and Wyoming Ranchers increase profitability and sustainability of their businesses after completing the High Plains Ranch Practicum School.
In order for a ranch business to be sustainable, producers must foster positive working relationships and maintain effective management of the business. The High Plains Ranch Practicum School introduced producer participants to a holistic perspective that integrated livestock, natural resources, range and economics into their decision making. The six-month program consisted of eight full-day seminars delivered in Nebraska and Wyoming and was developed jointly by Dallas Moun
t, University of Wyoming Extension and Aaron Berger, University of Nebraska Extension. The school introduced in-depth ranch management strategies to 22 producer participants and included sessions on writing business and livestock marketing plans, range and livestock price insurance and detailed individual consulting on calculating unit cost of production. “We saw a need for an Extension program that focused on ranch systems,” says Mount. “Many programs focus on one aspect or another of the production system, but we wanted to bring it all together in one package and help ranchers make decisions from a systems mindset.”
Site visits for individual producers were conducted both during and after the program to assist them in gathering, interpreting, and applying the information presented. “The sites visits were key to the program’s success,” says Mount. “We were able to give producers individual guidance on implementing the strategies we taught in class.” Mount goes on, “In addition, we gained a better understanding of the individual situation each producer was facing and better understood what knowledge they could bring to the class.”
Participants reported that some of the most beneficial aspects of the course were the caliber of instructors used, the focus on system-wide implications of management decisions, using unit cost of production as a financial analysis method, and the hands-on approach to learning. “We used about a dozen Extension specialists and educators from Wyoming and Nebraska, as well as industry experts and producers with expertise in a particular area relevant to each class,” reports Mount.
As a result of this innovative practicum school, 21 producers met all the requirements for the class and completed both the unit cost of production exercise and the business planning exercise. Additionally, results showed an overall impact that influenced over 117 people, which included the management and decision-making for 7,800 beef cattle, and 170,000 acres of native range, planted pasture and hay land. Results of a survey given one year after the project revealed that participants gained knowledge that would account for, on average, an increase net return of $25 per head of cattle managed. The total net estimated impact for producer participants was $195,000.
Rancher participant success stories:
| One participant who manages a ranch for a board of directors reported that because of his involvement in the practicum he was able to convince his board to allow him to move his calving season from winter to spring – a change he is convinced will reduce the need for purchasing outside hay and increase the profitability of the ranch.
Another participant reported that because of the range and forage management lessons in the school they have increased their herd size by 50 pairs improving the profitability of the ranch. Another participant reported that after completing the business planning exercise he is now better able to articulate the vision of the ranch with employees and has a clearer picture of where the ranch is headed. To view the trailer from the practicum click here. |
More information can be found at http://HPRanchPracticum.com
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