Beef Cattle Management Consultation

Abstract

Veterinarians can become effective beef cattle management consultants by combining the knowledge they have with an organized, methodical approach to solving ranch production and financial problems. Many veterinarians provide consultative services to producers on a daily basis, but because they have not formalized their methods into a systematic protocol that addresses both the production and financial factors limiting profitability on beef cattle ranches, they have been incapable of establishing a consultative service. By using the methods outlined in this paper, the veterinarian can establish a service which benefits themselves and their clients. It starts with the objectives for management consultation, describes the protocols for assessing the production and financial status of a ranch, describes the means for identifying the factors limiting productivity and profitability, considers the Business Plan, provides the techniques for assessing the financial progress, and offers alternative methods for structuring consultation fees.