Moonlighting

摘要

Even though producers want to bank on their established herd to keep them financially sound, it may not. Unfortunately, fluctuating prices and tight cash flows barely let many scrape by. That's why some operators are exploring unfamiliar but potentially lucrative alternative enterprises. In Cody, NE, for example, Bill Krueger and sons Kerry and Tim, Krueger Cattle Company, love ranching. They run 1,000 cows, check carcass data and market 90% Choice cattle. "But we still have a hard time making endsmeet. There's just too much investment for the return," says Bill. "So, about five years ago we started looking at alternative enterprises and got interested in raising elk. It's a big investment, but it gives us a broader spectrum for marketing than just selling beef cattle."