FIRST HERD FOUNDATIONS
You don't have to have everything figured out to get into the cattle business. But you do need a plan.
First Herd Foundations will help you build it.
Enrollment closes Friday, November 6. It won't open again until April.
Just came from the masterclass?
The masterclass showed you the decisions you need to make before you buy cattle. First Herd Foundations is where we make those decisions together and build your plan. It's a separate course: 6 sections, 40 videos, and a First Herd Plan you finish with.
Right now
"Someday I want to own cattle." If that's you, you probably have more questions than answers right now. What kind of operation even fits my life? Where would they live if I don't own land? What does it really cost, past the price of the cow? Which cattle should I buy, and how do I know I'm not buying someone else's problem? How does this ever make money? Most people buy the cows first and figure the rest out later. That's the expensive way to do it.
By the end
By the end, you won't be saying "someday." You'll be saying: "Here's the cattle operation I want to build, here's what it's going to take, and here's what I need to do next." You'll know what kind of cattle operation fits you, what you can afford, what cattle to buy, how to manage them, and how you plan to make money.
What you build
You don't just watch videos. You build your First Herd Plan, one piece at a time.
Operation Plan. What am I building and what do I need?
Business Plan. What are my goals and how will I run it like a business?
Financial Plan. What can I afford, how will I fund it, and what does it take to be profitable?
Buying Plan. What cattle do I want, where will I find them, and what will I pay?
Herd Health + Management Plan. How will I feed, breed, manage and care for the herd?
Marketing Plan. What will I produce, who will buy it, how will I sell it, and what are my numbers?
6 sections. 40 videos, each under 20 minutes. Every video ends with one thing to do, so you're building your plan as you go.
What’s Inside
Building Your Operation
What Does Your Cattle Operation Actually Look Like?
What it covers: Land, forage, resources, operation type, calving season, equipment and setup
Tools you’ll use: Pasture Lease Question Sheet; Have / Need Access To / Can Wait worksheet
Business Management
Treat Your Cattle Like a Business
What it covers: Business plan, goals, records and business setup
Tools you’ll use: First Herd Business Plan Template; Cost-per-Cow Worksheet
Financials + Grants
Can You Actually Afford the Cows?
What it covers: Startup costs, cash flow, break-even, financing, lender preparation and grants
Tools you’ll use: What Can I Afford to Pay for a Cow? Calculator; Lender Packet Template; First Herd Grant Database
Buying + Evaluating Cattle
Buy the Right Cattle for YOUR Operation
What it covers: What to buy, where to buy, evaluating cattle, auctions, pricing and purchasing
Tools you’ll use: Cattle Evaluation Checklist; Maximum Bid Calculator; Auction Terminology Cheat Sheet
Herd Health + Management
Know What Normal Looks Like
What it covers: Nutrition, vet relationships, breeding, calving, preventative health and annual management
Tools you’ll use: Calving Emergency Protocol; Normal vs. Call for Help Guide
Marketing + Selling
What Are You Going to Do With the Calf?
What it covers: Selling calves, weaning, yearlings, farm-to-table, culls and building a marketing plan
Tools you’ll use: Marketing Model Comparison Chart; Break-Even + Marketing Comparison Spreadsheet
Why plan first
Buying the cow is only the beginning. Feed, pasture, vet bills, hauling and interest all come after. Cheap cattle can become very expensive cattle. So can the right cattle on the wrong plan. The wrong cow is an expensive way to learn. I'd rather you learn it here first.
One year I bred to a bad bull. I didn't understand EPDs well enough, I didn't go look at him, and I took the wrong person's word for it. It cost me thousands of dollars and years of genetics, because I couldn't keep any of those heifers as replacements.
Start now and you have this winter to build your plan. If you calve in the spring, you'll be ready for live calves on the ground, and ready to buy when the market's right.
"I'm not ready yet."
Then this is the time. You'll know what to save for, what to line up, and what you can stop worrying about. And if you find out you aren't ready, the course did its job.
"I don't have time."
Then this is the time. You'll know what to save for, what to line up, and what you can stop worrying about. And if you find out you aren't ready, the course did its job.
"That's a lot to spend before I even own a cow."
It is. So is a cow that doesn't breed back. Or a pasture lease you didn't ask the right questions about. Or calves sold at the wrong time. Any one of those costs more than this course. You're going to pay to learn this either way. This is the cheaper way.
Be the first to know when enrollment is open!
Add-ons
Want to go further on one piece? Add any of these at checkout for $197 each, or pick one up later inside the course.
Farm-to-Table. A look inside our own farm-to-table business: how we price, our cut sheet, grant resources, the vendors that work for us, and how we ship.
Social Media Marketing. What you need to run your own social media: algorithm tips, pre-written posts and content ideas.
Understanding the Cattle Market. Where to find the market, how to read it, and how to manage risk whether prices are climbing or falling.
About Karoline
I got my first heifer at 13 through the NILE Merit Heifer program, after applying two years in a row. The next spring I calved out my first two heifers. Today my husband and I run about 90 pairs, selling weaned calves every fall and a handful of bulls every spring. I learned a lot of this the hard way. I'd rather you didn't have to.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No. Section 1 walks through leasing pasture, seasonal leases, running cattle on shares and partnering with an existing operation. You'll get the questions to ask before you agree to anything.
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No. This was built for women who didn't grow up ranching. We start with what you want to build and work forward from there. You'll even get a cheat sheet for auction terms.
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Not to start. You'll sort everything into three lists: what you have, what you need access to, and what can wait. A lot of it you can borrow, share, lease or hire.
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No. This is when a plan helps most. You'll know what to save for, what to line up, and what you can stop worrying about.
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No. If you're realizing there are pieces you wish you had figured out sooner, the business, financial, herd health and marketing sections apply to the cattle you already own.
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You'll build a first-year startup budget, figure the most you can pay for a cow, and map out 12 months of cash flow. I won't tell you cattle are easy money. I'll show you how to run your numbers so you know before you buy.
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Then the course did its job. We cover how to tell when you aren't ready yet, without giving up on the goal, and what needs to happen first.
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Free information is general. This is built around your life, your resources and your numbers, in the order you need to make the decisions. You finish with a written plan, not a pile of notes.
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Rules for business setup, brands and ownership change by state. You'll build a setup checklist for your state and your situation, and you'll know which professionals to call.
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No. You'll learn what normal looks like, what the common problems look like, and when to call for help. You'll also learn how to find a vet before you need one.
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Section 1 opens Friday, October 30. The other five sections open Monday, November 2. Watch on your own schedule. Each video ends with one action for your plan.
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One year.
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$299: All 40 videos and the handouts, 1-year access
$499: Everything in $299, plus the workbooks and tools, and a monthly Q&A, November through April
$799: Everything in $499, plus the private Facebook community, Q&As with guest experts, and a 30-minute call with me
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Yes. Pay in full or choose pay-later at checkout.
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Yes. All three are available inside the course after you enroll.
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It closes Friday, November 6 and opens again in April.