Florida Livestock and Farm Property for Sale

Florida Livestock Auctions

Farm Animals for Sale

Florida farm animals for sale at farm animal breeders, livestock auctions, and farms throughout Florida. Florida farms specialize in raising chickens for eggs, meat, and for showing. Goats are raised for milk, meat, and showing. Rabbits are bred for pets, meat, and showing. Sheep are raised for meat and for wool fiber. Cows are bred for milking while cattle are raised for beef. In addition to conventional farm animals, many Florida farms now breed Alpacas and Llamas for sale.

Llama and alpaca farms raise these stately animals for their fine wool and meat. The larger llamas are used for show or for meat while the smaller alpacas are prized for their fine wool. Many farms offer baby alpacas and baby llamas for sale. Baby alpacas and baby llamas are known as crias which is Spanish for baby.

Miniature Farm Animals and Livestock

Miniature, Pygmy, and Dwarf Goats.

Miniature forms of farm animals are favorites for pets and barnyard animals. Besides, who doesn't love miniature baby goats? Florida livestock farms raise Nigerian dwarf goats, pygmy goats, fainting goats, and just plain miniature goats.

Other Miniature Farm Animals

You may also find mini cows, mini-rabbits, teapot pigs, miniature horses, and miniature donkeys offered for sale.

In addition to animal farms in Florida, see the listing of bi-weekly, weekly and monthly livestock auctions. You will find Nigerian dwarf goats, pygmy goats, mini goats, Zebu cows and other mini cows for sale at these Florida animal auctions.

Advantages of Mini Farm Animals

Many miniature farm animals may be raised as pets such as mini horses or miniature donkeys and require only small farms. Mini farm animals are easier to manage and take up less space. The other benefit of mini farm animals is food consumption. Mini farm animals require much less feed and forage than their full size cousins and produce less manure to deal with.

Florida Livestock Auctions

Florida livestock auctions are held weekly and feature sales of cattle, hogs, piglets, goats and sheep. Livestock auctions are held at Okeechobee Livestock Market and the Arcadia Stockyard to mention a few. See below for addresses of Florida livestock auction phone numbers for complete schedules and prices.

Farm Stores

Shopping for farm supplies is much easier when done online where prices can be compared and products are easier to find. Check out our large selection of fans and misters at our barn fan store Barn Fans

Florida | Ranches | Farm Land | Raw Land | Financing

Florida Farms and Ranches for Sale

Florida has a rich legacy of farming including winter vegetable farms, huge cattle ranches, and Thoroughbred horse farms. A favorable climate, large annual rain fall, and the lack of a personal income tax make Florida a desirable place to be involved in farming and ranching.

Financing Farm Land and Ranches

It is not always east to get financing for raw land and farm land and many times it requires a large down payment. There are lenders that specialize in this type of lending and can get you a loan offer from several lenders. These loans can be used for purchasing or refinancing land and for buildings and equipment. Farm and Ranch Loans.

Agricultural Zoning

Florida has a broad agricultural zoning law that provides certain tax benefits for qualified uses and covers the allowable use of agriculturally zoned land. The state of Florida designates agricultural zoning, but local municipalities can further regulate agricultural land use.

Agricultural Tax Benefits

Owners of agriculturally zoned land can earn reduced taxes if the land is used for agricultural business purposes. Minimum requirements for agricultural exemptions are spelled out in the Florida Agricultural exemption laws.

Florida Farms and the Community

A farm is more than some acreage, it is an integral part of a larger community that includes neighbors, vendors, and fellow farmers. Raising animals on a farm brings with it responsibility for the health and welfare of those animals.

Commercial Livestock Farms

In today's world, most farms specialize in specific areas of farming like growing certain types of crops or raising certain types of animals for specific purposes like dairy or meat production.

Florida has a diverse farm population ranging from vegetable farming in the rich soils bordering the Everglades to huge cattle ranches throughout the state. The Ocala, FL area is known for its horse breeding farms, while the Okeechobee area specializes in cattle breeding.

Goats, chickens, pigs, alpaca, sheep, and a full range of farm animals are typical livestock found on both commercial and hobby farms found in Florida.

Hobby Farms

Thousands of families in Florida maintain hobby farms. These hobby farms raise both full size and miniature species of farm animals. For example, many hobby farms love mini cows and mini goats. Also, these farms may produce eggs, wool, and milk for sale on a local basis.

Production Farms

Florida is one of the largest cattle producing states in the nation. Favored breeds are Angus, Brahman, Florida Cracker, and Senepol cattle. Sheep and goats are also raised commercially for meat, milk, and wool.

Dairy farming is also a strong contributor to the Florida economy. With over 123,00 cows producing about 2.34 million pounds of milk per year Florida ranks as a major milk producer. Interestingly, goat dairy farms are a growing category as more consumers seek out goat milk and cheese.

Florida is not a big pig producing state with only about 16,000 head taken to slaughter each year. Compare this to Iowa where over 20 million swine are brought to market annually.

Agricultural Farms

Florida is known for oranges, sugar cane, and winter vegetables. Most orange groves have been in existence for many years and have mature producing trees. Grove owners typically sell their produce through co-ops that handle sales and delivery.

The sugar cane industry in Florida is dominated by a few large companies with strong political connections. Enough said.

Seasonal vegetable farming is dominated by large industry but there are many smaller family farms that sell produce through co-ops, farmers' markets, and roadside stands.

Florida Farm and Ranch Realtors

Many Realtors in Florida specialize in land, ranches, and farms. An experienced farm and ranch land Realtor can be of considerable source of valuable information.

Buying an existing operating farm is quite different from buying land and developing your own herd of animals or growing crops. Either way, you should have done considerable homework on land values and the details of the expenses of running a farm. Even if this is going to be a hobby farm you will want know what expenses to anticipate.

Florida Farm Purchase Research

Part of your research for an appropriate farm to buy should include talking to farmers in the area to see what you should know. This would include proximity of feed stores, hay suppliers, veterinary services, market conditions, and farm equipment and repair.

Your discussions should include an attempt to elicit the good, the bad, and the ugly that local experienced farmers have endured. Establishing relationships at this point will be of considerable assistance as your venture develops.

Farms and Ranches for Sale

Horse Breeding Farms for Salep

Thoroughbred horse breeding is a well known horse farm industry in Florida. Here, many thoroughbred horse farms throughout the north central Florida area are centered around Ocala. Each farm breeds and trains horses for the horse racing industry. These horses are sold to owners and trainers looking to have the next Kentucky Derby winner. Retired winning horses are often put out to stud farms to be used to breed new race horses.

Since horse breeding is a highly specialized business, there are few people who buy breeding farms without having considerable experience and knowledge.

Horse Farms for Personal Use

Many equestrians like to keep their horses on their own property and seek properly zoned property for this purpose. In Florida, horses can only be kept on agriculturally zoned property, but not all municipalities allow horses regardless of zoning.

Horse Farms for Commercial Use

In Florida, horse boarding operations, horse trainers, and equine veterinarians seek equestrian properties for their businesses. Proper zoning and business licenses are required.

Cattle Ranches for Sale

Florida is a substantial cattle producing state where cattle ranches raise Angus, Brahman, Senepol, and Florida Cracker cattle, breeds suitable to Florida's climate. Large cattle operations in Florida produce prize animals that are exported all over the world.

Goat Farms for Sale

Goat farms are very popular in Florida including pygmy goats, meat goats, dairy goats, and show goats. Before venturing into a goat farm as a hobby or business venture, be sure to spend time researching though several sources. There are many breeds of goats, some for dairy purposes, some for hobby and show purposes, and some for meat production.

Alpaca Farms for Sale

Many amateurs enter the Alpaca farm business with various levels of knowledge and experience. Raising Alpacas is a full time job seven days a week and can bring rewards and heartbreak, but many enjoy the animals and the work. Some Alpaca farmers harvest Alpaca wool which is highly valued and can be sold. Others breed Alpacas to sell their offspring.

Building a Farm Business Plan

Every Business has Two Parts

Farm business skills and a business plan is the place to start your farming venture. This process involves two parts. First, is the skill or service that the business offers such as breeding animals or growing crops. Strong skills in your basic business are a requirement and can be built through some combination of work experience and education.

Secondly, the business side of your farm enterprise involves developing a business plan that includes marketing, planning, budgeting, financial statements, cash flow, and risk management. Dealing with all of these details may warrant using third parties such as attorneys, accountants, and insurance agents. The Small Business Administration (SBA) an provide with very useful information about starting a new business.

Running a business is not easy. It is not enough to be the best at your farm skill or service, you must be able to get new customers and keep existing customers. Get ahead of the game by designing an effective marketing plan using a website and social media. Without sales, there is no business.  

Marketing Your Farm Business

Your farm business depends on attracting and keeping customers. Yet many new businesses fail at this very basic concept. Failure to constantly promote your business through effective marketing techniques will result in the end of your business.

There are many ways to market without expensive advertising. Accordingly, you should be aware of these methods that are available with little cost. One of the cheapest and easiest marketing tools is Social Media.

Social Media

One of the best sources of marketing is social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can establish a Facebook page in minutes and put all the information about your business on your page. People will find you when they search on the internet and the pictures and information on your page will be your advertising.

Start with a Facebook page and move onto Twitter and Instagram as you grow. Eventually, even a website can be developed with even more sales tools.

Business Income

As the main employee of your business, you must pay yourself a living wage. If your business income does not allow you to do this, you don't have a business, but a hobby. Realistically, you should go to work for someone else so you can meet your personal financial obligations.

Most people have personal financial obligations in addition to business financial obligations. You cannot ignore your personal financial obligations in favor of your business obligations. Each should be kept separate so you can budget for both and see the results of your business.

Side Hustle

Because of the need to support themselves, many entrepreneurs start on a part time basis. By holding down a full time job while building a new business as a side hustle. Once the side business produces enough income to have the potential to support them, they then move into the business full time.

Have a Plan

The purpose of these pages is to help you be a successful business person, not to teach you equine professional skills. You should have those skills before going into business.

First, you will need a business plan. The SBA provides a very useful tool for building a business plan. The process of building a business plan is hard work, but having your business fail is even harder work. Start with a sound business plan and you will have a much better chance of succeeding.