A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though there are ranches in other areas. People who own or operate a ranch are called stockgrowers or ranchers. Ranching is also a method used to raise less common livestock such as elk, American bison or even ostrich, emu, and alpacas.

Ranches generally consist of large areas, but may be of nearly any size. In the western United States, many ranches are a combination of privately owned land supplemented by grazing leases on land under the control of the federal Bureau of Land Management. If the ranch includes arable or irrigated land, the ranch may also engage in a limited amount of farming, raising crops for feeding the animals, such as hay and feed grains.

Ranches that cater exclusively to tourists are called guest ranches or, colloquially, "dude ranches." Most working ranches do not cater to guests, though they may allow private hunters or outfitters onto their property to hunt native wildlife. However, in recent years, a few struggling smaller operations have added some dude ranch features, such as horseback rides, cattle drives or guided hunting, in an attempt to bring in additional income. Ranching is part of the iconography of the "Wild West" as seen in Western movies and rodeos.

Noun

ranch m. (plural ranches or ranchen, diminutive ranchje, diminutive plural ranchjes)

1. A ranch, notably lifestock breeding farm, especially in North America and in other English-speaking countries

Related terms

• rancher m.

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• United Country Real Estate
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  Searchable database of real estate for sale in rural America. Farms, ranches, land, homes, businesses, waterfront and rural real estate.
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  A UK based site where farm property can be advertised for free. Links to related sites and items of interest.
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  Specializes in buying and selling farms, land, ranches and income property. Features services and listings.