Rancher or Breeder

[leaughxp]

What defines someone as a being a rancher, not a breeder? Is it the amount of experience, number of chins, pelting? I kind of thought that a rancher would be someone who makes their living with chinchillas (and pelts), but I think some people I think of as ranchers have other jobs as well so just wondering what everyone else thought.

[chinchewy1]

I think they define themselves now. I know people that have hundreds of chins who still call themselves hobby breeders..lol and some that have less then 100 and call themselves ranchers. I think before it was more defined with the pelt market. There was no such thing as a pet chinchilla.. But now there are some very large ranchers that sell whole sale pets. The Chinchilla world has changed and is still changing. Old definitions do not hold true anymore.

[Vyxxin]

My opinion on the matter is the mentality of the person. Do you see your animals as pets or livestock? Do you ever pelt? Do YOU consider yourself to be a rancher or hobby breeder? How much experience do you have? Those are all things that can define whether you are a rancher or hobby breeder. Myself, I consider myself a mini-rancher. While my animals are treated as pets while they are here...I realize that I'm breeding chins to improve the species and produce higher and higher quality offspring. I can and do cull vigorously...that is something not done by all hobby breeders but IS done by probably every rancher.

[Riven]

How much experience do you have?

I do have a problem with this phrase, it's said a LOT, but doesn't really mean anything. Experience (look itup ifyou don't believe me) basically means the amount of time you've done something. Or how long you've watched and participated something. Just because a person has been in chins 30 years doesn't mean they raise good animals or really know anything about them. I've personally seen people in chins half the time or even a tenth of the time as others yet know enormous amounts of information in both care and breeding. Just because you have a pet chins that you feed pet store food, never hay, hardly clean the cage, etc. for 30 years technically means they have more "experience" than most of us, including me, and a lot of other super breeders I know. I personally prefer to use the term knowledge.
(Sorry, it's my pet peeve. I actually lost a promotion to a moron who couldn't even spell morning or clothes properly because he has more "experience". It's grated me ever since.)

With that being said, many large ranchers baby talk their chins, scrath behind their ears, etc. I think that the line is so gray anymore it's hard to tell. As stated there are people that would traditionally be ranchers with 1000 animals that have to hold full time jobs.... I think anymore it's basically what you want to call yourself.

[The Animal Farm]

Hmm, this is like one of those logic puzzles. Ranchers raise chins from birth I assume? All ranchers are breeders but not all breeders are ranchers. Ouch, I think I just twisted my brain.

[lilchinchilla]

I agree with Riven. I know people who have bred a few chins for 15 years or more, and yet they really knew squat on their care or health, etc...Experience is not the same as knowledge.

Me personally, I always felt rancher means those who pelt. It is rather a grey area, and hard to say what to call oneself these days. I call myself a hobby breeder, but others probably think that is a joke since I have so many chins.
I'll suppose I will call myself a rancher when/if I ever pelt. That's just me though. Before, when I first got in breeding, hobby breeders were those who didn't pelt and ranchers were those who did. Just how I recall it being.

These days I know it is so different though and ranchers are selling chins as pets or for breeding compared to doing pelts. It was discussed at our pelt show in the Okanagan about the changes.

[Vyxxin]

Sorry, I didn't really go into depth on that particular question...I DID mean both experience, and the knowledge gained from it. Also, those questions were more generalized...just some things to consider...NOT everything to consider

[Riven]

I know, it's nothing against you Vyxxin. I understood what you meant. It is much easier to put it that way, almost everyone does. :)

[blueflag]

A rancher raises some type of meat, wool or fur-producing animal. A facility that has large amounts of these critters is called a ranch. If you raise crops also (or solely), then you're a farmer. (At least these are the definitions here in southern Iowa). I think it's also about your goals. A rancher raises chinchillas for profit - whatever niche sales may fall into. A breeder is looking more to the future and may sacrifice profit for other, less tangible gain. A hobby breeder really doesn't care if their chins make or lose money. And I bet there are a few hobby ranchers out there, too. :) If a person is ranching cattle, they are producing beef. If they are breeding cattle, it is more controlled - they are fucused upon selection for improvement of the breed. Both definately have their place. Ugh, semantics! 'I'm a cattle rancher. My ranch is located just outside of Des Moines. I breed Angus.' Or: 'I'm a chinchilla rancher. My ranch is located outside of Madison. I breed for clarity.'

This said, I agree that being either a rancher or breeder or whatever doesn't make you any better or worse of an owner. And actually - I would think if the endeavor is what helps put food on the table, one might be inclined to care a bit more than the other.

Knowledge vs. experience . . . hmmm . . . I feel that they are both valuable, but that in the end experience goes a little further. This argument definately works both ways. All of the knowledge in the world can't help you if you don't have the experience and common sense to back it up. Sometimes knowledge is just big talk and has no real, practical application. Tell someone how to do something. Then show them. Then ask them to do it. Typically they will say 'Well . . . I know how, but I've never done this before.' There is so much that experience gives you that can't come from knowledge alone. Experience trumps since it is the source of knowledge. Funny that a few months ago I would have totally argued the other side. But I am now convinced that it takes more than proper grammar, punctuation and spelling to make the world go round. (Recently titled and recovering Grammar Queen, mind you). :)

[blueflag]

Sorry for the double post. But I need to admit . . . I'm wrong. Experience doesn't trump. Knowledge is totally just as important. What is one without the other? They are both possessions. But we can't keep them up on the mantle as trophies - we need to take them out and be able to use them. I think that is the trouble we have seen, Nicole. Those who just can't learn from either!
(Pet peeve - incompetents being promoted to positions based upon education and causing miserable failure for all around - my plant closes next week, I'm really sorry to be such a downer :cry2: ).