A Lazy K Ranch

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THE PROPERTY:   The A Lazy K Ranch is a 3,000-acre cattle operation situated in the beautiful mesa country above the Dry Cimarron River valley, approximately 35 miles north of Clayton, New Mexico.  The ranch is accessed from State Highway 370 via county road that deadends at the ranch headquarters.  Mule deer, elk, bear and turkey live the in canyons on the A Lazy K Ranch; and pronghorn antelope roam the open grassland areas.  The ranch is very well improved with a beautiful new home, an old restored rock house, a metal barn with horse stalls, several reconditioned rock outbuildings and excellent cattle handling facilities.  The A Lazy K Ranch consists of 2,956.25 deeded acres.

TERRAIN & VEGETATION:  Much of the A Lazy K Ranch is a mesa top with flat to gently rolling grama-grass country containing 3 large, natural playa lakes that hold water year round most years.  Beautiful deep canyons on the ranch lie below the mesa rim. Livestock graze the upper canyon areas, and mule deer and elk live in oak brush stands found along the canyon walls.  Tree cover in these areas is mostly juniper and pinion pine with cottonwood trees along the canyon bottoms.

The open, mesa top portion of the ranch has an excellent turf consisting of two of the strongest grasses in North America, blue grama and buffalograss.  Both yearlings and calves gain very well in this short grass country that averages approximately 5400’ in elevation.  This open mesa area of the ranch appears to have room for a flying rancher to put in a landing strip.  The A Lazy K Ranch lies in a 16” average annual precipitation belt. 

CATTLE OPERATION:  In recent years the owner of the A Lazy K Ranch has been taking in 100 or more cows with calves from approximately June 1^st until mid December.  The calves are usually shipped in mid-October and consistently  wean at over 600 pounds.  On a year round basis, the ranch should accommodate 80 to 90 cows and calves most years.  The ranch has plenty of cover to provide winter protection for cattle in nearly every pasture.  Most summers the ranch should run 200 to 225 yearlings from early May to October, with gains in the 2 pounds per day range. 

LIVESTOCK WATER:  The A Lazy K Ranch has abundant livestock water from 3 shallow windmills, 2 submersible wells, 3 natural playa lakes and numerous dirt tanks that hold water year round most years.  The submersible wells supply water through a recently installed poly-pipe line to 11, mostly fiberglass, drinkers strategically located throughout the ranch.

IMPROVEMENTS:  In 2006 the owners of the A Lazy K Ranch had a very skilled local contractor build a large, custom, 3-bedroom home with an attached 2-car garage at the ranch headquarters.  It is a beautiful home with a wood exterior and solid wood paneling inside.  The owners remodeled the old original rock house on the ranch and use it for a guest house.  They added a 40’ X 80’ metal barn with 6 horse stalls plus hay storage for 500 small bales, a large shop room, and a separate feed storage room for sacked feed.  A solid set of metal pens is located at the headquarters, and these contain livestock scales, a working tub and squeeze chute, cattle truck and trailer load-outs and a rock barn with loafing sheds.  Improvements on the A Lazy K Ranch are very well planned and maintained.

TAXES:  Union County real estate taxes on the ranch for 2009 were $1,921.28.

BROKER’S COMMENTS:   The A Lazy K Ranch is a beautiful and productive ranch property that happens to be home to many native wildlife species.  It is a rancher’s ranch, but it has strong recreational amenities as well.  The owners have created a very comfortable lifestyle in a remote part of this beautiful area.  If you are looking for an easy-to-operate, little cattle operation in some gorgeous country, you need to take the time to let us show you the A Lazy K Ranch in the northeast corner of New Mexico. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:      Dave Kern at:   575-762-3707

Dave’s Cell # 575-760-0161