More than any other typical American farming operation outside the communities of the Amish, beef cattlemen with any acreage can also rotate land use with crops, and have each half of their operation benefit from the other.
Animals on a farm, especially when pastured, leave behind residues that directly stimulate soil biology. Cattle can graze any dedicated pastures, but will also do a great job of gleaning stubble after combining. When pastures run down, there will be a bumper grain crop that first year after termination from all the organic matter built up from grass and legume root systems.
Whether grain prices rise or fall, whether animal values do the same, they rarely do at the same time; there is that counter-cyclical effect having both will produce for your income opportunities.
Grain farms with cattle (and rotation of land between the two) will require less purchased fertilizer to get the same yields. Double cropping just adds to that, extending grazing opportunities into the winter months, lowering feed costs.
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