A
ranch is a type of farm and 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
Mexico, the
Western United States and
Canada, though there are ranches in other areas. People who own or operate a ranch are called
ranchers,
cattlemen, or
stockgrowers. Ranching is also a method used to raise less common
livestock such as
elk,
American bison or even
ostrich,
emu, and
alpacas.
