For buildings of the same name in other Tropico games, see Ranch.
Ranches are raw resource buildings in Tropico 5. Like the Ranches in previous Tropico titles, they offer several different raw resources: Cattle, Goats, Llamas, and Pigs.
Efficiency[]
Instead of a particular resource, such as beef, ranches produce meat, milk, or wool depending on the work mode. Ranches degrade the soil over time and lose effectiveness. Recommended to put a lot grid space between each ranch as they will lose significant effectiveness if placed too close to each other. In general try to build only a few on the island to be on the safe side.
Area of Effect[]
The average cattle ranch uses up an Nearby area of seven squares around it. Maximum crop fertilization and minimal degradation of soil is achieved when ranches are spaced 14 tiles apart. Another factor that negatively impacts the ranches is pollution. Residential buildings will not disturb the ranch's soil, but the pollution they generate will.
Upgrades[]
Research the Cowboys technology as soon as possible to take advantage of upgrade benefits.
Pigs: bonus to efficiency, penalty to job quality
Cattle: bonus to nearby plantation efficiency
Llama: bonus to job quality; small bonus to nearby circus (upgrade on the circus)
Goat: bonus from nearby plantations
Work Modes[]
- Cattle: Slaughtered for meat and milk, cattle provide food for Tropicans and profitable export.
- Goats: Goats are milked and produce milk for Tropicans and exported for profit.
- Llamas: Llamas are used to make Llama wool for export or can be further processed at a Textile Mill.
- Pigs: Pigs are slaughtered for meat which can be used for food or as an expensive export.
Trivia[]
- When research is complete on the Cowboys technology Penultimo will say someone placed a novel on his desk about two men that go to a mountain to form deep male bonds, a reference to the story Brokeback Mountain.