Livestock owners who want to pasture animals on someone else's land have several options, including leasing pasture or establishing a contract for sale of standing forage (Harris and Undersander, 1996). If a livestock owner wants to assume the rights and responsibilities of land ownership, a lease may be preferable. For example, the landowner will not have the right to hunt or conduct other recreational activities on the pasture without the renter's permission unless that right is written into the lease. The landowner must give notice before entering to repair fence (unless there is an emergency and the renter is absent). Under a lease, the livestock owner is obligated to maintain fences.
If the livestock owner does not want to assume the responsibilities of land ownership, a contract would be preferable. For example, the buyer of the forage does not have the right to use the property for hunting or other recreational activities. The landowner may enter the premises at any time. The landowner is responsible for maintaining fences.
Generally, landowners are not liable to third parties who incur injury on leased property. By contrast, the buyer under a contract for sale of standing forage is solely responsible for damages caused by livestock. A landowner will have a lien - the right to hold livestock for nonpayment whether the parties employ a lease or a contract.