Beef Production and Good Stewards of the Land
Beef production
Ted Johnson
Beef
Forages
Farm Management
There are over 2000 mature mother cows in Lee County, resulting in around $2,500,000.00 annually. As prices begin to fall it is very important that beef producers be educated on best management practices to: keep cost down, optimize income through management and marketing, be good stewards of the land and practice good animal welfare. More beef producers in Lee County could benefit from implementing best management practices into their operation, many producers do not understand the input cost on beef herds. The beef producers Lee County do not know the cost of producing a pound of beef on their operation.
Improve farm economic status
Sustainability of farm
Producers save and make money
Increase profits
Reduce expenses
Improve herd quality
Reduce environmental impact
grazing and hay production are managed from an economic and heard health prospective
Test forage for nutritional quality
Utilize a complete mineral supplemental program
Better understand hay making
Better utilize forages
purchase supplements that deliver adequate feed
improve grazing management
producers utilize best management practices
Increase knowledge of: nutrient needs, the effects of livestock and environmental interaction.
Recognize what factors lead to high quality forage
understand body condition scoring and how to manage nutrition for a healthy reproductive animal.
Gain knowledge of best management practices
Initial Outcome: Knowledge of best management practices
Indicator: number of producers that gained knowledge
Method: survey
Timeline: winter of 2016
Intermediate Outcome: Number of producers that put in practice some recommendations.
Indicator: increased pounds of beef produced
Method: survey
Timeline: summer of 2017
Long-term Outcome: Producers have increased profits
Indicator: profit has increased on the farm
Method: survey
Timeline: fall 2017
Audience: Beef producers
Project or Activity: East Kentucky IRM
Content or Curriculum: herd management
Inputs: IRM program staff and specialist
Date: Summer 2016
Audience: Beef producers
Project or Activity: Utilizing forages
Content or Curriculum: Bale grazing, forage management
Inputs: specialist
Date: fall 2016
Audience: beef producers
Project or Activity: economics of beef herds understanding input cost
Content or Curriculum: input cost
Inputs: agent and specialist
Date: spring 2017
Audience: Beef Producers
Project or Activity: News Letters and mass media
Content or Curriculum: Economics
Inputs: agent and specialist
Date: Fall 2016 and spring 2017
Author: Ted Johnson
Major Program: Beef
Lee County Kentucky has a beef herd mainly of cow calf production of around 3500 mother cows. Over the past few years I have noticed that many producers where reporting very little or no producers where using a year round mineral program, surveys were also conducted to prove this. I worked with one of the University of Kentucky beef specialist Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler in developing a beef mineral program for many of the Lee County beef producers. We developed a hands on mineral program where many far