Extension
It Starts With Us
Profitable Livestock Management
Livestock Improvements and Enhancements
ANR
Beef
Forages
Soil testing
Hay testing
Bracken County is best suited to produce forage and the best way to harvest that forage is through beef cattle and or livestock. For many years, the livestock was not managed as tobacco took presidency. By using the very best management opportunities for our herds, we can improve the profitability of livestock enterprise.
Producers will manage their land, forages, and grazing practices to maximize the production from their farm acres with livestock. Producers will take advantage of value added management such as vaccination, castration, weaning and pre-conditioning to enhance the value of the animals being sold.
Farmers understand that the forages are the key to livestock profitability. Grazing management will allow at least a 30% improvement in forage yield on their acres, and many other problems such as weeds, forage quality and reproduction all improve.
Producers decide to change the way livestock are managed. They evaluate their Pastures and Water Sources and see how these can be changed. They work with their veterinarian and implement a herd health program. They test their hay to balance a ration for nutritional needs.
Initial Outcome: Herd Management Changes
Indicator: Steps taken to start changes
Method: Soil Test, Grazing Plan, Master Cattlemen Class
Timeline: Spring 2021
Intermediate Outcome: Forage Improvements
Indicator: Hay Harvested earlier, Weeds treated, Clover interseeded in clean pastures, Rotational Grazing implemented
Method: Grazing School, Forage publications used,
Timeline: 2022
Long-term Outcome: Maximum Beef Production and Profitability
Indicator: Maximize beef output per acre, Maximize value added practices to achieve highest market price, Employ environmental practices to safeguard the land resources and protect the water sources around and below the farm.
Method: Sale reports, stocking rates, and soil and water quality
Timeline: 2024
Audience: Interested Beef Farmers
Project or Activity: Forage Improvement and Utilization
Content or Curriculum: Master Grazer,
Inputs: soil test, forage variety publications
Date:2021
Audience: Beef Farmers, Hay producers
Project or Activity: Novel Fescue planting demonstrations,
Content or Curriculum: Grassland Alliance fescue replacement program
Inputs: Seed, Herbicide, host farm planting
Date: 2022
Audience: Commercial and Seedstock Producers
Project or Activity: Herd Health Implementation
Content or Curriculum: Local vet to set up protocols for producers to follow
Inputs: Veterinarians, interested producers looking for value added stock and herd health improvements
Date:2023
Author: David Appelman
Major Program: Beef
With the plans to host the annual meeting of the KY Agricultural County Agents Association virtually this year, the decision was made to record the farm tours. Four of the tours were selected from the Buffalo Trace counties with all the agents working together with producers to come up with a variety of topics to be shared across the state. We received assistance from Mr. Jeff Franklin to help with the recording and editing of the videos. The topics included Reproductive Succes
