Beef ProductionPlan of Work

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Lee County CES

Title:
Beef Production
MAP:
Livestock Production
Agents Involved:
Ted Johnson
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Beef
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Forages
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Farm Management, Economics and Policy
Situation:
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.
Long-Term Outcomes:

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

Improve Forage Quality

Improve Forage Utilization

Intermediate Outcomes:

Test forage for nutritional quality

Utilize a complete mineral supplemental program

Better understand hay making and marketing

Better utilize forages

Purchase supplements that deliver adequate nutrition to the animals

Improve grazing management

Producers utilize best management practices for forages

Implement forage saving feeding systems

Initial Outcomes:

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

Awareness of recommended forage varieties

Understand forage renovation practices

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Knowledge of best management practices

Indicator: number of producers that gained knowledge

Method: survey

Timeline: winter of 2021


Intermediate Outcome: Number of producers that put in practice some recommendations.

Indicator: increased pounds of beef produced

Method: survey

Timeline: summer of 2021 and 2022


Long-term Outcome: Producers have increased profits

Indicator: profit has increased on the farm

Method: survey

Timeline: fall 2021 and 2022

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Beef producers

Project or Activity: Hay feeding systems

Content or Curriculum: Fence line feeder, and filter fabric pads

Inputs: Ted Johnson and Specialist

Date: Fall  2021


Audience: Beef producers

Project or Activity: Utilizing forages

Content or Curriculum:, forage management

Inputs: specialist

Date: fall 2021 and spring 2022


Audience: Beef Producers

Project or Activity:Hay and pasture field renovation

Content or Curriculum: Renovation

Inputs: Agent and specialist

Date: Fall 2021 and spring 2022


Audience: Beef Producers

Project or Activity: News Letters and mass media

Content or Curriculum: Economics

Inputs: agent and specialist

Date: Fall 2021 and spring 2022




Success Stories

Local Beef sales

Author: Ted Johnson

Major Program: Local Food Systems

We at the Lee County Extension Office have worked with 5 producers for the past 6 years developing off the farm beef sales. We have educated producers on cross breeding, feed rations, price structuring, and marketing off the farm beef. The goal was to sell more local beef and increase our local food supply. This goal was to also keep more of our money local. We have worked with five producers at this point of the program and they are now selling over 40 head of cattle off the farm ready for slau

Full Story

Beef Cattle Feeding Systems

Author: Ted Johnson

Major Program: Water and Soil Quality and Conservation

Beef producers in Lee County have reported or expressed concern with environmental issues such as mud over the past few years many control around feeding areas. East Kentucky has been dealing with higher than average rain fall for the past few winter feeding seasons. This has created several issues for the farmers and impacted the environment negatively. They have reported loss of forages, loss of top soil, and safety being issues that they need to correct in their beef operations. We at the Lee

Full Story
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