Lee County CES

Title:

Beef Production and Good Stewards of the Land

MAP:

Beef production

Agents Involved:

Ted Johnson

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Beef

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Forages

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Farm Management

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

Intermediate Outcomes:

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

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

Evaluation:

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

Learning Opportunities:

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

Success Stories