Union County CES

Title:

Beef Production, Marketing plus Other Animal Science

MAP:

Increase Ag Production, Profitability & Management

Agents Involved:

Hagan

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Beef

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Farm Management

Situation:

Beef cattle sales represent over 95% of livestock income. Input cost are increasing. Only the very best managers will remain profitable. Extension programs will train producers to be best managers.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Extension programs will train producers to be profitable. Farmers will increase production through genetic selection, add value through retained ownership and reduce feed costs with high quality forage production and utilization systems, while marketing in truck load lots and our CHP sales. Farmers understand hay quality and hay testing.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Farmers will learn the value of genetic selection and how EPD’s can be used as a tool to improve genetic selection. Producers will learn how to use crossbreeding to capture hybrid viger and learn how to practice improved herd health. Farmers will start forage improvement plans by soil sampling and following soil test results on hay and pasture land. Producers will begin to understand forage quality and begin to use high quality forage in feeding programs to reduce feed costs. Producers will market more cattle through grouping cattle in truck load lots using CPH sales.

Initial Outcomes:

Farmers will purchase genetically superior bulls, selected using EPD’s to compliment existing cow herds. They will retain ownership of all calves and increase value through preconditioning and backgrounding adding 200 pounds per calf sold. Farmers will begin considering forages as major crops and start forage utilization plans. Farmers understand the value of marketing uniform truck load lots.

Evaluation:

Outcome: Genetic selection
Indicator: Number of bulls purchased with unknown EPD’s.
Method: Number of bulls staying in the country sold at local bull sales.
Timeline: 4 years

Outcome: Adding value through retained ownership and group marketing
Indicator: Number of producers preconditioning and backgrounding calves and market through CPH sales
Method: Pounds of beef sold per cow exposed.
Timeline: 4 years

Outcome: Forage production and utilization
Indicator: Acres of improved forages established, harvested quality and rotational grazing, number of producers testing hay quality.
Method: Pounds of beef sold per acre in forage crops, feed cost per pound sold
Timeline: 4 years

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Audience: Beef producers - initial KOSA

Goat & sheep producers - initial KOSA

Horse owners - initial KOSA

Project or Activity:

Audience: Livestock producers, livestock association’s, ag loan officers, agri-businesses

Activity, Date, Content:

Newsletter- Monthly Off the Hoof

Meeting - Winter - BOA, Marketing IRM

Annual Meeting - Winter - Union County Beef Cattle Association

Meeting - Winter - Production & Marketing

Radio - Weekly Current (Day to Day)

Newspaper - Weekly Current – Seasonal

Bull Sale - March Genetic improvement

County Fair; Hay Show

CPH Sale -4 per year Group Market – Selection

Heifer Sale - November Area Breed Heifer Sale

Content or Curriculum:

Inputs: Ag agents and UK specialist, UK area and county meetings and

field days, Beef IRM facilitator, County Ag Development Council, County

Livestock Associations, KBA, News Media, KDA Hay Testing Van