Extension
It Starts With Us
Beef Production
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 2020
Intermediate Outcome: Number of producers that put in practice some recommendations.
Indicator: increased pounds of beef produced
Method: survey
Timeline: summer of 2021
Long-term Outcome: Producers have increased profits
Indicator: profit has increased on the farm
Method: survey
Timeline: fall 2020
Audience: Beef producers
Project or Activity: Hay feeding systems
Content or Curriculum:
Inputs: Ted Johnson and Specialist
Date: Fall 2019 spring 2021
Audience: Beef producers
Project or Activity: Utilizing forages
Content or Curriculum:, forage management
Inputs: specialist
Date: fall 2021
Audience:
Project or Activity:
Content or Curriculum:
Inputs:
Date:
Audience: Beef Producers
Project or Activity: News Letters and mass media
Content or Curriculum: Economics
Inputs: agent and specialist
Date: Fall 2019 and spring 2020
Author: Ted Johnson
Major Program: Beef
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. 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 County Extension office have worked with five beef producers in the past two years addressing these issues. We recommended and demonstrated the proper use of filter fabric to control erosion and
Author: Ted Johnson
Major Program: Local Food Systems
We at the Lee County Extension Office have worked with two producers for the past 4 years developing off the farm beef sales. We have educated producers on cross breeding, feeding, 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 two producers at this point of the program and they are now selling over 25 head of cattle off the farm ready for slaughter. They have report
Author: Ted Johnson
Major Program: Forages
Quality forages are a major part of a beef cattle operation. The more day’s beef cattle are allowed to graze in a given year the more potential profit a beef operation may have. We at the Lee County Extension Service have been working with a group of beef producers for around four years on increasing their grazing days. We have educated these producers on stocking rates, stockpiling, soil fertility, water supply, rotational grazing, forage varieties, and etc. These three producers have red
