Beef ProductionPlan of Work

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Lee County CES

Title:
Beef Production
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 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

Learning Opportunities:

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




Success Stories

Filter Fabric

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

Full Story

Selling beef off the farm

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

Full Story

Forage Improvements

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

Full Story
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