Profitable Livestock ManagementPlan of Work

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Bracken County CES

Title:
Profitable Livestock Management
MAP:
Livestock Improvements and Enhancements
Agents Involved:
ANR
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Beef
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Forages
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Soil testing
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Hay testing
Situation:

Bracken County is best suited to produce forage and the best way to harvest that forage is through beef cattle and or livestock. For many years, the livestock was not managed as tobacco took presidency.   By using the very best management opportunities for our herds, we can improve the profitability of livestock enterprise.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Producers will manage their land, forages, and grazing practices to maximize the production from their farm acres with livestock.  Producers will take advantage of value added management such as vaccination, castration, weaning and pre-conditioning to enhance the value of the animals being sold. 

Intermediate Outcomes:

Farmers understand that the forages are the key to livestock profitability.  Grazing management will allow at least a 30% improvement in forage yield on their acres, and many other problems such as weeds, forage quality and reproduction all improve.

Initial Outcomes:

Producers decide to change the way livestock are managed.  They evaluate their Pastures and Water Sources and see how these can be changed.  They work with their veterinarian and implement a herd health program.  They test their hay to balance a ration for nutritional needs.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome:  Herd Management Changes

Indicator:  Steps taken to start changes

Method:  Soil Test, Grazing Plan,  Master Cattlemen Class

Timeline: Spring 2021

Intermediate Outcome:  Forage Improvements

Indicator:  Hay Harvested earlier, Weeds treated, Clover interseeded in clean pastures, Rotational Grazing implemented

Method:  Grazing School, Forage publications used, 

Timeline:  2022


Long-term Outcome:  Maximum Beef Production and Profitability 

Indicator:  Maximize beef output per acre, Maximize value added practices to achieve highest market price, Employ environmental practices to safeguard the land resources and protect the water sources around and below the farm.

Method:  Sale reports, stocking rates, and soil and water quality 

Timeline:  2024

Learning Opportunities:

Audience:  Interested Beef Farmers

Project or Activity:  Forage Improvement and Utilization

Content or Curriculum:  Master Grazer,

Inputs:  soil test, forage variety publications

Date:2021


Audience:  Beef Farmers, Hay producers

Project or Activity: Novel Fescue planting demonstrations, 

Content or Curriculum: Grassland Alliance fescue replacement program

Inputs:  Seed, Herbicide, host farm planting

Date: 2022


Audience:  Commercial and Seedstock Producers

Project or Activity:  Herd Health Implementation

Content or Curriculum:  Local vet to set up protocols for producers to follow  

Inputs:  Veterinarians, interested producers looking for value added stock and herd health improvements

Date:2023



Success Stories

Highlighting Area Agriculture

Author: David Appelman

Major Program: Beef

With the plans to host the annual meeting of the KY Agricultural County Agents Association virtually this year, the decision was made to record the farm tours.  Four of the tours were selected from the Buffalo Trace counties with all the agents working together with producers to come up with a variety of topics to be shared across the state.  We received assistance from Mr. Jeff Franklin to help with the recording and editing of the videos.  The topics included Reproductive Succes

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