Extension
It Starts With Us
Livestock and Equine
Livestock and Equine Issues
Harned
Equine
Beef
Small Ruminants (includes sheep, goats) and Exotic animals
Poultry/Small Flocks
Horses are still increasing in number and popularity in the county and the area. It would not be surprising if the number of horse owners is equal to, or above, the number of cattle owners. The majority are for pleasure riding, but there are also a fair number of show horses owned and trained in the county. Of the pleasure horses, it is a mix but many, if not most, are used for trail riding, or plan to be used for that. New and first time owners are growing and the need is there for educational on animal care and horsemanship in general. And there are always new things occurring that even seasoned horse owners need to learn. Commercial cattle remain by far the top economic livestock species in the county. Goat numbers are leveling off, or even declining, at least for commercial sales purposes, although there is a limited demand for youth show animals and low grade animals to be used for clearing brush on grown up farms, especially ones that have new ownership. We are seeing a slight increase in pigs/hogs being raised for the custom market. One area that we are seeing a significant interest in is managing land for wildlife, mostly for hunting purposes but also just for viewing enjoyment. We begun to offer educational opportunities to the public who seem to be much more interested in buying local raised, custom processed meat than in the past.
Overall, more equine animals will be vaccinated, properly shod, be fed the proper rations for their usage, and have improved parasite control. The owners/riders will also have implemented safer handling and riding actions for themselves as well as their horses.
Livestock owners will improve the way their livestock are handled and cared for as we become more responsive to the demands of the consumers concerned about animal welfare as well as the quality of the meat products that come from these animals. Additionally, they will implement practices that are more protective of the environment in raising and maintaining their stock. The challenge will be integrating the above practices while still retaining the ability to make a profit. From a cattle perspective, this can at least partially be addressed through having cattle owners become certified through the Kentucky BQCA program. The local food animal producers will have a steady local market for their animals as more local people buy them for custom processing, especially since we have a new processing facility locally that opened recently.
The equine owners and riders will implement the gained knowledge and begin to put into practice. This will lead to more animal friendly living conditions, as well as improved nutrition and health care. It will also lead to safer riding and handling for the owners themselves.
Cattle owners will continue to apply the information they receive to improve the productiveness of their animals, through increased nutritional information as well as health care, handling and facilities. Goat owners will continue to improve their herds health care and nutrition. All will continue to integrate into their operations the practices necessary to protect the environment, including water resources and the quality of life of their charges while in their care. Local food animals producers will continue to see an increase in demand for their livestock as local consumers adjust to buying their meat locally and have it custom processed.
Equine owners will gain the knowledge that will allow them to improve the care for their animals and the environment their animals live and recreate in. These will include housing, health, and general maintenance of the animals, and basic horsemanship knowledge for the riders themselves.
Cattle owners will continue to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to keep their operations profitable. This will include re-enforcing current practices as well as those that develop moving forward. We will continue to keep them informed about changing laws and regulations that will affect them and their operations, as will small ruminant owners. Local livestock producers and the general public will have a new livestock processing facility to take advantage of, with the goal of having it become USDA certified within 6 months to a year of opening for commercial sales purposes.
Initial Outcome: Horsemen and horsewomen will attend programs aimed at giving them the skills and knowledge to properly and safely care for and interact with the animals
Indicator: Increased knowledge of how to care for and ride their animals
Method: Written evaluations after programs or verbal personal follow-ups
Timeline: 2022-2026
Intermediate Outcome: Horse owners and riders will be implementing the knowledge they gained from attending the programs offered
Indicator: Implementation of the knowledge they learned at the programs
Method: Personal communication and farm visits, possible written follow-up surveys
Timeline: 2022-2026
Long-term Outcome: Many of the skills and knowledge gained will become part of their everyday care for their animals and their use of learned skills when riding.
Indicator: Observed conditions of the animals and their environment, and the way the people ride the animals
Method: Personal communication and farm visits, possible written follow-up surveys
Timeline: 2022-2026 and beyond
Initial Outcome: Increased knowledge and/or skills gained in addressing production efficiency as well as changing social expectations of their chosen operations.
Indicator: More attendance at programs addressing the above issues
Method: Program pre and post evaluation instruments, if appropriate, and group and individual follow-up
Timeline: 2022-2026
Intermediate Outcome: Agriculture animal owners will implement changes in the operations that address social, environmental and production issues.
Indicator: Increased practices put into action on the farms and farmsteads addressing environmental, social and production issues
Method: On-site visits, increase in number of contacts addressing the issues, personal contacts
Timeline: 2022-2026
Long-term Outcome: Negative environmental impact from animal agriculture will be greatly lessened, the social perspective will improve and the livestock producers will still be profitable, more efficient and still in operation.
Indicator: Improved water quality from testing results, increased livestock production/profits, a more favorable look from the public of animal agriculture.
Method: Site-visits, personal contacts, word of mouth from the public
Timeline: 2022 - 2026 and beyond
Audience: Equine Owners, County Saddle Club members
Project or Activity: Monthly meeting with educational programming offered
Content or Curriculum: Various, depends on requests and needs
Inputs: Agents, specialists, facilities
Date: Monthly, continuously
Audience: Equine Owners
Project or Activity: Saddle Club sponsored equine training sessions
Content or Curriculum: Designed by Saddle Club, UK specialists, industry professionals
Inputs: Saddle Club, Boyd County Extension property and equipment
Date:2022-2026
Audience: Equine Owners, horse enthusiasts
Project or Activity: Horse College, Advanced Horse College
Content or Curriculum: Horse College, Advanced Horse College
Inputs: Agents, specialists, industry experts, facilities
Date: 2023 and as needed after
Audience: New or inexperienced trail riders
Project or Activity: Offer trail riding training
Content or Curriculum: To be developed with local Saddle Club, 4-H horse club and UK Equine Extension specialist
Inputs: Facilities, volunteers
Date: 2022-2024
Audience: Property owners with livestock
Project or Activity: Proper fencing program/demonstration(s)
Content or Curriculum: How to make sufficient fences to contain animals as well as to protect/preserve water ways from the animals while still being able to use the water resource
Inputs: Cooperators, fencing supplies, industry experts, UK specialists, Extension agents
Date: 2023 or 2024
Audience: Beef Producers (Highlands Beef Cattle Association or HBCA)
Project or Activity: Scheduled meetings with educational programs
Content or Curriculum: Fencing; processing; forage production; health care issues; genetics. marketing
Inputs: Agents, state specialist, industry experts, KDA, KBN
Date: Monthly 2022-26
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Ag Water Quality Plan workshop
Content or Curriculum: Ag Water Quality Plan computer program and printed materials
Inputs: Agent, Conservation Office, facilities, computers, copies
Date:2022-2026
Audience: Wildlife enthusiasts and general landowners
Project or Activity: Developing wildlife food plots
Content or Curriculum: How to develop food plots for increased nutritional health of wildlife, including game animals for harvesting, as well as just backyard type viewing pleasure
Inputs: Extension agents, facilities, plot work, wildlife cameras
Date:2022-2023
Audience: County and area farmers
Project or Activity: Basic Nutrient Management education program
Content or Curriculum: NRCS, UK, USDA materials as needed
Inputs: Agent, specialists, NRCS personnel
Date: 2022-2026
Audience: Livestock owners
Project or Activity: Expansion of Livestock composting program
Content or Curriculum: UK specialist provided materials
Inputs: Composting site, composting materials, tractor, personnel to input animals
Date: 2022-26
Audience: Goat Producers
Project or Activity: Multi state Goat Seminar
Content or Curriculum: UK and Purdue Health, nutrition, breeding, and parasite control
Inputs: Agent, facilities, State specialist form UK, KSU, and Purdue
Date: 2022-26
Audience: Goat Producers
Project or Activity: Tri-State Goat Association meetings
Content or Curriculum: Nutrition; parasite control; purebred vs. registered vs. crossbred; putting on sanctioned shows; foot care; forages suitable for goats; etc.
Inputs: Agents, state specialist, industry experts,
Date: 2022-26
Audience: Forage Animal Producers
Project or Activity: Tri-State Grazing Program
Content or Curriculum: Developed for the conference using information from UK, WVU and OSU Extension, plus NRCS and Conservation
Inputs: In conjunction with other counties,; agents, local farms and farmers, state specialists, NRCS and Conservation personnel, facilities, etc.
Date: 2023-2024, annually
Audience: Forage and Forage Animal Producers, General Public
Project or Activity: Forage Demonstration and weed control plots
Content or Curriculum: Developed in conjunction with UK Forage Specialist
Inputs: State specialists, facilities, etc.
Date: 2022 or 2026
Audience: Farmers/producers
Project or Activity: CAIP program
Content or Curriculum: State Ag Development Board and KOAP provided in order with HB 611
Inputs: Provided by KOAP and state Ag Development Board
Date:2022-2026
Audience:
Project or Activity:
Content or Curriculum:
Inputs:
Date:
Author: Lyndall Harned
Major Program: Small Farm Management
A program planned and held as requested by my county Ag Advisory committee. It was Insect Vectors of Diseases of Livestock and Equine and was very well attended with almost 30. We actually did this as a hybrid offering, with the UK Extension Entomologist, Dr. Ric Bessin, in attendance live, Dr. Michelle Arnold, UK Extension Ruminant Vet and Dr. Emma Adam of the Gluck Equine Center on ZOOM.The purpose of the program was to make the county clientele aware of the severity and potential of these ins
