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. Given the previous statements, the interest and participation in equine related activities and programming is increasing annually. Commercial cattle remain the top economic livestock species in the county. We are seeing a slight increase in pigs/hogs being raised for the custom market. This, along with a new livestock processing facility opening, there is an increasing interest in custom beef,. One area that we are seeing a significant increased 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 with the new processing facility opened and running daily.
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: Summer and fall 2024- spring 2025
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: 2024-2025
Long-term Outcome: Many of the skills and knowledge gained by equine owners 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: 2024 and beyond
Initial Outcome: Livestock owners will increase 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: Summer and fall 2024- Spring 2025
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: 2024-2025
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: 2024 and beyond
Audience: Equine Owners, County Saddle Club members
Project or Activity: Monthly meeting with educational programming offered, annual East KY Horse Expo
Content or Curriculum: Various, depends on requests and needs
Inputs: Ag agent, specialists, facilities
Date: Monthly 2024-2025
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, ag agent input
Date: Summer and fall 2024- Spring 2025
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: Fall 2024 or winter/spring 2025
Audience: New or inexperienced trail riders
Project or Activity: Offer trail riding training
Content or Curriculum: To be developed with local Saddle Club and UK Equine Extension specialist
Inputs: Facilities, volunteers, specialists
Date: 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: Fall 2024 or Spring 2025
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: Ag agents, state specialist, industry experts, KDA, KBN
Date: Monthly Fall 2024- Winter/spring 2025
Audience: Farmers/farm land owners
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: Spring-summer 2024
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::Winter 2024
Audience: Livestock owners
Project or Activity: Livestock composting program
Content or Curriculum: UK specialist provided materials
Inputs: Composting site, composting materials, tractor, personnel to input animals
Date: Year round annually
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: Winter 2024-2025
Audience: CAIP orientation
Project or Activity: Orientation to the CAIP program offered each time the program is offered in the county
Content or Curriculum: Will provide orientation of the program to any who are wanting to participate, general overview and what is needed and expected
Inputs: Ag Agent and county CAIP administrator
Date: Spring/summer 2024 and as needed moving forward
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: Fall 2024 and/or winter/spring 2025
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: Summer/fall 2024
Audience: Beef producers
Project or Activity: BQCA (Beef Quality and Assurance Program)
Content or Curriculum: Standardized curriculum/training offered to any beef producer who wants or needs it
Inputs: KBA and UK developed content, as well as national level content and standards
Date: As needed, but usually in conjunction with a new CAIP program being offered
