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.  This will include improvements in forage management and timely harvesting of stored forages.  It will also demand improvements in genetics with more uniform genetics that the market is requiring.  This will allow for combined marketing efforts of like kind cattle that will result in higher returns for small farms that can market larger groups of cattle together.

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, Cows Breeding Rates

Timeline: Winter 2024

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: Spring and Summer 2025

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:  Spring 2025

Learning Opportunities:

Audience:  Farmers wanting to improve calving 

Project or Activity: Onsite Pregnancy Test Demonstration 

Content or Curriculum:  UK Specialist Les Anderson, UK publications

Inputs: Samples and testing material, Community members facility for testing, and demonstration

Date:  Fall 2024

Audience:  Farmers wanting to improve calf weight

Project or Activity: Implant Demonstration and Workshop

Content or Curriculum:  UK Specialist, UK publications

Inputs: Samples and testing material, Community members facility for testing, and demonstration

Date:  Fall 2024

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: Winter 2024

Success Stories

Growing Equine Education in Bracken County

Author: Holly Bowman

Major Program: Equine

After many years without equine programming in Bracken County, the Extension Office launched a new Equine Education Series, addressing the needs of local horse owners. The response has been tremendous, starting with 4 attendees at our first session on equine nutrition and growing steadily. Sessions on equine dentistry, groundwork, and contest basics have drawn increasing interest, with our most recent session reaching 23 participants. Of those 23 nearly half of the participants were Amish w

Full Story

Bracken County Shines at the Eastern Kentucky Hay Contest

Author: Holly Bowman

Major Program: Hay testing

Bracken County’s participation in the Eastern Kentucky Hay Contest this year was nothing short of extraordinary. With 146 samples collected from 50 producers, the contest showcased not only the quality of our local hay but also the strong community of farmers who dedicate themselves to excellence.In previous years, participation was modest, with only about 25 samples from 8 farms. But this year, as the new Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent, I saw an opportunity to grow the program an

Full Story