Union County CES

Title:

Livestock Production Small Farms

MAP:

Agriculture Production, Profit, and Management

Agents Involved:

ANR Agent

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Beef

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Farm Management, Economics and Policy

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Equine

Situation:

Beef cattle sales represent over 95% of livestock income. Input cost are increasing. Only the very best managers will remain profitable. Extension programs will train producers to be better managers.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Extension programs will train producers to be profitable. Farmers will increase production through genetic selection, add value through retained ownership and reduce feed costs with high quality forage production and utilization systems, while marketing in truck load lots and our CPH sales. Farmers understand hay quality and hay testing.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Farmers will learn the value of genetic selection and how EPD’s can be used as a tool to improve genetic selection. Producers will learn how to use crossbreeding to capture hybrid viger and learn how to practice improved herd health. Farmers will start forage improvement plans by soil sampling and following soil test results on hay and pasture land. Producers will begin to understand forage quality and begin to use high quality forage in feeding programs to reduce feed costs. Producers will market more cattle through grouping cattle in truck load lots using CPH sales.

Initial Outcomes:

Farmers will purchase genetically superior bulls, selected using EPD’s to compliment existing cow herds. They will retain ownership of all calves and increase value through preconditioning and backgrounding adding 200 pounds per calf sold. Farmers will begin considering forages as major crops and start forage utilization plans. Farmers understand the value of marketing uniform truck load lots.

Evaluation:

Outcome: Genetic selection

Indicator: Number of bulls purchased with unknown EPD’s.

Method: Number of bulls staying in the county sold at local bull sales.

Timeline: 4 years

Outcome: Adding value through retained ownership and group marketing

Indicator: Number of producers preconditioning and backgrounding calves and market through CPH sales

Method: Pounds of beef sold per cow exposed.

Timeline: 4 years

Outcome: Forage production and utilization

Indicator: Acres of improved forages established, harvested quality and rotational grazing, number of producers testing hay quality.

Method: Pounds of beef sold per acre in forage crops, feed cost per pound sold

Timeline: 4 years

Learning Opportunities:

 Audience: Beef producers 

Goat & sheep producers 

Horse owners

 livestock association’s,

 ag loan officers,

 agri-businesses

Newsletter- Bi-Monthly-Cattle Information (seasonal or timely issues)

Meeting - Winter - BQA, Marketing IRM

Annual Meeting - Winter - Union County Beef Cattlemen Association

Meeting - Winter - Production & Marketing

Newspaper - Weekly Current – Seasonal

Bull Sale - Feb Genetic improvement

County Fair; Hay Show

CPH Sale -4 per year Group Market – Selection

Inputs: Ag agents and UK specialist, UK area and county meetings and

field days, Beef IRM facilitator, County Ag Development Council, County

Livestock Associations, KBA, News Media, KDA Hay Testing Van