Bracken County CES Program Indicators and Success StoriesJul 1, 2020 - Jun 30, 2021





1072 - Forages
1072.7) 8

Number of producers who planted or started using any alternative forage for grazing

1072.5) 14

Number of producers who used temporary fencing  

1072.4) 6

Number of producers who developed or implemented a grazing plan

1072.3) 5

Number of producers who used Extension recommendations to improve quality of haylage/silage storage  

1072.2) 14

Number of people who made decisions based on Extension research including interseeding clover/legume, using cover crops and/or alternate forage species

1072.1) 36

Number of people who gained knowledge of forage production, management and/or profitability which could include species, best management practices for species, forage harvest and storage, pasture renovation

1072.6) 1

Number of producers who conducted on-farm demonstrations or applied research trials  



Success Stories

Hay Production and Soil Testing

Author: David Appelman

Major Program: Forages

Field productivity had declined over time for a local producer and he requested advice on reseeding of his hay fields to increase production.  After a site visit, it appeared that grass stands were sufficient, but lacked the growth he wanted.  We had a discussion about his goals and plans to use the forage.  I knew that he recently sold his cattle and only planned for cash hay sales.  Most of the hay would be for beef cattle, so grass or grass clover hay would be all that was

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Hay Testing

Author: David Appelman

Major Program: Forages

Knowing the nutritional content of your hay is key to the profitability of any livestock operation.   Without this information, producers will not know if they are providing the correct nutrients to meet the animal’s needs or if they are overfeeding the animals, hurting their profitability.The Bracken County Extension Service has always encouraged producers to test their hay and offered to option of two labs to meet their testing needs.  In 2019, Bracken County received an invita

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Master Haymaker

Author: David Appelman

Major Program: Forages

The District 1 ANR Agents hosted a seven series virtual Master Haymaker program in winter of 2021.   This program came to fruition due to COVID-19 restrictions and the need to continue programming that would enhance the lives of agriculture producers in Eastern Kentucky.  The seven sessions covered topics such as:  weed control in forages, producing quality hay, warm and cool season forages, soil fertility, marketing hay, machinery options for hay production, and the production of

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