Author: Clinton Hardy
Planning Unit: Daviess County CES
Major Program: Beef
Plan of Work: Agriculture Production, Management, and Environment
Outcome: Long-Term Outcome
Over the past 20 years hundreds of farmers from across the area have sold nearly 100,000 feeder calves in the Extension sponsored Green River area CPH60 beef cattle marketing events. These opportunities increase net farm income through greater return to better management and by retaining the animals on farm no less than 60 days after weaning. Over the past 5 years, Green River CPH60 producer participation has been declining. While decline in participation might appear as reduced success, the reduction is actually an indication of greater success. Many former CPH participants have utilized their increased knowledge of improved feeding, improved animal health and improved genetics provided by CPH60 participation and graduated to combining load lots of cattle on farm to sell direct to the feed yard. A few even retain ownership of the animals upon arrival at the feed yard until slaughter. An even greater number of former CPH60 participants utilized their improved feeder cattle production knowledge provided by CPH60 to sell direct to consumers. A large percentage of excellent calves which would have been sold in CPH60 sales over the past 5 years have been marketed to individuals and families, keeping local beef on local tables and providing a much higher net profit profit margin than even selling CPH. CPH60 numbers continue to hold steady for those not interested in direct to consumer sales and the goal is to always be a better marketing option for farmers who simply wean and sell.
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