The problem

Beef cattle is the number one ag enterprise that is common to most farmers in Meade County. Most farmers know the basics of raising cattle but do not understand how their management practices can improve their net profit easily as well as significantly. This ANR agent wanted them to understand their goal of making more money with their current marketing strategy could only be achieved by selling more pounds of calves at weaning. The four session educational training would help them understand how to do this.

The educational program response

Four classroom sessions, 90 minutes each, were planned. Each class started with a budget of that topic for an average farm and ended with the same budget with improved practices discussed in the sessions. Sessions were on forages, animal nutrition, animal reproduction, and animal selection. The last class ended with all the improved budgets rolled into one cow calf enterprise budget. All practice change recommendations were proven with multiple research.

The participants/target audience

Current beef producer or those want to raise cattle.

Other partners (if applicable)

Program impact or participant response.

Participants gained knowledge to help them understand soil health, forage stand persistence, animal nutrition and health as it relates to Body Condition Score and reproduction, and economics of hay production as well as understand goal setting. Participants indicated in written evaluations that most will implement pasture improvements as well evaluate animals based on BCS so that proper care can be done to help increase reproduction rates.