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Contact Information

Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

S-107 Ag. Science Center North Lexington, KY 40546-0091

+1 (859) 257-4302

craig.wood@uky.edu

Impacts

Contact Information

Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

S-107 Ag. Science Center North Lexington, KY 40546-0091

+1 (859) 257-4302

craig.wood@uky.edu




Fiscal Year:
Jul 1, 2024 - Jun 30, 2025


Success StoryBallards Back to Basics



Ballards Back to Basics

Author: Robert Smith

Planning Unit: Nelson County CES

Major Program: Beef

Plan of Work: Crop and Livestock Management, Marketing, and Education

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

Most farmers have a lot on their plates, including full time jobs, and management can be a reaction versus a plan.  The "Back to Basics Beef Program' is a Specialist lead program aimed at hitting the reset button on the cattle operation.  Once a thorough evaluation of the land, feed stuffs, record keeping  and herd are compiled by a team of specialist, the reset button can then be reset. This is begun by identifying the positives of the operation and identifying where improvements can be made and then setting attainable goals that will increase efficiency and profitability.  The agent pulled soil test and hay test, a thorough evaluation of the 100 animal herd was conducted (including pregnancy stage, vaccination standing, banding, and proper tagging system implemented) by the UK beef specialist and associate along with the agent and owners, and forage quality and soil fertility was analyzed by the UK Forage specialist.   

The educational program response to this analysis is in part as follows:

  • Implement cross breeding.
  • Take advantage of high nutritional plain by selecting bulls with more growth.
  • Contacting Fish and Wildlife to help with building a buzzard deterrent
  • Contact some of the ag engineering faculty to help with designing the working facilities
  • Creating a defined calving season, then marketing calves in a sale like CPH after backgrounding. Possibly some AI.
  • Implement vaccination and deworming plan.

After the initial analysis a plan was developed to create two calving seasons and the first steps were taken to implement this initiative.  From the pregnancy check cattle were grouped into three categories: cull cattle, spring calving and fall calving.  In November plans were made to artificially inseminate the cows for fall calving.  






Stories by Robert Smith


Hay Contest

about 5 days ago by Robert Smith

The first annual forage contest in Nelson County, KY, highlights the communitys growing focus on pro... Read More


Nelson County Agriculture Development Board Continues growing its legacy

about 13 days ago by Robert Smith

For more than twenty five years the Kentucky Agriculture Development Fund has been a staple of Nelso... Read More


Stories by Nelson County CES


Hay Contest

about 5 days ago by Robert Smith

The first annual forage contest in Nelson County, KY, highlights the communitys growing focus on pro... Read More


Understanding Disability

about 11 days ago by Marsha Hagler

According to the US Census, around 11% of individuals under 65 in Nelson County are living with a di... Read More


Stories by Beef


Raising the Steaks

Raising the Steaks

about 11 days ago by Traci Johnson

Spurred by food shortages during the Covid 19 pandemic, local meat demand has remained strong in Ken... Read More


Bull Breeding Soundness Exams

Bull Breeding Soundness Exams

about 2 months ago by Charles May

After successful BSE Clinics last year, area ANR agents applied for and received funding to host two... Read More