Over the past twenty years, Kentucky agriculture has transitioned from predominately tobacco to beef production, becoming the largest beef producing state east of the Mississippi. In order to prepare producers to be efficient and profitable, both Central Kentucky County Extension Agents for Agriculture & Natural Resources and Beef Extension Specialists present the Kentucky Beef Conference annually.

The farm operations of producers attending vary in size, with most (46%) of the producers having 26 to 75 cows. A few (8%) of the producers in attendance owned more than 200. During the conference, over 200 beef producers were updated on the current trends on beef cattle production, marketing. In addition, they distinguished the challenges, and opportunities of distillery by-products,discovered risk management strategies including hay and pasture insurance, discussed abortion diagnostics, evaluated the outcomes of artificial insemination and controlled reproduction, and summarized marketing strategies.

Fifty percent of those attending reported their intention of adopting one or more changes in their operations because of the conference. Those changes include changing reproduction management (50%) and accessing insurance for hay/ silage/ pastures/ risk management (33%). Other intended changes include animal health and vaccinations (17%), evaluating cow size and marketing strategies (10%).

Of those producers who have attended past conferences, all reported using information to make decisions related to profits, risk management and satisfaction in their operation.For example, one Anderson County producer adopted rotational grazing practices, which has enabled him to extend the days he does not have to supplement diet with hay, reducing his expenses. He has experienced storms in the past, which has damaged his pastures. After this conference, he plans to enroll in the insurance program. Another producer had participated in reproductive management research. The practices have resulted in higher weaning weights and profit margins.