A field day was hosted by the Elliott County Agriculture Council and Cooperative Extension Agent for ANR Keith Center, at the Elliott County High School on October 6, 2018. Topics included: Fencing and On-Farm Water, Forage Improvement, Forage and Grain Improvement, Farm Infrastructure Grain Bins, and Tech and Leadership Farm Safety.

Concluding the field day, was the Beef Quality and Care Assurance (BQCA) Certification training videos and exams where 42 producers attended and completed the training, with 127 participants watching videos developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Specialist. Participants also received the opportunity to meet with several of the Elliott County High School FFA officers to learn about their shiitake mushroom project, compost barn project, fruit tree orchard, livestock barn project and greenhouse projects.

A meal was provided by the Elliott County Ag Council and prepared by the Elliott County High School and served by members of the Elliott County High School FFA Chapter. Door prizes were drawn for items donated by West Liberty Vet Clinic, Mountain Telephone, Southern States and Farm Credit Services of Mid-America. Before discussion and playing of the Beef IRM video’s producers in attendance were asked by a show of hands how many had requested a soil test or brought in soil samples for analysis to the Elliott County Extension office, how many conducted forage test and how many utilized Breeding soundness exams (BSE), expected progeny differences (EPD’s) and artificial insemination in their cattle herds.

Over 80% of the producers completed soil test, however only 15 producers in Elliott County had ever had there forage tested. Twenty-five producers stated they were utilizing breeding soundness exams, 50 producers stated they were utilizing EPD’s when making breeding and purchasing selections for herd bulls while only 12 producers stated they were utilizing artificial insemination. After the program 25 producers either called or asked me to conduct soil samples this fall or next spring, 38 producers signed up to have their forage analyzed and samples pulled for the East Kentucky hay contest, and four producers called me wanting to sign up to participate in the Integrated Reproductive Management (IRM) program that is in collaboration with the Kentucky Beef Network (KNB).