Author: Curtis Dame
Planning Unit: Hopkins County CES
Major Program: Beef
Plan of Work: Expanding Opportunities for Technology, Sustainability, and Environmental Stewardship
Outcome: Initial Outcome
Feed is the number one cost associated with producing beef cattle. Therefore; forage management is a key component to reducing that cost. This agent and Darrell Simpson, Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Muhlenberg County hosted a farm tour in September 2018 on local producer's farm located in White Plains, Kentucky. Thirteen producers participated in the evening tour and gained information regarding the body condition scores of cows, brood cow management, utilizing hay testing to determine nutritional value. They also gained information regarding the utilization of technology to identify soil types in the farm fields and historical precipitation data as well as an overview of a warm season forages demonstration plot. Tour participants also compared information regarding past management practices utilized by the farm owner as well as new management practices being utilized due to cooperating with University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Food and Environment agents and specialists. A survey was conducted immediately after the tour. Seven program participants responded to the survey. When asked how helpful the topics were to them, six producers responded very helpful and one responded helpful. When asked if the information was relevant to their needs as forage and beef producers, all seven producers said that the information was relevant and would be used to analyze current practices and formulate new approaches to current management hurdles. Information that producers said would be utilized included hay testing, rotational grazing, and utilization of warm season forage species to name a few. One tour participant has already made plans to seed and graze an improved crabgrass for the summer of 2019. The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Food and Environment Cooperative Extension helps to educate people and make their lives better.
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