Management Details Improve Cow Calf Profitability

Paying attention to details helps to improve the profitability of any business. Dr. Kenneth Burdine, Dr. Greg Halich, and Jonathan Shepherd from the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Food and Environment, Agricultural Economics Department developed a program titled Cow Calf Profitability. They worked with Extension Agents for Agriculture and Natural Resources across the state to deliver the program in five locations across the commonwealth. Program topics focused primarily on management strategies to reduce input costs while improving profit margins. This Agent and Vicki Shadrick, Webster County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources were the lead agents on hosting the program at the Hopkins County Extension Service site. We enlisted the help of Erika Wood, Hopkins County Extension Agent for Horticulture to assist with facilities and audio visual. David Fourquean, McLean County ANR Agent, Michael Smith, Henderson County ANR Agent, Matt Futtrell, Christian County ANR Agent , and Graham Cofield, Trigg County ANR Agent were all instrumental in recruiting clientele and supporting the program. A survey was conducted immediately after the program. Forty two of the forty eight producers or 87.5 % of those in attendance completed the survey. The average herd size represented by this group of producers was 79 cows per operation. When asked to rate program topics on a scale of one to five with five being the greatest value, the results were as follows: Introduction to Cow-Calf Profitability: 4.60, Overhead Costs on the Cow-Calf Operation with a  Focus on Hay: 4.64, Hay Production Costs and Their Impact on Cow- Calf Profitability: 4.67, Breeding Stock Depreciation: How Much is Too Much for a Bred Heifer: 4.50, Improved Winter Feeding Practices: 4.71, Cowherd Management: Weaning Rate, Culling Strategies, etc: 4.67, General Farm Management: Tax Strategies, Common Errors, etc: 4.36, Stocking Rates: The Stocking Rate/Hay Feeding Tradeoff: 4.5, and Overall Quality of Cow-Calf Profitability Conference: 4.67.  One producer recently said “I really liked the overhead costs on the cow-calf operation that focused on hay topic.” Based on the attendance at this day long program and the overall survey score, the Cow-Calf Profitability Conference was a valuable Extension program for producers in this area of Western Kentucky.