Cow Country News - March 2023

I have been told I have a passion for beef production. I have to because I have never thoroughly thought out a possible plan B. When I look down the potential list of alternatives, I don’t think a professional sports or male modeling contract is in the works for a 32-year-old that has lost a step athletically and is starting to see his hairline slide back ever so slightly. I ended up back on the farm because I knew after a week of graduate school that I could not handle a desk job. I don’t sleep well in hotels and am very much a creature of routine, so a job requiring much travel is also out the window. If I am going to work from one place and not be inside, raising cattle is as good as it gets for my skillset. I have an aptitude for work in the field and am very good at reading every situation with the cattle. My educational background grasps the genetic selection and economics of beef production really well. However, I am raising all the cattle I want to, and my father and I have to make two full-time incomes from beef production. I better have a passion for making this work. That is why you hear me speak about profit in a way usually reserved for a college student at the Thanksgiving table who just finished reading Atlas Shrugged. Unless Cassie has a few million tucked away I don’t know about, these cows must be selected and managed for profit. The more marginal gain I can eke out from their genetics and my management practices, the more I make. I better have a passion for beef production.

I understand not everyone else who owns cattle has quite the sunk cost into beef production that I do. Some simply live in a rural area and have a few acres, and want to see some cows graze instead of having to mow. Some have a family tradition of farming and just never sold grandpa’s cows. Crop farmers need cattle to maintain the marginal ground they own that they can’t use for their preferred purpose. Some individuals have been fortunate enough in their full-time work to make enough to purchase a tract of land as an investment. They need something out there to not lose money while the land increases in value because of appreciation. We even see in the seedstock world those with very deep pockets who have watched a little too much Yellowstone and just want to play cowboy. I have no real opinion on why anyone chooses to own cattle. However, the degree to which they are invested will generally affect the level at which they commit their bandwidth to the venture. I understand others may not share my passion for achieving an extra $15 per calf profit because of genetic potential. They may not care as much about a rotational grazing plan that can extend their grazing season by two weeks. To me, those two things amount to an extra $15,000 per year if we just ran commercial cattle. For some, that may only be a few hundred dollars, and they would prefer to commit their mental energy elsewhere. Because of these differences in passion and knowledge, we see drastically different practices implemented regarding breed compositions and production strategies. Getting someone to change what they have been doing is very difficult, no matter what economic evidence they have been presented.

One thing I do think that all those personalities I rattled off have in common is they want cattle that don’t bring them prob-

lems (even if their selection of genetics and production practices don’t align with that goal). I don’t care if you work 60 hours a week in town or sit on the porch at the farm all day trying to find a job to do; you want trouble-free cattle. No one wants to pull a calf. No one wants to milk an udder so the calf can nurse. No one wants a cow that doesn’t claim her calf. No one wants a cow that they can’t get up or is dangerous to everyone’s safety in the corral (though I think the vast majority of disposition problems from an Angus-based perspective are self-inflicted by inadequate stockmanship). It doesn’t matter if you spend 70 hours a week working on the farm or 7; you will always choose the route of no problems when given a choice. We are calving 230 spring-bred females, developing 100 bulls and 110 replacement heifers, running a fall herd of 120, and getting ready for a bull sale. Dad and I are putting in around 60 hours a week (that drops to about 50 in the summer), and we have aggregated good part-time help to about 40 hours a week. I am unsure if anyone in the seedstock industry gets by with as little labor as we do. Our cattle must be trouble-free, or we couldn’t get it all done. Yesterday alone, I had 17 calves born, 18 tons of grain delivered, and 15 tons of hay delivered. Dad only worked until lunch, and we had everything cattle related wrapped up by 3. I spent the last few hours of the day working on sinkholes in the Bobcat. We could not get all that done if our cattle were not trouble-free.

Trouble-free cattle are profitable cattle. If in your population of cattle, you aren’t pulling calves, milking out udders, dealing with claim issues, and having sick calves, you have covered most of the primary criteria for having a profitable cow herd. On top of that, if your cows are breeding at a high rate in a tight window, are staying sound on their feet and legs, and weaning marketable calves, you are probably in the upper echelon of successful beef producers. For over 40 years, our population of cattle was selected for success in a commercial cow-calf environment. One thing that we have never had was enough extra labor to mask problems in the cow herd. They had to do it alone, or they were no longer contributing to the gene pool. A difficult birth will probably lead to an open or late-calving cow. An udder that needs to be milked out will lead to slower colostrum intake and generally a less thrifty calf. I have more than enough cows that can do what I ask of them. I do not need to make an excuse for those that can’t. When you work with us in selecting your genetics, you work with the men with the mud on their boots. If a cow has an issue, we are the ones late to dinner because we were dealing with it. When you aren’t the one problem-solving, it is far too easy to have a short memory about a cow that brought you that problem if the calf or data profile is good enough. If she can’t do what I ask of her, I am sure any of those 110 heifers would be more than happy to take her place. That is the approach we have always taken and the approach that builds you a better cow herd. That is the approach behind the bulls in our sale on March 27th. Give us a call; we would love to discuss getting trouble-free genetics in your pastures this spring.

Joe K. Lowe II

COLUMNISTS

09 Andy Bishop: President’s Thoughts

10 Ryan Quarles: Kentucky Beef Expo Set for March 3-5

12 Dave Maples: Thoughts from Dave

18 Dr. Michelle Arnold: Water Deprivation/Sodium Ion Toxicosis: Too Much Salt or Not Enough Water May Lead to Death in Cattle

28 Chris Teutsch: Planning is Key to Weathering Drought

86 Kevin Laurent: How Will You Market Your Fall Born Calves?

FEATURE STORIES

16KCA Welcomes Kenny Allen

20New UK Study Could Help Fight Food Insecurity

22Changes to CAIP EPD Guidelines for Beef Bulls

26Working Group Named To Focus On Issues, Solutions For Large Animal Vet Shortage

30Donation to Ag Tag Fund Helps Kentucky's Agriculture Youth, Farm Families

32Still Time to Respond to the 2022 Census of Agriculture

342022 Beef Exports Set Annual Records; Strong Finish for Pork Exports

36Trailblazers Announces New Cohort of Beef Spokespeople

38KCA Welcomes Spring Interns

40Kentucky Beef Cow Inventory Lowest Since 1967; Hay Supplies Tight

42UK Launches Food as Health Alliance to Boost Health and Wellbeing

44Tools to Start Your Soil Health Journey

46Agriculture Education Center Support and Efforts Continue

48USDA Develops Simplified Direct Loan Application to Improve Customer Service

52Crop Insurance Deadline Nears in Kentucky

62Cattlemen’s Beef Board Elects New Officers At 2023 Winter Meetings

64Meet Your 2023 KCA President, Andy Bishop

68Early Herd Rebuilding Could Happen Through The Bred Cow Market

14County News

24NCBA Legislative Update

60Economic & Policy Update

66Membership

70Kentucky Beef Council

72Kentucky Beef Network

82Calendar of Events

83Advertisers Index

83Classifieds

NCBA Convention 56-59

KCA PAST PRESIDENTS:

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OFFICERS: REGIONAL DIRECTORS:

REGION

PRESIDENT

Andy Bishop

6135 High Grove Road Cox’s Creek, KY 40013 (502) 350-7609

PRESIDENT ELECT

Jeff Pettit

5745 US Highway 41 S Seebree, KY 42455 (270) 836-2963

VICE PRESIDENT

Randy Warner

2717 Ratliff Road

Sharpsburg, KY 40374 (859) 771-5280

TREASURER

Ken Adams

90 E Horseshoe Ave. Upton, KY 42784 (270) 734-1443

PAST PRESIDENT Cary King 250 Bright Leaf Drive

Harrodsburg, KY 40330 (859) 613-3734

KCA PROGRAM CHAIRMAN

Daniel Hayden 6333 Herbert Road Whitesville, KY 42378 (270) 570-2815

KBC CHAIRMAN

Joe Lowe PO Box 205 Smith’s Grove, KY 42171 (270) 202-4399

KBN CHAIRMAN*

Allan Bryant

BEEF SOLUTIONS CHAIRMAN*

Jeff Pettit

Staff Accountant

Kelly Tucker

Director of Kentucky Beef Network

Becky Thompson

KBN Industry Coordinator

Dan Miller

Publication Coordinator

Carey Brown

Membership Coordinator

Nikki Whitaker

Beef Solutions Operations Manager

Kenny Allen

KBC Director of Brand Management

Kylie Trail

KBC Director of Education

Bradon Burks

Membership and Communications Coordinator

Rachel Cain

Graphic Designer

Todd Brown

Video Production Specialist

Danny Coy

National Advertising Sales, LAN

Debby Nichols (859) 321-8770

COW COUNTRY is published monthly by THE KENTUCKY CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any material which he feels is unsuitable for the publication. Although the highest journalistic ethics will be maintained, the KENTUCKY CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION limits its responsibilities for any errors, inaccuracies, or misprints in advertising or editorial copy. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for all content of advertisements made against the publisher.

Gary Woodall...............................270-725-0819

Wayne Zoleman...........................270-315-7812

Mark Heimgartner........................270-875-2585

Jeremy Armstrong......................270-668-2056

Kenton Howard..................................................

Sara Roberson............................270-668-2428

REGION 2

Phyllis Gentry*............................502-331-1146

Thomas Bolton...................................................

Fred Thomas......................................................

Bradley Willcox............................270-862-4142

Robbie Hatfield............................270-230-6716

Chris Imbruligo...........................270-993-0543

Maggie Vaughn...........................270-590-8017

Mike Jones..................................270-670-7588

Corbin Cowles.............................270-991-2534

Glen Byrd.....................................270-991-1186

Isaac Thompson.........................270-789-8712

Kenneth Green............................270-589-7175

Andy Joe Moore..........................270-590-0841

Brian Manion...............................270-868-0253

Joe Mike Moore..........................270-670-7493

Amy Cecil....................................270-427-7207

REGION 3

Allan Bryant*...............................502-548-1379

Allen Phillips................................502-220-0948

Wanda Hawkins...........................502-321-5602

Phillip Douglas............................502-552-0688

Larry Bryant................................502-845-4615

Amanda Hall................................859-333-5001

Nicole Goecke.............................606-782-2263

Ben Tinsley.........................................................

Kevin Perkins..............................502-269-7189

Kyle Bush....................................859-588-4531

Michelle Simon...........................859-572-2600

REGION 4

Amy White*.................................859-227-2552

Brad Reynolds.............................859-200-1632

Derek Abney................................859-248-0200

Phillip Stamm.............................606-796-9175

Danielle Harmon.........................606-748-8059

Bruce Witt...................................859-585-8889

Jodi Purvis..................................606-336-3540

Mike Ravencraft..........................606-584-0310

Brandon Sears...................................................

Danny Callahan...........................859-388-0910

Jason Crowe...............................859-582-0761

REGION 5

Adam Chunglo*..........................859-613-2985

Brent Woodrum...........................859-397-1078

Tommy Spalding.........................270-402-9157

Dean Craft....................................606-634-0191

Brent Ware..................................606-305-8612

Rick Brewer.................................606-682-2352

Brent Williams.............................270-234-0353

Gary Ford....................................270-402-2194

Aaron Burke................................859-265-1172

Ryan Miller..................................502-827-5027

Phillip Reese................................606-787-1629

Jared Foley..................................270-585-1331

* Denotes member of Executive committee

*ex officio

cover photo by Todd Brown Kentucky Cattlemen's Association

Presidents Thoughts

Andy Bishop KCA President

Wow was that fast! January is gone and we’re halfway through February with signs of spring approaching. One thing is for certain, the more things you have to do the faster time moves. Many things have happened since my last article but none more important than the Ag Development Board meeting in January. By now most of you know that our building project was voted down and we are back to square one. I’ve been bombarded with questions and comments and I keep going back to something that I’ve learned through my 15 years of lending experience. The hardest thing about lending is saying no to an enthusiastic person with a new project. No doubt this decision was a tough one for them as well. We are blessed in this state to have an ag development board made up of outstanding agriculture leaders from across this great state. There is a lot of wisdom on that board, and I value their insight. I’ve tried to take a step back and look at this through the eyes of that borrower that was denied a loan. Just like that borrower we as a livestock industry are at a crossroads. We can either go home in defeat, anger, and remorse or we can take the advice of those leaders and use it to regroup, self-reflect, seek support and advice from our producers and develop an even better plan than the one we had before. Writer Brene Brown says “there is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.” Those words ring true with this project and this setback will force the industry to be even more innovative moving forward. This facility will change the livestock industry across the southeast and it’s our responsibility as producers to provide input, show support, and turn this brief setback into a positive story for future generations.

I recently attended the NCBA convention in New Orleans where I was reminded why I love this industry and am spending my time in service; The People. I’m constantly reminded that as producers we are all so different but we all have a common goal which is to raise our families to live off the land and be stewards of what God has blessed us with. Convention for me is an opportunity to reenergize by seeing what others are doing to keep Beef at the center of the plate. Whether it’s NCBA standing up for our rights, allied industry developing new products, or checkoff leaders promoting our product, we are all in this together. It’s our responsibility to be a part of the solution rather than complain about the problem. We truly are one big dysfunctional family at times with staunch opinions, but we must be open-minded enough to work together to provide solutions to the problems we face each day. It’s very easy to sit back and complain or point fingers but it takes a special person to volunteer to be a part of the solution. Social media has been a blessing and a curse for the world we live in. I have found that with the internet and social media “Everyone” becomes an instant expert on all things and are quick to share their expertise. I would ask each of you to seek the facts before hitting share from these so called experts and if you have questions or concerns reach out to leadership with those questions and be prepared with a solution rather than just a complaint. I am re-energized at convention because I get to witness firsthand the volunteer producers who spend countless hours working to protect our way of life. I encourage you to step up and be a part of the solution and let your voice be heard.

Grilling season is coming and I write this article while waiting to board a plane for the Beef It’s What’s for Dinner 300. This event is a Beef Checkoff event that puts producers in front of fans with a

Beef Immersion experience at the Daytona Speedway. We will be doing interactive things with fans, serving beef sliders, speaking with National media about Beef in all things beef promotion. I often get the question, “why are we using checkoff dollars to promote beef to race fans who probably already eat beef?” This is a very valid question, and the answer is simple and I will pose it back in the form of a question. Is it easier and more efficient to get a beef eater to eat 1 more pound of beef or convince a Vegan to eat beef at all? There are far more carnivores in this world than omnivores and it costs far less money to convince those carnivores to eat beef one more time a week! We will continue to work on the Vegan population but catching the low hanging fruit of reaching millions of race fans during the biggest race week of the year is the perfect way to get people ready for grilling season. Let me know if you need help with anything in your county and as always share your story to help show someone why they should EAT BEEF!

Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association President 502-350-7609

Kentucky Beef Expo Set for March 3-5

Ryan Quarles Commissioner of Agriculture

Two weeks before the first day of spring, the weather outside the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville can vary from snow flurries to mild sunny days. But the action inside the show and sales rings is always hot at the Kentucky Farm Bureau Beef Expo.

I have high hopes that this year’s 37th Beef Expo on March 3-5 can eclipse the $1million mark for the first time in five years. It came close last year, when gross sales of $929,000 was the most since the 2018 sale topped $1 million for the seventh consecutive year.

In 2022, sales averaged $2,525 on 373 total lots from 168 consignors representing 11 states. The junior show featured 232 head from Kentucky, including 114 steers, 269 heifers, and 17 market heifers.

The Beef Expo is one of the most unique and effective state-supported promotional events ever developed. One aspect which sets the Beef Expo apart is the involvement of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA)

and the state legislature through KRS 302 and KAR 15-030.

KDA awards $4,000 to each breed show and sale, which is matched by each breed, in the form of entry fees, for a total of $8,000 in premiums awarded for each breed show. Another $2,000 is dispersed to each breed as a reimbursement for advertising costs and catalog preparation. KDA works closely with the Beef Expo Board in promoting, advertising, and coordinating the event. Although the first Beef Expo was held in 1987, its genesis actually dates back 40 years before that. It can trace its origin to the Kentucky Angus Sweepstakes in 1947, when several breeders decided to come together in one location to promote the Angus breed. The two-day event attracted more than 100 head of registered Angus cattle.

About 12 years later, the Shorthorn and Polled Hereford breeds started their own two-day separate sales on consecutive weekends

following the Angus Sweepstakes at the Kentucky Exposition Center. A few years later, the continental influence created more breeds and opportunities for purebred sales.

To help reduce consignors’ cost, it was decided in 1987 for all breeds to combine into one show and sale event called the Kentucky Beef Expo. Currently, it contains 13 breed shows and sales: Angus, Charolais, Chiangus, Gelbvieh/Balancer, Hereford, Limousin, Red Angus, Red Poll, Salers, Shorthorn, Simmental, and Pen Heifers of all breeds.

In 2007, Kentucky Farm Bureau became the title sponsor of the Beef Expo, offering a bigger, more exciting expo for both the buyer and the seller. The expo added a cattle judging contest for 4-H/FFA members, trade show, and Junior Jackpot Steer and Heifer Show.

This year’s 37th edition of the Beef Expo has evolved into a can’t-miss event for buyers and sellers of purebred livestock.

Thoughts From Dave

Dave Maples Executive Vice President

Every month, I put a lot of thought into what I want to write in this article. This month, I have had several thoughts running through my mind about how to say what I want to say. In several of my past articles I have written about the Agriculture Education Center, which is a project that the KCA Foundation, members of the Kentucky Livestock Coalition, and the University of Kentucky presented to the Agriculture Development Board for funding. In January, the Ag Development Board denied funding at their monthly meeting. When you are around talented, caring people that put so much effort into a good project and you get a negative reaction, it causes stress.

It helps me to go back to the late 1980’s and early 90’s where the idea of an Ag Education Center got its roots. The Commonwealth of Kentucky purchased the 1,500-acre Woodford County farm in 1991. The Beef Unit, Swine

Unit and the Sheep unit were built over the years, but because of different reasons, an education center was never built. In addition to the research units the plan was to have space allocated to the different livestock organizations like the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association or the Kentucky Pork Producers. It would be a model that looks similar to the Kentucky Horse Park. If you visit the Horse Park, you will see all the different equine associations located on the Commonwealth’s property.

Dean Oran Little had a vision for the farm in Woodford County. In fact, the farm was named after him in 2010. Dean Little would stop by the KCA office often and Nikki and I developed a strong personal relationship with him, and we developed the same desire to help continue his vision.

Fast forward to today, the window of opportunity has been opened wide for

91st INDIANA BEEF EVALUATION PROGRAM PERFORMANCE TESTED BULL SALE

Sale Date: April 15, 2023 • 1pm est (Springville Feeder Auction)

Pre-Sale Open House: April 14, 2023 • 3pm est (IBEP Test Station) Springville Feeder Auction – Springville, Indiana

Kentucky’s land grant University and Kentucky agriculture with Dean Nancy Cox being named a Vice President of the University of Kentucky. Dean Cox is in a position now to make moves for the College of Agriculture and this project is a piece of the puzzle that she is very committed to.

Dean Cox and I have talked about what I am about to write on several occasions so this is not a surprise to her. I have vocalized to her the displeasure that many in Kentucky Agriculture have had with UK and the College of Agriculture. She has heard me several times complaining about the buildings and facilities on campus. The College of Agriculture is being neglected when it comes to facilities and there was even a push to no longer allow animals on campus. That is a red flag to a person that represents cattlemen. I even made the comment to a group when they were planning the Grain and Forage Center in Princeton that the money should go to a classroom on campus first. Thankfully, Dean Cox did just announce that UK is finally going to get a new modern agriculture classroom on campus as well as the new USDA research building. In the last 24 months I have been on the campuses at Colorado State, Iowa State, Purdue, Mississippi State and Auburn. This past weekend I was at Auburn and the morning I was there; Auburn announced a $265 million dollar STEM+AG Complex. When I come home, I can’t get away from the aggressive nature that the University of Tennessee is hiring the best young talents in Agriculture. If they can keep them, Tennessee will be a force in Animal Extension and research. Kentucky has the talent, assets, and geographical location to be a leader in forages and animal agriculture. We need to be more proactive to capitalize on the opportunity we have.

I have told some of my good UK Ag Alumni that you can complain at Dean Cox or you can get in there and help her if you want to make a change. She said to me the other day, “that she was listening”. If the Dean is listening, I want to help her. We are in a spot to do something for Kentucky agriculture and strengthen our Land Grand University, which will benefit everyone. The window of opportunity won’t be open for long, but it is going to take some visionaries to guide the future of Kentucky Agriculture to get us where we need to be.

TWIN LAKES NEWS

Submitted

by Steve Peddicord

The Twin Lakes Association held it’s first quarterly membership meeting of 2023 on January 24. A good crowd of about 75 attended the meeting at the Clinton County Extension office in Albany.

The program kicked off with a grilled ribeye steak and baked potato meal. Morgan Pence, Kentucky Farm Bureau in Albany sponsored the meal.

Following the opening agency reports from Extension, NRCS, and FSA, the guest speaker for the evening was Dr. Ray Smith, Forage Extension Specialist with UK. Smith gave an informative talk highlighting the management strategies for grazing endophyte infected Ky-31 fescue. He also gave some management tips for renovating pastures and frost seeding clovers.

During the business session of the meeting, a special recognition award was presented to Dr. Charles Daily DVM. Dr. Daily was recognized for his many years of time and work for the association serving as Treasurer and Membership Chairman.

Guidelines were presented to those attending pertaining to the new 300 gallon pasture sprayer the association recently purchased through fundraising activities.

On a unanimous motion vote by the membership our association is requesting to continue sponsoring and administering the CAIP program in Clinton county for 2023.

Our association is looking forward to a busy summer of cooking events to promote beef and raise money to buy more equipment for the members. We plan to kickoff the summer grilling season with Beef Month (May), cook monthly, and wrap up with the Foothills Festival event in October. Providing rental equipment along with group purchasing discounts on minerals, protein tubs, and dewormers is a priority for our association.

The Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association (KCA) has been a longtime supporter of youth across the state through FFA, 4-H and scholarships. KCA has a youth scholarship available funded by the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation (KCF).

The KCF Youth Scholarship started in 1991 and has provided over $156,000 in scholarship funds to students across Kentucky. Five $1,500 scholarships will be awarded to graduating high school seniors from each of the five KCA regions who plan to major in Agriculture or an Agriculturally-related subject, with the possibility of two $1,500 additional scholarships from any region.

Deadline for submission of the KCF Youth Scholarship is March 31, 2023 the KCA Office at 176 Pasadena Drive, Lexington, KY 40503. To download an application, view the requirements, or for more information, please visit KCA online at www.kycattle.org under Youth Activities.

The Mission of the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation is to pursue opportunities that promote the profitability of the cattle industry in Kentucky through educational and philanthropic endeavors.

The Barren County Cattlemen’s meeting was held Thursday evening February 9, 2023 at the Barren County High School Trojan Academy. During the meeting members of the Barren County FFA Chapter presented a program on their Supervised Agriculture Experience projects. Pictured from left to right back row is: Will Mills, Weston Staples, Annalee London, Mollie Webb, Katelyn Huffaren, Jace Newton, Kaylee White, Addison Houchens, and Mary Schalk. Front row, left to right: Landen Hensley, Addison Bow, Katie London, Aubree Lee, and Kendall Crowe all representing the Barren County FFA Chapter. Pictured far right is Mr. John Keigtley, manager of

A delicious steak dinner was served which was sponsorsed by

During the February 9th Barren County Cattlemen’s meeting, Mr. Richard Heath made a presentation. He is a candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture of Kentucky 2023.

SHELBY COUNTY NEWS

Submitted by Tanya Wilson

On January 17, 2023 the Shelby County Cattlemen’s Association gave away two $1,000 heifer scholarships to Amelia Fields and Lilly King. Also we celebrated our president Irvin Kupper’s 72nd birthday!

My name is Kenny Allen and I am very excited to introduce myself as the new Operations Manager for Beef Solutions! Although I wasn’t raised on a farm, in 2001 I moved from Rockcastle County to Garrard County where I was surrounded by my in-law’s cattle farm. My family loved living in the country and all the perks that come with that, but we never considered farming to be in our future. But, in 2019, we acquired our own farm with intentions of sprucing the place up and selling it quickly.

We began to spend every free minute repairing the farm. It was so satisfying to see the neglected farm get some much-needed TLC and come back to life. In fact, it was so satisfying that the thought began to run through my head: Why are we selling this place? I couldn’t shake the idea. So, instead of having an auction, we invested in cows and a tractor! Quickly, I

Kenny Allen

began to develop a passion for farming and beef cattle!

Although farming was where I spent all of my free time, I worked in purchasing and logistics in the automotive steel industry for 16 years. But steel was never a passion. It was just a job. I am excited to begin a career at KCA where I can use my experience in logistics and passion for beef cattle to help grow Beef Solutions! As Operations Manager of Beef Solutions, I am eager to work with the KCA team to continue to provide a pathway for Kentucky’s cattle farmers to enter the market for locally produced and marketed ground beef.

I look forward to meeting more of the Kentucky producers that help to feed our state! Feel free to reach out to me with any questions you might have.

Water Deprivation/Sodium Ion Toxicosis: Too Much Salt or Not Enough Water May Lead to Death in Cattle

Dr. Michelle Arnold UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Cold temperatures and muddy conditions often make routine chores difficult to nearly impossible. Providing a continuous supply of free-choice salt or trace mineral mix and making sure there is plenty of fresh water available are two chores that, if neglected, can result in a health emergency. Sodium ion toxicosis, often referred to as “salt poisoning”, can occur if too much salt is ingested without adequate water, or if water intake is severely limited, or a combination of both. In these situations, the brain is damaged due to the imbalance created between the sodium level in the neurons (brain cells) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) versus the sodium level in the blood, resulting in obvious neurologic symptoms. Although there are many regulatory mechanisms to control retention and excretion of sodium such as thirst (water ingestion) and sodium control by the kidneys, these mechanisms can be overwhelmed when sodium levels become too high in the blood stream, a condition known as “hypernatremia”. This disease condition has been reported in all species throughout the world but is most common in swine, cattle and poultry.

Too much dietary salt most often occurs from rapid overconsumption when a salt-starved herd is given free-choice access to salt or mineral supplementation. Other situations include excessive sodium in the ration (mixing error or inadequate mixing), overconsumption of feed with salt as a limiter, saline water sources, or any excessive sodium feedstuffs such as bakery waste. Calves may develop the disease from high sodium milk replacer without access to fresh water or from administration of oral electrolyte solutions with high sodium levels for calf scours. When large quantities of salt are ingested without adequate water, called “acute hypernatremia”, cattle may die quickly with no symptoms, or they may develop gastrointestinal and neurologic signs then death. Diarrhea often develops due to fluid being pulled into the GI tract and irritation to the lining of the gut. The rapid dehydration shrinks brain cells, causing neurologic signs that may progress to respiratory failure and death. Water deprivation occurs if intake is reduced by any interruption of the water supply, often over a period of 2 or more days. This could be due to frozen water sources, cattle getting trapped in an area without water, or some mechanical failure of an automatic waterer such as a faulty well pump switch. Other situations discourage adequate water consumption such as overcrowded conditions, unpalatable (dirty/contaminated) water, or heaters in watering troughs that create stray voltage. Regardless, with inadequate water over time resulting in “chronic hypernatremia”, the brain cells adjust using mechanisms to retain sodium and water to prevent them from shrinking. When these cattle regain unlimited access to fresh water, fluid moves quickly from

Specimen

Test Name

Cow - Mammalian - Bovidee - Bovine - Female - 6 Years

Result

Brain - Tissue, fresh - 12 Sodium - Brain - 2170 ppm

The brain sodium concentration is very elevated in this animal. The normal concentration of sodium in brain tissue in adult cattle ranges between 800 and 1600 pppm on a wet weight basis. Recent studies in our laboratory have suggested that the upper end of the normal range likely extends to 1600 ppm or higher. Brain sodium concentrations > 1,800 ppm are excessive and suggestive of sodium intoxication or water deprivation.

Causes of sodiuim ion intoxication include excessive sodium in the diet, sodium added as limiter to feeds, saline water source, excessive sale suplementation, and sudden access to salt after weeks or longer without access to salt. Water deprivation can result from an interruption in the water supply, mechanical failure of watering units. over-crowding, unpalatable water, freezing of water lines and water sources, and other causes such as lack of drinking due to illness.

Clinical signs of sodium intoxication/water deprivation in cattle include ataxia, weakness, tremors, seizures, blindness, lateral recumbency with paddling and opisthotonus. Post-mortem lesions in cattle can include DI Irritation, dehydration, cerebral edema, and inflammation of the meninges, cerebral hemorrrhages, and lesions of polioencephalomalacia, but CNS lesions are less consistent in cattle than in swine.

Method: ICP-MS. Values reported on a wet weight basis.

the blood stream to the sodium-rich brain cells, causing neurologic signs due to rapid, often fatal, cerebral edema (brain swelling).

Regardless of the original cause for the hypernatremia, the neurologic signs seen in cattle are identical. The two conditions (acute or chronic) are distinguished only by the rate of increase in serum sodium concentration and the duration it exists. At first, an affected animal may be lethargic, off-feed, and disoriented or unaware of its surroundings. As the disease progresses, the animal may develop head and muscle tremors (ear flicking, facial twitching), head-pressing, stargazing, salivation (drooling) and/or chewing, circling, blindness, staggering, and belligerent or aggressive behavior. Further progression of the condition to later signs of lateral recumbency (down and lying on one side), opisthotonos (head turned back to one side), seizures, and convulsions with paddling motions are usually followed by death.

The possible causes for cattle showing similar neurologic signs include sulfur-induced or thiamine-deficiency polioencephalomalacia (PEM), lead toxicosis, thrombotic meningoencephalitis, listeriosis, rabies, nervous coccidiosis, nervous ketosis, magnesium deficiency, head trauma, meningitis, and rumen acidosis. The clinical signs and brain injuries (both visible and microscopic) are indistinguishable with lead poisoning, sodium ion toxicosis and PEM. Consulting with a veterinarian is a must in this type of emergency situation. Diagnosis can be confirmed through laboratory testing of serum or cerebrospinal fluid prior to death, or aqueous humor (from the eye), and brain tissue after death (Figure 1). Treatment is usually unsuccessful with death expected in at least 50% of affected cattle. Fresh water may be offered in small amounts over a 48-hour time period but too much water too quickly

causes rapid and fatal swelling of the brain. A veterinarian may use IV fluid therapy to slowly restore fluid balance, steroids to reduce brain swelling and sedatives to control seizures.

In a case description from a 1995 issue of the Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, a herd of 200 beef cow-calf pairs was without water for 24-36 hours due to a well pump problem. They were on pasture with no supplemental feed and had also been without salt or mineral for one week. When the water was fixed, salt (150 lbs.) and mineral (450 lbs.) was also placed in two self-feeders nearby. Within 3 hours, all the salt and mineral had been consumed and 10 cows were lying down with tremors and seizures. By the following morning, all 10 of the affected cows were dead, despite supportive treatment. The importance of this case description is to recognize how quickly and tragically these events can unfold. It is critical to keep salt and/ or trace mineral available to cattle because overconsumption in deprived animals can result in sodium ion toxicosis, even when adequate water is available. Cattle are also likely to ingest other potential toxins if they are looking for something to satisfy their salt cravings. Many poisoning cases diagnosed at the UKVDL involve cattle investigating old barns or burn piles because salt or mineral was unavailable. In known instances of salt deprivation, try to limit salt intake (offer small amounts in multiple feeders or offer in block form) and slowly re-introduce it back to free-choice in the diet. Animals of all ages should have ad libitum access to highquality, clean water; pond or sulfur water should be minimized to optimize intake. Sources of salt should always be placed near a reliable source of palatable water. Work with your veterinarian to determine the best course of action for your herd if salt- or water-deprived to prevent a health disaster.

Figure 1. Laboratory results from a sodium ion toxicosis/water deprivation case.

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New UK Study Could Help Fight Food Insecurity

Jordan Strickler University of Kentucky

LEXINGTON, KY. - A University of Kentucky researcher is leading a study that could help combat food insecurity. The research, published in Nature Plants, focuses on ways to produce larger crop seeds, allowing farmers to increase their grain yields.

"The world population is rapidly increasing and achieving more food with less input is essential," said Tomokazu Kawashima, associate professor in the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, who led the group. "We found that manipulations

of cytoskeleton dynamics in the endosperm can enlarge the seed size in A. thaliana, a model plant for molecular and cellular biology. By applying the same concept to grain crops such as soybean, wheat, maize and rice, we might be able to increase the grain yield. Therefore, this new discovery should enable greater food security."

In a growing seed, the embryo and endosperm are developing. The embryo becomes a seedling when germinated, while the endosperm nourishes the embryo for its development. Although scientists know that

the early stage of endosperm development affects the final seed size, it has been hard to get a clear picture of how the cells work together to control endosperm development and how the early-stage endosperm affects the final seed size in flowering plants. Using the established real-time live-cell imaging technique and genetics, the researchers figured out how the early-stage endosperm A. thaliana development takes place from beginning to end.

“We found that cellular structural components called cytoskeletons show unique dynamics during endosperm development and also found that one of the cytoskeletons, called actin filament, involves in seed size determination,” Kawashima said. “We believe that if we can increase the size of grain crop seeds by manipulating actin filament dynamics in the endosperm, we could go a long way to reducing food insecurity.”

UK professor Ling Yuan, also with the UK Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, was another member of the team. Additional contributors to the paper include scientists from Nagoya University in Japan and Gregor Mendel Institute in Austria.

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Science Foundation Division of Integrative Organismal Systems under Award Number 1928836. The opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Researchers found that actin filament helps determine seed size.

Image provided by Tomokazu Kawashima.

Photo by Steve Patton, UK Agricultural Communications.

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Changes to CAIP EPD Guidelines for Beef Bulls

Dr. Darrh Bullock Extension Professor, UK

Every year we re-evaluate the EPD requirements for the CAIP bull cost-share program and make changes as needed. This year’s EPD values can be found at: https://www.kyagr.com/agpolicy/documents/2023Program-Guidelines-Applications/ADF_APP_caip-epd-standards. pdf. For information and requirements for the entire Beef Genetics Improvement Program go to: https://www.kyagr.com/agpolicy/ documents/2023-Program-Guidelines-Applications/ADF_APP_animallarge.pdf. These changes are usually when a breed changes their method of computing EPDs, but also for various other reasons. This year we saw more than usual changes to the guidelines; most were subtle, but others were significant. Additionally, bulls must have genomically enhanced EPDs to qualify, so make sure that the EPDs you are using to determine if the bull qualifies have been genomically enhanced or have a Calving Ease EPD of .25 or greater.

We have developed an online tool to assist the process of checking if your bull is eligible https://afs.ca.uky.edu/beef/KBAT. This tool can help those that are looking to buy a bull, by simply entering the appropriate EPDs. The tool can also assist seedstock producers who can enter a bull’s values and it will reveal all the categories that the bull qualifies for. The most recent values are dated January 30,2023. If any changes occur we will report in Off the Hoof, but to make sure that you have the most current values check the KOAP website above before purchasing your bull. For more information on Beef Cattle Genetics please visit: https:// bce.ca.uky.edu/index.php/production/genetic-management.

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NCBA ANNOUNCES LAWSUIT AGAINST BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WOTUS RULE

WASHINGTON (January 19, 2022) – Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) challenging the Biden administration’s final “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule.

“The Biden administration’s WOTUS definition is an attack on farmers and ranchers and NCBA will be fighting back in court,” said NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart. “The rule removes longstanding, bipartisan exclusions for small and isolated water features on farms and ranches and adds to the regulatory burden cattle producers are facing under this administration. We look forward to challenging this rule in court and ensuring that cattle producers are treated fairly under the law.” NCBA previously filed technical comments on this rule, highlighting the importance of maintaining agricultural exclusions for small, isolated, and temporary water features, like ephemeral streams that only flow during limited periods of rainfall but remain dry the majority of the year. Regulating these features at the federal level under the Clean Water Act disrupts normal agricultural operations and interferes with cattle producers’ abilities to make improvements to their land.

“Farmers are stewards of the land and understand the importance of clean water. Unfortunately, this rule lacks common sense and makes our lives more complicated,” said NCBA Policy Vice Chair Gene Copenhaver, a Virginia cattle producer. “My cattle operation in southwest Virginia has a creek that only carries water after large storms. Under this WOTUS rule, we could be subject to complex federal regulation. I’m proud of NCBA’s work fighting back against this rule and I hope the uncertainty created by WOTUS will soon be a thing of the past.”

Last year, over 1,700 individual cattle producers sent messages to the EPA opposing the administration’s overly broad definition of WOTUS. Producers once again shared their views with the EPA at an agency roundtable last June and even the EPA’s own Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Advisory Committee urged the EPA to consider a more limited rule. Unfortunately, EPA failed to incorporate the cattle industry’s recommendations, and NCBA will be suing to stop this rule from harming cattle producers.

“NCBA is also concerned that the EPA charges headfirst on a controversial rulemaking while this very issue is currently before the Supreme Court. We look forward to a decision in Sackett v. EPA,” said Hart.

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Sackett case on October 3, 2022, and is expected to release a decision in early 2023.

NCBA STATEMENT ON USDA PROPOSED TRACEABILITY RULE

WASHINGTON (January 18, 2023) – National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) PresidentElect Todd Wilkinson, a South Dakota cattle producer and chairman of the NCBA traceability working group, today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposed rule on electronic identification for cattle moving interstate:

“As USDA has worked toward a nationally significant animal disease traceability program, NCBA has remained engaged in the conversation with industry stakeholders and USDA to ensure the interests of cattle producers are represented and protected. It is critical that any program ultimately adopted by USDA allows for maximum flexibility and privacy. At the same time, USDA must also minimize the costs for producers and any business disruptions to the industry.

"Foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks across the globe continue to result in disruptions to commerce and depopulated livestock, the need for bold action is immediate and evident. However, NCBA is committed to working with USDA to ensure workable solutions are identified and ultimately implemented. Cattle producers can be confident that any finished product will protect our national livestock herd. We will ensure it provides maximum producer privacy and flexibility with minimal costs, exactly what our stakeholders have told us they expect from USDA.”

NCBA is reviewing the proposed rule in its entirety to determine whether it meets the criteria that NCBA’s policy has outlined below.

Background

NCBA grassroots policy, which is brought forward and voted on by individual cattle producers, states that NCBA believes an effective animal disease traceability program should:

• Be compatible with private sector animal ID and verification programs backed by the USDA.

• Be compatible with the general traceability principles of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).

• Recognize existing USDA programs for beef exports.

• Be built using infrastructure that supports other potential uses of ID.

• Utilize low-cost electronic official tagging devices paid for by federal and/or state funds, when possible.

• Require that cattle ID information for disease traceability be kept confidential and strongly protected from disclosure.

• Protect ownership information from disclosure to future owners.

• Protect producers from liability for acts of others, after the cattle have left the producer’s control.

• Operate at the speed of commerce.

• Not replace or impede existing state brand inspection activities.

• Work within a framework to accommodate all classes of cattle.

NCBA ANNOUNCES 2023 POLICY PRIORITIES

NEW ORLEANS (February 1, 2023) – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) executive committee approved the organization’s policy priorities at the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, with a focus on advancing animal disease preparedness, protecting voluntary conservation programs, and defending producers from regulatory overreach.

“Our focus is helping to create opportunity for America’s cattle producers and fighting to make sure the federal government does not damage our industry,” said NCBA President-Elect Todd Wilkinson. “Cattle producers have been caretakers of the land and livestock for decades and are committed to conserving this country’s natural resources while producing high-quality beef. NCBA’s policy priorities include:

• Securing reauthorization of animal health provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill and advocating for expanded funding of the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB) to protect against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

• Protecting and funding EQIP, CSP and other voluntary conservation programs that incentivize science-based, active management of natural resources.

• Protecting the cattle industry from regulatory attacks under Waters of the United States, the Endangered Species Act, emissions reporting and more.

“One of the biggest opportunities to help cattle producers in the coming year is passing the 2023 Farm Bill with continued investment in our national vaccine bank to protect the U.S. cattle herd from the threat of foot-and-mouth disease. Recently, we have seen other countries deal with the realities of animal disease outbreaks. American cattle producers are not going to be caught flatfooted – we are laser-focused on reducing risk and having the strongest response with a stockpile of vaccines that we have been building up since the 2018 Farm Bill,” Wilkinson said. ”

Working Group Named To Focus On Issues, Solutions For Large Animal Vet Shortage

GROUP’S FIRST ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING IS SET FOR THIS MONTH

FRANKFORT, KY. (Feb. 3, 2023) – A working group, made up of agriculture industry stakeholders, has been named to begin its task of looking for solutions to the state’s large animal vet shortage, Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Ryan Quarles has announced.

“This shortage of large animal veterinarians in Kentucky and throughout the nation has already started impacting the farmer and could impact our food source in the future,” Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Quarles said. “This creates a significant concern for farmers being able to access adequate animal care to keep their herds and flocks healthy. The working group brings together the brightest agriculture minds to find solutions to the issues at hand and improve the services farmers need.”

Nationwide, a shortage of large animal veterinarians is creating a negative impact as farmers search to find the veterinary care they need for their animals. Large animal veterinarians are essential to the protection of the nation’s food supply. Only 5 percent of veterinarians in the U.S. practice on large animals. The other 95 percent have turned to companion animal practices, research, or regulatory. In Kentucky, large animal veterinarians make up an even smaller percentage. Only about 3 percent of veterinarians in the state have dedicated large animal practices.

Last year, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, led by Commissioner Quarles, invited industry stakeholders to participate in two discussion meetings to discover reasons for the vet shortage and possible solutions. The idea for a working group was developed out of these discussions.

Following up on that plan, Commissioner Quarles has formulated the working group. Those named to the group and who they represent include:

• Glen Sellers, Auburn University

• Dr. Debbie Reed, Breathitt Veterinary Center and Murray State University

• Dr. Gordon Jones, Kentucky Agriculture Development Board

• Dustin Blosser, Kentucky Alternative Livestock Association

• Dr. Andy Roberts, Kentucky Association of Equine Practitioners

• Dr. Tim Gardner, Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners

• Dave Maples, Kentucky Cattlemen Association

• Dr. Charles Townsend, Kentucky Dairy Development Council

• Sharon Furches, Kentucky Farm Bureau

• Erin Klarer, Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority

• Sarah E. Coleman, Kentucky Horse Council

• Caleb Ragland, Kentucky Livestock Coalition and Kentucky Soybean Association

• Dennis Liptrap, Kentucky Pork Producers

• Aaron Miller, Kentucky Poultry Federation

• Dr. Beth Johnson, Kentucky Sheep & Goat Development Office

• Dr. Jon Laster, Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association

• Randall Evans DVM, Lincoln Memorial University

• Mark Reding, State Board of Agriculture

• Dr. James "Jamie" Matthew, UK College of Agriculture and UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

• Dr. Andrea Sexten, Eastern Kentucky University

During the discussions last year, stakeholders listed some of the reasons for the shortages including:

• Salaries – Large animal veterinarians often make less on average than those in other areas.

• Debt load – The average debt for a graduating veterinarian is more than $200,000.

• Burnout – Long work hours, strenuous work, and unpredictable schedules have driven many large animal veterinarians from the field to find work in other vet areas.

• Retirements – Almost 40 percent of the large animal veterinarians in Kentucky are within 10 years of retirement.

• The stakeholder meetings last year also identified possible solutions the working group will further explore. These include, but are not limited to:

• Changes to current loan programs and potentially new opportunities offered by state and federal government to assist with

student debt and beginning a practice.

• Incentives programs to encourage and recruit graduating veterinarians to enter into large animal practices in a rural or underserved area.

• Develop programs to introduce young people to opportunities as a veterinarian early in their education through organizations, such as 4-H, FFA, and career tracks in schools

• Review the criteria for admittance to veterinarian schools to see if changes might identify individuals more likely to choose this area of veterinary careers. The group’s first organizational meeting is set for late February. The group is expected to meet throughout 2023 to further define the solutions, develop action plans, and set benchmarks to measure success.

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Planning is Key to Weathering Drought

Chris Teutsch UK Grain and Forage Center of Excellence, Princeton, Kentucky

Every spring since I moved to Kentucky, I had written an article talking about preparing for drought and then we would have plenty of rain. I was beginning to feel like the “boy that cried wolf”. This last spring, I said to myself, I am not doing that again. Everyone reading this article knows what happened last summer. I am not saying that I jinxed us, but I am also not willing to take that chance again. So here is your annual article on preparing for drought in grazing systems!

Although climatic predictions indicate that we should expect warmer and wetter summers, this doesn’t mean that we will not have periods with below normal rainfall. Many regions of Kentucky saw significant periods with limited rainfall and some areas saw extended periods with little to no rainfall (Figure 1).

Developing and implementing a drought management plan could significantly reduce the economic and emotional impact of drought on your grazing operation. The time to develop this plan is before it gets dry. The strategies that are used will depend on the resources that you have on your farm and your long-term goals. The remainder of this article will outline some strategies that could be used either alone or in a combination to mitigate the negative impact of drought on your grazing enterprise.

that can go deeper into the soil for water. In addition to a larger and healthier root system, not grazing closer than 4- 5 inches modifies the microclimate (conditions) near the soil surface, keeping the plants growing point (crown) cooler and reducing evaporation of water from the soil surface. Lastly, resting pastures between grazing events allows plants to store up carbohydrates that can be mobilized to supply energy for plant growth and maintenance during and after a drought. Good grazing management is not just a drought management strategy, but probably one of the best ones.

Implement rotational grazing. Although this does not sound like much of a drought management strategy, the first thing that people notice when they switch from a continuous to rotational grazing system is that pastures grow longer into a drought and recover faster after the rain finally comes.

The reason for this is that rotationally grazed plants have larger and healthier root systems

Incorporate deep-rooted legumes into pastures. Interseeding legumes into pastures increases pasture quality, supplies nitrogen that is shared with grass, dilutes the toxic endophyte, and extends grazing during a drought. The most commonly used legume would be red clover. The primary advantage of red clover is that it has great seedling vigor and can be easily frost seeded into pastures. Alfalfa possesses a deeper tap root and is more drought tolerant than red clover, but requires higher soil fertility and well drained soils. Alfalfa mixes well with a variety of grasses like orchardgrass and tall fescue but can be difficult to get established into a well-managed sod. The most drought tolerant legume and our only truly perennial warm-season legume is sericea lespedeza. Sericea has an extremely deep taproot, but its major limitation is poor seedling vigor making it difficult to incorporate into an established sod (Figure 3). Once established, sericea has amazing drought tolerance, however palatability can be low. Making sure it does not get too tall before grazing is key to maintaining palatability. Incorporate warm-season perennial grasses into grazing system. During the summer months, warm-season grasses will produce about twice as much dry matter per unit of water used when compared to cool-season grasses. There are several perennial warmseason grasses that can used, but in western Kentucky the most productive, persistent, and tolerant to close and frequent grazing

is bermudagrass. Bermudagrass requires management to be productive, which means it needs to be grazed frequently to keep it vegetative and it needs nitrogen. Other perennial warm-season grasses include the native grasses such as big and little bluestem, Indiangrass, switchgrass, and eastern gammagrass. These grasses can be productive parts of grazing systems, but will require a higher level of grazing management to persist. The last perennial warm-season grass that I want to mention is johnsongrass. I am going on record to make clear that I am NOT encouraging anyone to plant johnsongrass, but sometimes it just shows up. Johnsongrass occurs on many farms in Kentucky and could provide high quality summer grazing when managed. Because johnsongrass is extremely palatable, it needs to be managed under rotational stocking to persist. Otherwise it will be selectively grazed and eventually grazed out of the pasture.

Incorporate warm-season annual grasses into grazing system. Warm-season annual grasses like pearl millet, sorghum-sudangrass, sudangrass, and crabgrass can provide high quality summer grazing. The primary disadvantage with summer annual grasses is

Figure 1. Drought map for late October 2022. Dark areas indicate abnormally dry conditions, middle greens are moderate drought, light areas indicate extreme drought. Last season many areas in Kentucky experienced two distinct periods of short-term drought stress.

Figure 2. Rotational grazing can be easily implemented by subdividing pastures with properly constructed temporary fencing. In this photo producers in Bracken County learn how to use a faulter finder to measure voltage and find shorts in electric fencing.

Figure 3. THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX: Sericea lespedeza is a warm-season perennial legume that has outstanding drought tolerance.

that they need to be reestablished every year, which costs money and provides the chance for stand failure. The exception to this is crabgrass that develops volunteer stands from seed in the soil. Although most people don’t realize (or want to admit it) crabgrass has saved many cows during dry summers in Kentucky. Research has shown that crabgrass responds well to improved management and can produce 2-4 tons per acre of highly digestible forage. The best use of annuals in grazing systems is as a transition crop when pastures are being renovated.

Irrigate pastures. Irrigating your pastures can increase dry matter production by about 50% in a normal year and much more than that in a dry year. The best grass to irrigate is warm-season perennial and annual grasses such as bermudagrass and sorghumsudangrass. One common misconception is that irrigating a cool-season grass will make it grow in the summer. Cool-season grass growth is limited by not only moisture, but also temperature. Once temperatures exceed 70ºF, cool-season grass growth greatly slows and even stops when nighttime temperatures remain above 80ºF. In contrast, warm-season grasses do not even reach peak growth until 90ºF. In high rainfall states like Kentucky, installing irrigation systems for pasture is a questionable investment at best. In my opinion, the only scenario where we could justify pasture irrigation is on farms with irrigation infrastructure already in place. For example, many current or former tobacco farms have irrigation systems that could be used for pastures during a drought.

Stop grazing and feed hay. The most efficient way to harvest forage is with the animal. In Kentucky we should strive to reduce hay feeding in our grazing systems. This doesn’t mean that we will not ever need hay. Drought is certainly one of those cases that hay will likely be required. A common problem with the hay feeding strategy is that when you need it, everybody needs it and there is little to go around. In addition, the price of hay during a drought can be high. One thing to think about is buying hay during a good year and storing it under cover. It is kind of like having money in the bank, except you are not earning any interest. Hay that was well cured will keep for years if it is kept off the ground and out of the weather. A key to successfully using hay is to start to feed it before pastures have been overgrazed. Hay feeding should be done in one paddock so that damage from overgrazing during a drought is confined to this area.

Utilize commodities to extend pastures. Commodities such as brewer’s grain, corn

FENCING TIP

gluten, and soybean hulls can be used to supplement and extend hay and pasture during drought periods. Things to consider are the availability, storage, handling, feeding, and price of commodities. The ability to readily get commodities and efficiently feed them is critical if they are going to be a key component in your drought management strategy.

Stock for five-year drought. Having a perpetually light stocking rate that underutilizes pastures in most years, but gets you through drought years is a viable drought management strategy. However, this strategy requires that you have a lot of land area and will tend to reduce profit per acre. In most cases this probably is not the best long-term drought management strategy. There is no better way to lose money than under or overstocking your pastures. Set a sustainable stocking rate and focus on other drought management strategies.

Wean and sell calves early. This has a twofold effect, first it reduces the number of grazing units and the total forage needed, and second it reduces the nutritional requirements of the brood cows. The downside is that you will be selling lighter calves when the prices are low.

Sell cows. This could be a good time to get rid of those older cows that you have been meaning to cull. However, selling your better animals is probably one of the least desirable drought management strategies. If you have invested time and money developing cows that work on your farm, you are probably not real eager to sell those animals when prices could be low. In addition, if you sell off a considerable portion of your herd it may take years to build back up to that level. However, if this is the management strategy that you have chosen then you need to sell at the set time. By doing this you may limit losses by beating the flood of animals that typically enter the market as the drought worsens. Once you have settled on a drought management strategy, it is important that you are ready to implement it in a timely manner. If you are selling cattle, sell them before the price drops. If you are feeding hay, feed it before the cattle lose condition and pastures have been damaged from overgrazing. To accomplish this, you will need to set quantifiable benchmarks. These could be days without rain, available forage on hand, pasture height, pounds of weight loss or change in body condition. Regardless of what you have set as a benchmark you need to be ready to implement your drought plan when you reach it!

Connect wires in parallel at the end of runs. A good way to increase the ability of a fence to carry voltage is to connect all the wires at the beginning and end of runs of multi-wire fence. This allows the multiple strands of high tensile wire to function as one large wire that can carry higher levels of voltage.

This fall I did drought assessments for pastures in several counties in Western Kentucky. A clear theme emerged. Pastures that were well managed prior to the drought were quickly recovering and pastures that were not managed well prior to the drought were not. Producers that were managing grazing, stocked at reasonable rates, had decent soil fertility, and fed hay in a sacrifice area during the drought were in pretty good shape. Pastures that were overgrazed during the drought had more bare soil and will likely have increased weed levels this spring.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Kentucky Fencing Schools Scottsville, KY on April 11, 2023 • Richmond, KY on April 13, 2023

Kentucky Beginning Grazing School Kentucky Soybean Board Office, Princeton KY on April 25 & 26

More information can be found by going to the Kentucky Forages Extension Webpage

FEATURED PUBLICATION

Strategies for Reclaiming Hay Feeding Areas by Chris D. Teutsch and Kelly M. Mercier, Plant and Soil Sciences. UK Cooperative Extension Service, Lexington. https://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/AGR/ AGR255/AGR255.pdf

FEATURED VIDEO

Pasture Renovation: What to Expect When You Are Expecting Grass by Chris Teutsch. It can be found on the KYForages YouTube Channel.

https://youtu.be/fqMQIQGWVMM

FORAGE MANAGEMENT TIPS

• Interseed legumes into pastures using a no-till drill.

• Continue hay feeding to allow pastures to rest and spring growth to begin.

• Seed cool-season grass and legumes by mid-March.

• Smooth and reseed hay feeding areas.

• Graze pastures that have been overseeded with clover to control competition.

• Provide free-choice high magnesium mineral to prevent grass tetany.

• Make plans to attend the Kentucky Beginning Grazing School in April.

• Make plans to attend one of the Kentucky Fencing Schools in April.

Donation to Ag Tag Fund Helps Kentucky's Agriculture Youth, Farm Families

Ryan Quarles Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner

agriculture youth. That’s why this year’s Ag Tag campaign theme is “Your Donation. Your Community. Our Leaders.” Funding from your voluntary donations helps all three organizations fulfill our mission to sustain Kentucky agriculture for generations to come.

KDA uses its share of the Ag Tag funds for various programs, such as the Ag Athlete of the Year scholarships, the Kentucky Leopold Conservation Award, Kentucky Women in Agriculture, and Kentucky Agriculture and Environment in the Classroom.

Half of the 4-H and FFA donations are returned to local councils and chapters, meaning leaders in your community are able to use those funds to cover the cost of 4-H and FFA camp and other leadership programs for our youth. County 4-H councils use Ag Tag dollars to provide 4-H camp scholarships and travel for life-changing, educational experiences to enable local 4-H youth to grow as leaders and engaged citizens. FFA chapters were free to use the money to meet the greatest needs in their community, such as FFA jackets for students in need or helping cover travel costs to leadership events.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 1, 2023) – It’s just $10 a year, but that money can help so many.

Every year, when farmers review their farm license plates, or “ag tags,” they have the opportunity to make a $10 donation. That money goes into a fund divided equally among Kentucky 4-H, Kentucky FFA, and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) to support Kentucky’s agriculture youth and other organizations and programs benefiting our farm families.

Last year, Kentucky farmers donated $606,223.11. From that total, each group received $202,074.37 to invest back into our communities for youth development and promotional programs.

During my time as your commissioner of agriculture, I’ve witnessed the generosity of Kentucky farmers. They’ve given during time of needs of natural disasters, when a neighbor falls on hard times, or even when a friend needs a little extra help. One of the easiest donations a farmer can give is that $10 when they renew their farm tag. And over the years Kentucky farmers have done just that. They’ve given to help our next generation of farmers – our agriculture youth.

Since 2016, the first year I began serving as Kentucky’s Agriculture Commissioner, farmers have donated $4.3 million to the Ag Tag Program. That’s an enormous amount and gives me a sense of pride that today’s farmers care so much about the future of agriculture in Kentucky they are willing to give of their hard-earned money.

That unselfish willingness to help build and prepare Kentucky’s agriculture youth are predominant features of FFA and 4-H. They are two of the leading youth organizations in Kentucky and the nation. While they work to prepare youth to take on the challenges agriculture faces, KDA works every day to promote Kentucky’s farmers, inviting each resident in the commonwealth to realize the importance agriculture plays in the present and in the future. That future is Kentucky’s

In the weeks to come, as many of you head back to your county clerk’s office to renew your Ag Tags, I hope you will make the $10 donation. Our record for Ag Tag collections in a single year is $731,627, which was set in 2021. Let’s try to break that record this year, at the same time, help ensure a bright future for Kentucky agriculture.

Still Time to Respond to the 2022 Census of Agriculture

USDA TO FOLLOW UP WITH PRODUCERS WHO HAVE NOT YET RESPONDED

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, 2023 – Farmers and ranchers still have time to be counted in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Although the deadline for submitting the ag census has just passed, NASS will continue to accept completed census questionnaires through the spring to ensure all farmers and ranchers take advantage of the opportunity to be represented in the widely used data.

"We thank everyone who has completed their census to date. Since data collection began last fall, over a million ag census recipients across the country have returned their questionnaires, ensuring their operations and communities are represented,” said NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer. "We want all producers to use their voices to help shape the future of American agriculture. Census data inform decisions about policy, farm and conservation programs, infrastructure and rural development, research, education, and more. The stronger the response, the stronger the data. It’s not too late for farmers to be heard through the ag census, which occurs only once every five years."

NASS will continue to follow up with producers through the spring with mailings, phone calls, and personal visits. Farmers and ranchers are encouraged to complete their ag census either online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail as soon as possible. The online questionnaire is accessible on desktop, laptop, and other mobile devices.

Federal law under Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law

105-113 mandates that everyone who received the 2022 Census of Agriculture questionnaire complete and return it, even if they are not currently farming. The same law requires NASS to keep all submissions confidential, use the information for statistical purposes only, and publish aggregate data to prevent disclosing the identity of any individual producer or farm operation.

NASS will release the results of the ag census in early 2024. To learn more about the Census of Agriculture, visit nass.usda.gov/AgCensus. On the website, producers and other data users can access frequently asked questions, past ag census data, special study information, and more. For highlights of these and the latest information, follow USDA NASS on Twitter at @usda_nass..

2022 Beef Exports Set Annual Records; Strong Finish for Pork Exports

U.S. beef exports set annual records for both volume and value in 2022, according to yearend data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Pork exports finished lower year-over-year but export value was the third largest on record, trailing only the highs reached in 2020 and 2021. Pork exports continued to gain momentum in December, led by another outstanding performance in Mexico. While lamb exports slowed in December, 2022 shipments were sharply higher than the previous two years, approaching the preCOVID levels of 2019.

Beef exports reach new heights in several key markets

Despite slowing toward the end of the year, beef exports reached 1.47 million metric tons (mt), up 2% from the previous high in 2021. Export value climbed to a record $11.68 billion, up 10% from 2021 and nearly 40% above the previous five-year average. The U.S. exported a record share of its recordlarge beef production in 2022, and at higher prices. Export value to South Korea was $2.7 billion, up 13% and an all-time record for any single destination, while exports to China/Hong Kong jumped 22% to $2.55 billion. Other markets in which beef exports achieved annual records included Taiwan, the Philippines, Singapore, Colombia, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.

In December, beef exports trended lower than a year ago at 112,707 mt, down 7%, while value fell 21% to $782.6 million. The December decline was due in part to a sharp drop in exports to China/Hong Kong, where demand had been constrained by persistent zero-COVID policies. China lifted most COVID restrictions in early December and resumed some international travel in early January. Along with the recent easing of COVID-related cold chain regulations and inspections, these changes offer a more

optimistic demand outlook for 2023.

“2022 was a ground-breaking year for U.S. beef’s international presence, with global demand stronger than I’ve seen in all my years in the industry,” said USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. “Late in the year, exports certainly felt the impact of persistent headwinds in our large Asian markets, including depressed trading partner currencies and COVID-related challenges in China, but the long list of countries in which records were set showcases the industry’s focus on diversifying export markets. While the year ahead will be challenging due to supply constraints, the exchange rate situation has improved and we still see room for growth in the foodservice sector as more regions continue their gradual rebound from COVID.”

Pork highlights include $2 billion year for Mexico, value record for variety meat

Pork exports finished 2022 on a decidedly upward trajectory as December shipments reached 244,718 mt, up 13% year-over-year and the second largest of 2022 (slightly below November). December export value climbed 14% to $687.3 million. These results pushed 2022 exports to 2.67 million mt, down 8.5% from a year ago, while export value was $7.68 billion – down 5% from the record achieved in 2021. Exports of U.S. pork variety meat were the second largest on record at more than 530,000 mt, while export value was recordhigh at $1.27 billion.

Pork exports to Mexico set a volume record in December on the way to a record-breaking year in which exports increased 10% to nearly 960,000 mt. Export value to Mexico soared 21% to $2.03 billion, topping the $2 billion mark for the first time. December exports also set a value record in Central America and trended higher year-over-year to China/ Hong Kong, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines and Australia. 2022 exports to the DR were record-large in both volume (85,551

Graham Good Deals

mt, up 46%) and value ($233.6 million, up 55%).

“The Mexican market has been a star performer for U.S. pork for many years, but the 2022 results were truly remarkable,” Halstrom said. “In the face of growing competition in Mexico, the U.S. pork industry has expanded product offerings and found innovative ways to meet the needs of processors, retailers and foodservice operators. In addition to Mexico, it is gratifying to see such a broad range of markets contributing to our recent export growth, making the prospects for 2023 very promising.” Strong year for lamb exports, led by Caribbean and Mexico

Exports of U.S. lamb muscle cuts finished 2022 sharply higher year-over-year at 2,225 mt, up 59% and the largest since 2019. Export value increased 49% to $13.2 million, also the highest since 2019. Growth was led by strengthening demand in the Caribbean, where exports increased 47% to 1,043 mt, valued at $7.5 million (up 32%). Exports also increased substantially year-over-year to Mexico, Canada, the Philippines and Taiwan.

4 two year olds, 14 fall 2021 yearlings, 4 spring 2022 yearlings. All bulls will sell with a current BSE and have been DNA tested.

Trailblazers Announces New Cohort of Beef Spokespeople

CENTENNIAL, CO. (Feb. 15, 2023) –The Trailblazers program, developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, takes advocacy to an unprecedented level by giving participants the tools and training they need to promote beef to new audiences while addressing and correcting myths. After a competitive application process, ten Trailblazers from eight states have been selected for the program’s second cohort of beef community spokespeople:

“We received more than double the number of applications compared to last year from interested spokespeople in 18 states,” said Chandler Mulvaney, director of grassroots advocacy and spokesperson development at NCBA. “The newly selected cohort will join efforts with previous Trailblazers, building community, providing opportunities for mentorship, and collaborating with other experienced grassroots advocates.”

The new Trailblazers will receive training to become expert communicators, excel in media interviews and understand how to build confidence in beef-related practices when talking to consumers. Throughout the year, Trailblazers

will receive advanced training from subject matter experts, learning how to effectively engage on various social media platforms, interact with the media, and enhance public speaking skills.

Shaye Koester of North Dakota, participant in the inaugural class of Trailblazers, said the following about her experience, “The Trailblazers program increased my confidence to share the truth about beef in my own unique way while providing the resources, experiences, and network to do so. This professional yet fun program is like no other.”

Trailblazers will meet online and in person to foster constant growth and refinement of skillsets when speaking about beef. Upon joining the advanced advocacy program, Trailblazers serve as industry spokespeople and inform beef advocates at the local and state levels on advocacy, media, and spokesperson best practices. Every year, ten new Trailblazers are accepted into the program.

For more information on the Trailblazers program and other beef advocacy efforts, contact Chandler Mulvaney at cmulvaney@beef.org.

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KCA Welcomes Spring Interns

Caroline Arison of Vanderbilt, Pennsylvania has been selected as one of the 2023 Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association spring interns. Caroline grew up showing cattle, sheep, and goats through her local 4H chapter, and was heavily involved in extracurriculars during high school. She is currently in her sophomore year at Morehead State University where she is pursuing an agribusiness degree.

While at MSU, Caroline lives and works at the Derrickson Agricultural Complex and is a member of Collegiate Farm Bureau and Agribusiness club where she serves as the secretary. She has previously interned with Show Barn Flix, Square One Agri Marketing, Megan Anderson Photography, and In The Country Photography. It was through these internships that Caroline discovered her passion for livestock photography and is now successfully managing her photography business, CVA Livestock Photography, while in college.

Back home, Caroline and her family run a small herd of beef cattle where they are focusing on improving their herd’s genetics. Caroline has been involved with beef cattle since she was younger and is very passionate about the betterment and improvement of the industry. She is extremely honored to be working alongside agriculture leaders here in Kentucky and cannot wait to fulfill her role as an intern with the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association.

Scarlett Collins of Bardstown, Kentucky has been selected as one of the 2023 Spring Interns for the Kentucky Cattleman’s Association. Scarlett was raised on a small farm in Central Kentucky with her family. On the farm, they raised pigs, goats, rabbits, and had a small herd of beef cattle. She was heavily involved in her schools FFA and 4-H programs. Scarlett was on the Thomas Nelson Soccer team throughout high school while holding leadership positions on student council, FFA, and 4-H.

Through a diverse background in agriculture growing up, to involvement in agricultural organizations in high school, Scarlett was influenced to pursue a degree in Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky. She hopes to further her education upon graduating with a master's degree in Agricultural Economics. During her time at UK, Scarlett worked as a Cooperative Extension Intern, in Bardstown at the Nelson County Cooperative Extension office. As a junior at the University of Kentucky, Scarlett remains involved as a member of Sigma Alpha Sorority, a professional agricultural sorority. She also is a representative of the Agricultural Economics department by traveling as member of the Academic Quiz Bowl Team to the Southern Agricultural Economics Association (SAEA) and Agriculture and Applied Economics Association (AAEA), and a member of the agribusiness club.

Scarlett is excited about expanding her knowledge of the cattle industry through fulfilling her role as an intern with the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association while working with Membership and BQCA programs.

Morgynne Lunsford of Cynthiana, Kentucky has been selected as one of the 2023 Spring Interns for the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association. Morgynne was raised on a small family farm. Their production included beef cattle, chickens, and hay. Throughout her high school career, she participated in Beta Club and Student Council. She was a 3rd generation 4-Her participating in everything from textiles to land judging to teen council. Morgynne was also very active in the Harrison County FFA chapter,where she served in many leadership positions and went on to the state level as the 2021-2022 Kentucky FFA Northern Kentucky State Vice President. Through Morgynne’s background and various experiences in agriculture, she quickly became passionate about educating people on where their food comes from and advocating for the industry. This passion influenced her decision to pursue a degree in Agriculture Education at the University of Kentucky with the hopes of becoming an agriculture teacher. During her couple of years at UK, Morgynne continued to stay involved in the industry in many different ways including working at the Paris Stockyards and Stepping Stone Farm, a local orchard in Paris, Kentucky. In addition, she found herself active in student organizations of Collegiate Farm Bureau and the Dairy Club.

Morgynne is eager to continue her journey of being an advocate for the agriculture industry, specifically for Kentucky cattle farmers, as she fulfills her role as an intern with the Kentucky Beef Council.

Kentucky Beef Cow Inventory Lowest Since 1967; Hay Supplies Tight

Aimee Nielson University of Kentucky

Kentucky beef cow numbers dipped lower than they’ve been since 1967. This follows a national trend as the U.S. Department of Agriculture released cattle inventory estimates in January revealing a 3.5% reduction in beef cows—the lowest since 1962.

“We knew the cowherd had gotten smaller; it was really just a question of how much smaller,” said Kenny Burdine, agricultural economist for the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “A combination of dry weather, high input costs and strong cull-cow prices caused numbers in Kentucky to shrink.”

A large portion of the United States experienced drought during 2022, which impacted hay production. Kentucky producers were also dealing with extreme weather events such as tornadoes in late 2021 and extreme flooding in summer 2022. Drought was yet another weather hurdle.

“I guess you could say it was a perfect storm. Farmers had to start feeding hay a lot earlier than usual, leading to tighter hay supplies and higher winter-feeding costs for cow-calf producers,” Burdine explained. “Winter feed is the largest expense for most cow-calf operations. Most years, producers can buy hay for $60-$80 per ton. But based on recent hay auctions in Kentucky, the same quality hay is selling for $100 per ton, or more.”

Burdine said those higher costs result in a significant increase in daily feeding costs. With expenses that high, some producers chose to reduce their numbers. Cattle markets have been mixed but have trended stronger over the last few weeks.

“Going into spring, I think this stronger market trend will continue for calf and feeder markets,” Burdine said. “Also, with feedlots preferring to place heavier feeder cattle, that increases the value of pounds added to Kentucky cattle and creates opportunities for cow-calf and backgrounding/stocker operations to profit by taking cattle to higher sale weights.”

With Kentucky’s typically strong forage base, Burdine said producers can use grazing to add pounds to cattle at an even lower cost.

“We are fortunate to have the ability to use multiple feeds stuffs in Kentucky and are typically blessed with excellent forage” he said. “That creates opportunities for feed-based and grazing-based programs. While weather will certainly play a factor going forward, both cow numbers and heifer retention estimates suggest that calf crops are going to keep getting smaller in the near term, which should provide some muchneeded support for prices.”

Photo by Matt Barton

UK Launches Food as Health Alliance to Boost Health and Wellbeing

Jordan Strickler University of Kentucky

LEXINGTON, KY.— The University of Kentucky launched a new program, The Food as Health Alliance, bringing together clinical and community research that addresses food insecurity and diet-related chronic diseases. As part of the project, researchers collaborate with clinicians, community partners, food commodity producers, healthcare partners and students, finding innovative strategies to improve Kentuckians’ health and patient clinical outcomes.

“Recent studies have shown a variety of negative health consequences related to food insecurity, which is why this is such an important priority for us,” said alliance director Alison Gustafson, UK Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition professor.

Gustafson said poor nutrition leads to a variety of health problems, such as birth defects, anemia, nutrient deficiencies, cognitive issues, aggression and anxiety in children. In adults, it can increase the risk of depression, nutrient deficiency and chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. She said food insecurity has increased nationwide due to COVID-19, disproportionately affecting people of color, low-income people, children and rural households.

“There is a lack of application of clinical and community research findings to diet-related chronic disease and food insecurity,” said Jamie Matthews, associate dean for research

in the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “The mission of The Food as Health Alliance is to increase and sustain UK’s impact in the interdisciplinary arena of food, agriculture and health for everyone across the commonwealth.”

Lauren Batey is the program coordinator for the alliance and believes that the program will be a huge benefit for those all across the state.

“There are so many amazing individuals and organizations, both here at UK and across Kentucky, that are interested in reducing food insecurity, improving diet-related health outcomes and improving the lives of all Kentuckians,” she said. “Now, we can all work toward a common goal and leverage one another's assets.”

The Food as Health Alliance has four pillars of focus: research, policy, training and education, and outreach to improve health outcomes for long-term success. The alliance is also starting to engage students in multiple colleges. “Soon, we hope to recruit student researchers from both CAFE as well as the UK Colleges of Medicine, Public Health, Dentistry, Nursing and others that are interested, to focus on food-as-medicine type research efforts,” Batey said. “We will have opportunities for these students to help with things such as data analysis and patient education, among other program aspects.”

UK is working with various food venues and with local businesses and retailers to pilot-test effective food as medicine programs across the state.

Batey said programs such as The Food as Health Alliance not only help people reduce food insecurity, but have significant clinical and financial outcomes and reduce hospitalization.

“There is strong evidence, from studies across the nation, that programs like this have a significant impact on health and the economy and we would love to kick something off to help those across Kentucky,” she said.

Growing evidence that partnerships between healthcare systems and local food assistance programs can improve dietary health led the alliance’s approach to recruiting partners.

“Medically tailored meals, meal box delivery and produce prescription programs can address structural barriers like access to healthy food and transportation, improve glycemic control, hypertension, breast cancer screening, dietary intake and food security,” Batey said. “We believe the alliance can reduce food insecurity among the most vulnerable through collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches.”

To learn more about the program, visit https:// foodashealthalliance.ca.uky.edu/.

Tools to Start Your Soil Health Journey

Laura Nelson Noble Research Institute

THERE’S NO SILVER BULLET, DEFINITE ANSWER, OR FORMULAIC ‘HOW TO’ IN REGENERATIVE RANCHING

Shawn Norton, Noble Research Institute’s research services manager, knows this firsthand. He helps collect data to measure the institute’s own progress in applying the six soil health principles on its journey to regenerative ranching.

“We’re here, watching our ranches make this transition, too, so we’re seeing what we need,” Norton says. Each rancher’s methodology will be a bit different, but, he says, “There are a few really simple tools that play a big role here.”

If you’re just getting started down a more regenerative path, these five evaluative tools will help guide the journey.

1. Dig in for an honest evaluation

Start simple and grab a shovel.

Too often, we use this tool for a task-oriented project and fail to pause to ponder what we see in the process. Norton suggests taking your spade into different pastures and fields to get a baseline sensory assessment of your soil’s current condition. Write down the date, location, current conditions and what you see, smell and feel. Tap into a youthful curiosity.

Ask yourself questions such as:

• Do you have plow pan?

• What is your soil’s texture and aggregation?

• What does the soil smell like 6 inches under the surface?

• What kinds of root structures do you notice?

• What colors do you see in the soil layers?

• What about worms and other “below-ground livestock”?

“Those below-ground livestock need to be working for you just as hard as the ones above ground do,” Norton says. “As you build organic matter, you should be able to see that top layer of soil get thicker and thicker and darker and darker as those organisms work that organic matter into the soil layers.”

2. Probe deeper into your soil’s status

While your observations are a critical starting point, the next tool will help collect a deeper understanding of your soil’s status beyond what you can see. A soil probe will help you collect consistent samples for a more advanced biological soil test.

Traditional soil tests are used to make fertility recommendations for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium needs and perhaps show pH or organic matter percentages. A biological test goes beyond those basics and evaluates how biologically active the soil is. The two most popular biological tests are the Haney and PLFA tests.

These tests can be time-intensive and costly (expect $50-$110 a piece), but they will yield an in-depth understanding of the biological activity of your soil and insight into what soil health improvements may be needed. Do your research and find a testing lab that will help walk you through the process and analyze results.

3. Analyze your grazing opportunity with a forage stick

A forage or grazing stick may look no more complicated than a typical yard stick, but it’s actually loaded with information that uses plant leaf height measurements to help assess ground cover, forage density and drymatter feed per acre. Again, the key is to use the tool consistently, write your observations down and then put the data to good use. Forage sticks usually are calibrated to specific states or regions, so make sure to find one that matches your context. A local extension or USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service office will likely have recommendations for your region and should offer an advisory with helpful tips and formulas to make the best use of this tool.

4. Integrate livestock with adaptable tools

Whether you’re integrating livestock onto your land for the first time to reap the soil health benefits of adaptive grazing management, or you’re adjusting traditional, continuous grazing tactics for your herd, the most important tools will be those which allow you to be more responsive to environmental needs.

Norton suggests it’s OK to start small, experiment with what works and see how you can get the job done before spending money on fancy wire rollers, a new ATV or ATV/tractor accessories. A basic wire reel, hammer, fiberglass posts and a portable solar fence charger will get the ball rolling.

“You can build a lot of simple fence without an ATV, without a tractor,” Norton says. “Of course, those things are going to make life a lot easier, but you can do without while you get a system that works for you figured out.”

At the Noble Ranches, we’re experimenting with ways to make water more portable, too.

“Think first about your context and see what you already have and what you can make work,” he says. A light trailer or old pickup bed box on wheels might make an easy platform to transport a tank from pasture to pasture.

5. Increase diversity of ideas with deep thinking

“It may sound menial, but the tools I use most in the field are my smartphone and my eyes,” Norton says. Phone apps for plant identification can help quantify plant diversity; others might help calibrate a new notill drill or calculate the carrying capacity of a pasture. Search for other ranchers who share a similar environment and seek out new ideas and demonstrations you can customize to your land and objectives.

Regenerative management requires deep observation, “and not just once in a while, or as you drive by at 40 miles per hour in the side-by-side. We’ve got to get down in the dirt and really see things, things like the progress of the dung beetles, how fast they’re breaking down your manure pats, things like that. We’ve got to really get down close and get into it.”

Then, the researcher says, assume the attitude of a student. “There’s no shortage of information out there. You just have to study up on it.”

Agriculture Education Center Support and Efforts Continue

Nikki Whitaker Kentucky Cattlemen's Association

A project that will serve as a key resource for industry through continuing education, innovation, and training is being proposed by members of the Kentucky Livestock Coalition and the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

The Agriculture Education Center will create a new facility located on the University of Kentucky C. Oran Little Research Center in Woodford County. Working with UK Legal and UK Real Estate, the Kentucky Cattlemen's Foundation has entered into a land-lease negotiation with UK CAFE to site the facility on 15 acres of the Woodford County Farm.

The Center will create an environment that engages both learning and teaching experiences to provide educational opportunities and outreach for producers, food and retail partners, and others on the impact of animal agriculture and products. By collaborating with community members, the Center will invite individuals and groups to network in an active, hands-on learning atmosphere. Additionally, through the demonstration kitchen, Kentucky’s processors, food-service and retail industries will obtain the trainings needed to meet the evolving needs of the food supply system. Lastly, the Center will provide spaces to further student and industry learning and interaction.

Background

The idea for an education center began with a strong statement of need from industry leaders. The Kentucky Livestock Coalition was a driving force behind establishing the concept and outcomes of the Center.

The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (UK CAFE) was the obvious choice to create the public/private partnership. The C. Oran Little Research Center was purchased by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1991 for the use and benefit of UK CAFE. After the Beef, Swine, and Sheep Research Units were finished in 1998, a “Learning Center” was proposed by then Dean C. Oran Little.

Fast forward to 2019 when the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association completed a LongRange Plan that assessed the challenges and opportunities facing the Kentucky beef industry and evaluated the organization’s own capabilities, crafting objectives that would align its resources over the next five years. Out of those objectives came the idea to create a center of excellence for the livestock industry in Kentucky and fulfill the original “Learning Center” vision.

Over the course of several stakeholder meetings, members of the Kentucky Livestock

KENTUCKY LIVESTOCK COALITION

Kentucky Soybean Board

Kentucky Pork Producers

Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association

Kentucky Poultry Federation

Kentucky Dairy Development Council

Kentucky Farm Bureau

Kentucky Corn Growers Association

United Producers, Inc

Farm Credit Mid-America

Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office

Kentucky Horse Council

Coalition drafted what would be included in the Agricultural Education Center and how those elements would strengthen our collaborative efforts in advocating on behalf of farm families and Kentucky agriculture.

What’s Included

Learning in today’s interactive environment requires hands-on facilities. Outside of slaughter and processing, many elements included in the Agriculture Education Center will be dedicated to food safety, workforce training, and increasing producer profitability.

The proposed facility includes a meat fabrication room with an attached walk-in freezer and cooler allowing for demonstrations and trainings for students, retail and foodservice professionals, processors, chefs, and producers who sell direct to market. The meat fabrication room will be fully equipped with an overhead rail and tables for meat carcass breakdown demonstrations.

The demonstration kitchen will allow for food safety, preparation, marketing, and culinary training. The demonstration kitchen will also provide a place to market, promote, and educate the benefits of animal protein, as well as demonstrate food safety through shelf-life research and proper handling and storage techniques.

The facility will also provide a sub-dividable training classroom which will be the focus area for all onsite workforce trainings. The Kentucky Beef Network and Kentucky

Beef Council currently hold numerous trainings throughout the year at various locations, hosting hundreds of producers and retailers. The training classroom will enhance educational opportunities like these, and invite future expansion of programs. Additionally, Kentucky lacks a central location and a physical space to coordinate a response to disease outbreaks by the state veterinarian. The Agriculture Education Center, with its advanced media systems, meeting spaces, unrestricted parking, and close proximity to the state capital provides a central location for organizing statewide response.

Located within the facility but separate from the shared use space will be the headquarters for the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association and the Kentucky Pork Producers Association with potential expansion for additional agriculture organizations. This portion of the Agriculture Education Center will be privately funded by industry groups, including the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association and its entities. The annual maintenance of the Agriculture Education Center will be managed by the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation.

Funding

A Preliminary Architectural Report, including a schematic floor plan and conceptual rendering, was commissioned by the Kentucky Livestock Coalition and completed by Nesbitt Architecture, LLC. The cost estimate for entire construction is $11.3 Million, with $3.8 Million being privately

funded office space and $7.5 Million being open outreach space. The remaining cost of the project will be for site improvements, totaling an estimated$15 million to complete the whole project.

The Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation submitted a grant application throughthe Kentucky Agricultural Development Board for $10 million in May of last year. The review committee recommended funding half the cost of the project at $7.5 million, but the project did not receive enough votes to pass at the January full board meeting this year.

Next Steps

The Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation, University of Kentucky and Kentucky Livestock Coalition have held several meetings since January to determine a new plan. All stakeholders have agreed to move forward with the Agriculture Education Center. Industry support for this facility remains strong and the need remains evident. A plan is currently being developed to explore new sources of funding including several state and federal funding options, as well as private donations and grant opportunities. While it is likely that it will take multiple funding sources to complete the project, all groups involved are unwilling to turn away from the challenge. The timeline will be extended for the project and staff will keep you updated on plans through Cow Country and social media. For questions regarding this project, please contact Nikki Whitaker at 859-278-0899 or by email at nwhitaker@kycattle.org.

USDA Develops Simplified Direct Loan Application to Improve Customer Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has developed a simplified direct loan application to provide improved customer experience for producers applying for loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The simplified direct loan application enables producers to complete a more streamlined application, reduced from 29 to 13 pages. Producers will also have the option to complete an electronic fillable form or prepare a traditional, paper application for submission to their local FSA farm loan office. The paper and electronic versions of the form will be available starting March 1, 2023.

“USDA is committed to improving our farm loan processes to better serve all of our borrowers,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “We’re consistently looking for ways to make the application process easier to navigate, so more producers are able to complete it. Our new direct loan application is a critical step forward in our efforts to improve customer service and build equity into not just our programs but also our services.”

Approximately 26,000 producers submit a direct loan application to the FSA annually, but there is a high rate of incomplete or withdrawn applications, due in part to a challenging and lengthy paper-based application process. Coupled with the Loan Assistance Tool released in October 2022, the simplified application will provide all loan applicants access to information regarding the application process and assist them with gathering the correct documents before they begin the process. This new application will help farmers and ranchers submit complete loan applications and reduce the number of incomplete, rejected, or withdrawn applications.

In October 2022, USDA launched the Loan Assistance Tool, an online stepby-step guide that provides materials to help an applicant prepare their farm loan application in one tool. Farmers can access the Loan Assistance Tool by

visiting farmers.gov/farm-loan-assistance-tool and clicking the ‘Get Started’ button. The tool is built to run on any modern browser like Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or the Safari browser. A version compatible with mobile devices is expected to be available by the summer. It does not work in Internet Explorer.

The simplified direct loan application and Loan Assistance Tool are the first of multiple farm loan process improvements that will be available to USDA customers on farmers.gov in the future. Other improvements that are anticipated to launch in 2023 include:

An interactive online direct loan application that gives customers a paperless and electronic signature option, along with the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns.

An online direct loan repayment feature that relieves borrowers from the necessity of calling, mailing, or visiting a local Service Center to pay a loan installment. USDA provides access to credit to approximately 115,000 producers who cannot obtain sufficient commercial credit through direct and guaranteed farm loans. With the funds and direction Congress provided in Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act, USDA took action in October 2022 to provide relief to qualifying distressed borrowers while working on making transformational changes to loan servicing so that borrowers are provided the flexibility and opportunities needed to address the inherent risks and unpredictability associated with agricultural operations.

Soon, all direct loan borrowers will receive a letter from USDA describing the circumstances under which additional payments will be made to distressed borrowers and how they can work with their FSA local office to discuss these options. Producers can explore all available options on all FSA loan options at fsa. usda.gov or by contacting their local USDA Service Center.

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David Carter, Farm Manager 502-706-0075

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Crop Insurance Deadline Nears in Kentucky

The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Kentucky corn, grain sorghum, hemp, popcorn, soybeans, and tobacco producers that the final date to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2023 crop year is March 15. Growers who are interested in the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection policy and the new Micro Farm Program and are calendar year or early fiscal filers, have until March 15 to apply for crop insurance. Current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing coverage also have until the March 15 sales closing date to do so.

Federal crop insurance is critical to the farm safety net. It helps producers and owners manage revenue risks and strengthens the rural economy. Coverage is available for corn, grain sorghum, hemp, popcorn, soybeans, tobacco, Whole-Farm Revenue Protection, and Micro Farm in select Kentucky counties. Additional information can be found on the Actuarial Information Browser page on the RMA website.

Growers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2023 crop year.

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available online using the RMA Agent Locator. Producers can use the RMA Cost Estimator to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at www.rma.usda.gov.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

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The Good Times are Rolling in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS (Feb. 1, 2023) – Nearly 7,000 cattle producers, industry partners and stakeholders gathered in New Orleans for the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show. The convention, the largest in the beef industry, offered education, engagement and entertainment through February 3.

This year’s event kicked off with Franki Moscato, winner of the 10th Annual NCBA National Anthem Contest, singing the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Buzz Brainard, host of Music Row Happy Hour, returned as convention emcee and introduced surprise guest Archie Manning, patriarch of a professional football legacy and former quarterback of the New Orleans Saints. And “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan joined remotely to welcome cattlemen and women from across the country. Over the next few days convention participants gained insights on market trends and weather forecasts during the CattleFax Outlook Seminar, learned about the industry’s commitment to protecting environmental resources, supporting communities and creating an economically viable future during the Sustainability Forum, and heard an update on the beef business climate in the United States and around the globe.

Annual meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, American National CattleWomen, CattleFax and National Cattlemen’s Foundation also took place. In addition, the 2022 Environmental Stewardship Award regional winners were recognized at a special reception. Before activities concluded on Friday, the Closing General Session celebrated the Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Program and BQA award winners and featured inspirational keynote speaker Chris Koch.

The award-winning NCBA Trade Show provided opportunities for producers to network, learn, shop, dine and connect with friends, both old and new. It featured more than 350 exhibitors and displays across eight acres under one roof along with a variety of educational opportunities.

New in 2023, Cattle Chats featured 20-minute beef industry educational sessions, with special spotlight sessions focusing on sustainability. Attendees also stopped in the Learning Lounge to enjoy informal, face-to-face talks in an intimate setting right on the trade show floor. Industry leaders tackled topics such as ranch succession, effective probiotics, deworming protocols, animal welfare and tax trends.

The popular Stockmanship & Stewardship Demonstration Arena returned with stockmanship experts providing low-stress cattle handling

demonstrations, BQA educational sessions, industry updates and facility design sessions. And the Chutes and Scales Showdown offered a side-byside comparison of equipment where producers could watch cattle run through chutes then get hands-on experience.

New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz, and entertainment was around every corner. The Secret Cow on Thursday night transported guests back to 1920s New Orleans for jazzy music, good food and great company. The country trio Chapel Hart combined their Mississippi roots and Louisiana spice in a special performance during Closing General Session. Then, convention wrapped up Friday evening with “Party Gras” featuring the country music group Midland and special guest Neal McCoy.

For more information, visit convention.ncba.org.

USDA Deputy Secretary Shares Updates at Cattle Industry Convention

NEW ORLEANS (February 3, 2023) – Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) welcomed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Dr. Jewel H. Bronaugh to the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show.

“We appreciate the working relationship NCBA has with Deputy Secretary Bronaugh, especially as our focus turns to reauthorization of critical components of the Farm Bill like animal health, voluntary conservation, and risk management programs,” said NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane. “NCBA will continue building relationships with USDA leadership so we can work together on addressing the issues facing the cattle industry.”

As a part of the third general session of the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention, Deputy Secretary Bronaugh spoke on a wide variety of topics including rural broadband access, foreign animal disease, international trade, and sustainability. Deputy Secretary Bronaugh discussed the implementation of broadband improvements across rural America under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Additionally, Deputy Secretary Bronaugh highlighted USDA’s foreign animal disease response strategy and the importance of the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB), the National Animal Disease Preparedness and

Response Program (NADPRP), and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). Finally, the Deputy Secretary reaffirmed the critical role of USDA in opening new markets for U.S. beef exports and countering non-science based, subjective trade barriers that hamper the sale of American beef worldwide. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate in this year’s Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show to highlight the important work we’re doing at USDA to support hardworking farmers and ranchers across the country,” said Deputy Secretary Bronaugh. “From creating more, new, and better markets that allow producers to increase their bottom line, to mitigating the spread of foreign animal disease, to deploying every tool in our toolbox to enhance competition in agricultural markets, to investing in the rural communities many farmers and ranchers call home, USDA is committed to ensuring farmers and ranchers have every opportunity to succeed.”

Prior to her appointment at USDA, Deputy Secretary Bronaugh served as the 16th Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services from 2018 to 2021. She also worked as Virginia State Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) from 2015 until 2018. Deputy Secretary Bronaugh took office on May 17, 2021.

CattleFax Forecasts Producer Profitability in 2023 with Potential Drought Relief for the West

NEW ORLEANS (February 2, 2023) –

The popular CattleFax Outlook Seminar, held as part of the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans, shared expert market and weather analysis today.

Prices and profitability will again favor cattle producers in 2023. The cattle industry is entering 2023 with the smallest cattle supply since 2015 as drought caused the industry to dig deeper into the supply of feeder cattle and calves. While the exact path to drought relief is unknown, improvements are also expected to translate to moderating feed costs, especially in the second half of 2023. Combined with increased cattle prices, cattle producers, especially the cow-calf operator, will continue to see an improvement in margins for the next several years, according to CattleFax.

Meteorologist Matt Makens said the latest forecast for La Niña has only a 14% probability of existence this spring and down further by the summer, which means a pattern change comes our way this year. A neutral phase will take control of the pattern as La Niña weakens and may last several months before giving El Niño a chance to grow this summer and into the fall.

Makens said putting this latest La Niña episode in the review mirror suggests improving drought conditions, more favorable growing seasons and healthier soils.

“I’m not trying to imply that doing away with La Niña fixes everything. An El Niño can cause drought across the northern states. There is no win-win for everyone in any weather pattern,” Makens added. “But moisture conditions should improve for the West in the second half of this year.”

Kevin Good, vice president of industry relations and analysis at CattleFax, reported that U.S. beef cow cattle inventories have already fallen 1.5 million head from cycle highs. The 2023 beef cow herd is expected to be down about another million head to nearly 29.2 million.

“Drought affected nearly half of the beef cow herd over the last year, exacerbating

the liquidation in 2022. Drought improvement and higher cattle prices should drastically slow beef cow culling through 2023,” Good said.

Feeder cattle and calf supplies outside of feedyards will be 400,000 to 450,000 head smaller than 2022 at 25.1 million. After being full for most of the past three years, cattle on feed inventories are expected to begin 2023 at 300,000 to 400,000 head below last year, at 14.3 million head, and remain smaller. Commercial fed slaughter in 2023 is forecast to decline by 750,000 to 800,000 to 25.6 million head.

“With drought forced placement and culling, beef production was record large in 2022 at 28.3 billion pounds. Expect production to drop over the next several years – declining 4% to 5% in 2023 to 27 billion pounds,” Good said. “The decline in production in 2023 will lead to a 2.2-pound decline in net beef supply to 57 pounds per person.”

Good forecast the average 2023 fed steer price at $158/cwt., up $13/cwt. from 2022, with a range of $150 to $172/cwt. throughout the year. All cattle classes are expected to trade higher, and prices are expected to continue to trend upward. The 800-lb. steer price is expected to average $195/cwt. with a range of $175 to $215/ cwt., and the 550-lb. steer price is expected to average $225/cwt., with a range of $200 to $245/cwt. Finally, Good forecast utility cows at an average of $100/cwt. with a range of $75 to $115/cwt., and bred cows at an average of $2,100/cwt. with a range of $1,900 to $2,300 for load lots of quality, running-age cows.

When looking at domestic beef demand, the U.S. economy will be a driving factor going in 2023. CattleFax said inflation, rising interest rates and general economic uncertainty will continue to impact consumer purchasing decisions as many look to limit spending. Inflation reached a 40-year high in 2022, triggering the U.S. Federal Reserve to raise interest rates seven times last year with intentions for further rate increases until inflation falls. Through the Federal Reserve hopes to accomplish a “soft landing” and avoid recession, the U.S. economy is expected to slow in 2023

with most economists calling for a mild recession in the second half of the year. Good noted that though beef demand has softened, it remains historically strong, and consumers have shown willingness to continue to buy beef in a new and higher range. He expects the 2023 USDA AllFresh Retail Beef prices to average $7.35/ pound, up 4 cents from 2022.

He also said wholesale demand will appear to be softer, as prices will not go up at the same rate of inflation despite tighter supplies. The cutout value should move higher to average $270/cwt. for 2023. Global protein demand has continued to rise around the world and tighter global protein supplies should broadly support prices in 2023. After more than 20% of growth across the last two years, U.S. beef exports are expected to moderate, declining 3% in 2023 to 3.5 billion pounds. Japan and South Korea remain the top U.S. beef export destinations with stable exports in 2022. Meanwhile, Chinese demand has continued to grow with tonnage up 20% last year, likely with continued room to grow.

Mike Murphy, CattleFax vice president of research and risk management services, said National Dec. 1 on-farm hay stock were down 9% from a year-ago at 71.9 million tons with hay prices averaging $216/ton in 2022.

“Last year was the smallest U.S. hay production year since 1959,” Murphy said. “Hay prices will likely continue to be high in the first part of 2023, but we expect weather patterns to improve pasture conditions as early as this spring which should help stabilize and soften hay prices throughout 2023.”

CattleFax said corn stocks-to-use are just under 9% and will continue to support the market above $6/bu., and provide resistance near $7.50/bu. into the summer with a yearly average price of $6.50/bu. expected.

Blach concluded the session with an overall positive outlook, expecting improvements in the weather pattern and a tighter supply to distribute more money though all sectors of the cattle industry.

Consumer Demand for Beef Remains Strong Among Inflation Woes, New Report Shows

NEW ORLEANS, LA February 1, 2023 –According to the newly released “Today’s Beef Consumer” report from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, demand for beef continues to remain strong. The compilation of research from 2022, outlined below, shows that despite various challenges faced by the industry, consumers have repeatedly stated that they will continue purchasing beef, both in retail and foodservice settings.

Consumer Insights Consumer demand for beef remains strong overall.[i] In fact, more than two-thirds of consumers reportedly eat beef on a weekly basis, or more. Inflation is certainly top of mind and more than threequarters of consumers, 78%, report noticing an increase in the price of food whether at retail or foodservice. Beef however has experienced far lower levels of inflation when compared to other proteins in the “food at home” category, which we will explore next.

Retail During the pandemic consumers were forced to cook at home and many have continued to do so as it has become a popular way to make a dollar stretch and combat inflation. Analysis for the Today’s Beef Consumer report found 76% of meals are now cooked at home and 94% of consumers who are cooking more at home say they will continue to do so.iii In 2022 fresh ground beef accounted for 50% of volume of beef sales, likely due to the lower price point as well as a renewed consumer interest in comfort foods and nostalgic recipes, like meatloaf. In 2022, meatloaf was also the most popular page on BeefItsWhatsForDinner. com with almost 1.7 million pageviews. This trend is expected to continue as a recent survey found that 20% of consumers say they plan to purchase more ground beef in the coming year. Foodservice It is no surprise that beef sales at foodservice declined sharply in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, sales in both dollars and volume rebounded to surpass the pre-pandemic level of 2019.

Online Shopping Another pandemic trend that seems to be here to stay is online shopping, both at retail and foodservice. 64% of consumers say they are ordering groceries online, with 44% of consumers including fresh beef in those grocery orders. When it comes to foodservice, online ordering has become overwhelmingly popular. 80% of consumers say they order meals online and 70% use online ordering for burgers.

Beef Substitutes Fresh meat and beef substitutes continue to represent a small percentage of the market.v When it comes to protein sources, consumers consistently rank beef as a top source of protein.

As we head into 2023 demand for beef remains strong and consumers continue to purchase and order beef, whether in person or online. To view the entire study, click here or visit BeefResearch.org.

DURING HISTORIC PRICE LEVELS, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, AND GENERAL CONSUMER UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE FUTURE, BEEF REMAINS A TOP SOURCE OF PROTEIN.

US Beef Cow Herd at Lowest Level Since 1962

Kenny Burdine University of Kentucky

USDA-NASS released their January 1, 2023, cattle inventory estimates on the afternoon of January 31st. There was really no question that the beef cattle herd had gotten smaller; it was really just a question of how much smaller it had gotten. A combination of dry weather, higher input costs, and strong cull cow prices resulted in an 11% increase in beef cow slaughter during 2022. This was combined with a decrease in heifer retention as more heifers entered the beef supply chain. USDA estimated the number of beef cows in the US to be down by more than 1 million year-over year. This was a decrease of 3.5% and that was after a downward revision of about 0.5% to the January 1, 2022 estimate. For perspective, this puts the size of the US cowherd below 2014 levels and the smallest since 1962.

While I always tend to focus on beef cow inventory, several other numbers are of particular interest. Heifers being held for beef cow replacement was down 6%, which is a larger decrease than was seen in either the January or July report from last year. This suggests continued reductions in the size of the beef cow herd for the current year. While weather will certainly play a factor here, both cow numbers and heifer retention estimates suggest that calf crops are going to keep getting smaller in the near term.

I would also point to cattle-on-feed numbers. As more females entered the beef supply chain, on-feed inventory ran above year-ago levels for much of 2022. That trend finally changed last fall and note the 4% reduction seen in the following table. This speaks to beef production in 2023, which will be down considerably. In fact, 2023 will be the first year-over-year decrease in beef production that has been seen since 2015.

The Kentucky estimates were also very much worth discussion. A large number of cull cows had moved through Kentucky markets, so a significant decrease in cow numbers was expected. USDA estimated the size of the KY beef cow herd at 895 thousand. This was a 7% decrease from 2022 and the smallest beef cow herd the state has seen since 1967. Beef heifer retention was also estimated to be down by 8% in the Commonwealth. While the table below speaks to flat dairy cow numbers and a decrease in the number of heifers being held for dairy cow replacement at the national level, the Kentucky estimates did not follow this trend. After a long period of decreasing dairy cow numbers, USDA estimated that Kentucky dairy cow inventory increased by one thousand cows. This 2% increase is significant in that it may suggest a reversal of this trend that has been in place for a very long time.

SCAN FOR FULL USDA REPORT

Kentucky Sales Tax on Utilities

Jerry Pierce KFBM Program Coordinator

A legislative change was made to the qualifications for residential use exemption from sales tax on utilities. Effective January 1, 2023, the resident at a specific service address is responsible for declaring it as their place of domicile and the utility services exempt for residential use. Kentucky sales tax will be charged for utility services furnished to any location that is not your place of domicile, even if it was formally classified as residential. The 6% sales tax applies to the sale of water and sewer, electricity, and heating gas and fuels used or delivered.

“Place of domicile” is your primary residence. The legislation says it is “the place where an individual has his or her legal, true, fixed, and permanent home and principal establishment, and to which, whenever the individual is absent, the individual has the intention of returning.”

The residential use exemption applies to all utilities serving the primary residence. Generally, everything on the meter or the tank that serves your primary residence qualifies for the exemption.

In general, an existing customer with only one service address should not be contacted by the utility providers. The qualification for residential exemption will simply continue. If your utility provider requested you complete the Declaration

of Domicile form follow the company’s instructions. Contact them if you have questions. If you have utility service for a second home, a separate farm or business, or other nonresidential property you should fill out the form required by your utility providers to declare which meter serves your primary residence. Multiple meters at your primary residence may qualify for the residential exemption. Separate meters for garages, outbuildings, security lighting, and other non-commercial uses that are a part of your residence could be exempt from the sales tax. Contact your utility providers. Multiple properties you own may qualify for a residential exemption. Each property must be the place of domicile for different Kentucky residents and you must submit a certificate of domicile to the utility service providers for each separately metered account.

If farm buildings and the primary residence are on the same meter or tank and the utility service was previously classified as residential, you should continue to receive residential use tax treatment. If service is switched to separate meters or to another owner, only the primary residence will qualify for the residential use exemption.

Farm Exemption

Utility services to farms separate from the primary residence may be exempt from some utility sales tax. The Agriculture Exemption License Number makes qualified farms exempt from sales tax on natural gas, LP, and water used exclusively and directly in qualified farming operations. Provide a copy of your Ag Exemption Certificate to your utility providers to verify the exemption with them. The exemption for heating fuels does not apply to raising horses. There is a separate exemption for water only sold to a business raising horses. Use Form 51A157.

The Agriculture Exemption License Number does not include an exemption from sales tax on electricity.

Farmers who pay utilities for a farm employee may qualify for the residential exemption. The employee must complete the Declaration of Domicile Form 51A380. If employees are housed in a multi-unit dwelling with a master meter, the farmer should complete the Landlord Declaration Form 51A381 and have each resident complete a Declaration of Domicile form. The residential exemption does not require the employee to pay directly for the utility services.

You can also view current and past issues online at https://bit.ly/2PoHsZj

The Agricultural Economics Department publishes the Economic and Policy Update towards the end of each month. Each issue features articles written by extension personnel within the department and other experts across the country.

Topics will vary greatly but regularly include marketing, management, policy, natural resources, and rural development issues. If you would like to recieve this newsletter by email, please contact Kenny Burdine at kburdine@uky.edu

Co-editors: Kenny Burdine, Alison Davis, and Greg Halich

Cattlemen’s Beef Board Elects New Officers At 2023 Winter Meetings

NEW ORLEANS, La. (Feb. 3, 2023) – Cattle producers Jimmy Taylor, Andy Bishop and Ryan Moorhouse are the new leaders of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (CBB). This officer team is responsible for guiding the national Beef Checkoff throughout 2023. Taylor, Bishop and Moorhouse were elected by their fellow Beef Board members during their Winter Meetings, held during the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana. Taylor, the 2022 vice chair, will now serve as the CBB’s chair, while Bishop will transition from his role as the 2022 secretary-treasurer to become the 2023 vice chair. Moorhouse is the newest member of the officer team, taking on Bishop’s former responsibilities as secretary-treasurer.

Chair Jimmy Taylor and his wife Tracy run a commercial Angus herd near Cheyenne, Oklahoma consisting of approximately 600 females on 12,000 acres. Their ranching efforts have earned them the 2011 Certified Angus Beef Commitment to Excellence Award and the 2013 Oklahoma Angus Association Commercial Breeder of the Year. The use of artificial insemination, proper nutrition, genomics and other new technologies play a large role in obtaining the operation’s goal: to create a good eating experience for the consumer. Taylor has also served on several local and state boards.

“As 2023 gets underway, demand for beef continues to be strong, both domestically and internationally,” Taylor said. “However, ongoing drought and economic uncertainty continue to challenge our industry. As the new chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, I’m looking forward to working with our dedicated members and contractors to develop plans and initiatives designed to advance our industry and build upon the momentum generated during 2022.”

Vice Chair Andy Bishop and his wife Meagan are raising their four children on their registered Angus seed stock operation, Fairfield Farm, near Cox’s Creek, Kentucky. Bishop began his career teaching agriculture to students and eventually moved into the field of agriculture lending in 2007. Bishop is the former chair of the Kentucky Beef Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Young Cattlemen’s Conference. Bishop also served as a member of the Long Range Planning Task Force and as president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Young Producers Council and the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Young Producers group.

Moorhouse grew up on his family ranch, a cow/calf and stocker operation in North Central Texas. After graduating from Texas A & M University, he went to work for Continental Grain Cattle Feeding (now Five Rivers). He is currently the general manager for Hartley Feeders, a Five Rivers Cattle Feeding operation. Moorhouse also operates his own stocker operation back home on part of the family ranch. Moorhouse and his wife, Colette, have two sons and reside in Amarillo, Texas.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to have experienced producer leaders like Jimmy, Andy and Ryan to guide the CBB throughout the next year,” said Greg Hanes, CEO of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. “These gentlemen understand the challenges and opportunities currently facing the beef industry, and each has a unique perspective to share. I’m confident their leadership will help the CBB and the Beef Checkoff achieve new levels of success in 2023.”

To learn more about the Beef Checkoff and its programs, including promotion, research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information and safety, visit DrivingDemandForBeef.com.

Integrity

Our daily actions and decisions are fulfilled with high ethical standards and are consistent with our Association’s values.

Transparency

We believe in communicating openly about our industry, our organization and its activities.

Stewardship

We recognize our responsibility as stewards to carefully manage the resources entrusted to us by our members and industry partners.

Community

We strive to foster a sense of belonging and unity among our members and stakeholders

Commitment

We demonstrate a high degree of passion and dedication to our individual and organizational responsibilities and to our members.

Innovation

We proactively anticipate the needs of our members and community and strive to develop creative new solutions to meet the needs of the beef industry.

As a member, you’re among more than 10,000 cattlemen and cattlewomen across the state who bring a unified voice for Kentucky’s cattle industry. Your membership strengthens the association and helps ensure our success for future generations.

Not a member?

Meet Your 2023 KCA President, Andy Bishop

Carey Brown Kentucky Cattlemen's Association

Nationally only 25% of the population volunteer their time, talents and energy to making a difference, but your 2023 KCA President Andy Bishop highly encourages more people to give to something they are passionate about. He is a prime example of someone who gives back to the industry when needed.

Agriculture wasn’t always a passion for Andy, stating that until his senior year of high school he was determined to be a physical therapist. Andy grew up on a small farm in Nelson County, where his parents always had 10-15 head of cattle. In middle school he began working for a nearby farm, mostly square baling hay for Lexington area horse farms. This farm also had a cow herd and raised Holstein replacement heifers for Fair Oaks Dairy. It was his senior year of high school that he took an agriculture class and things started to change. He changed his career path after being recruited by Dr. Jones and Dr. Speer to start at Western Kentucky University where he worked in the swine unit.

Upon graduation he started teaching ag education but ultimately moved back to Nelson County where he started his own cow herd and began working for Farm Credit. He was an active member of the Nelson County Cattlemen’s Association and attended his first KCA Convention working a trade show booth. That year he attended his first Regional Meeting and credits his friend, Ryan Miller, for encouraging him to get more involved at the state level. The next year he ran for a KCA Director spot and he has only moved up from there. Two years after becoming a director he was voted in as Regional Vice President. He was the Kentucky Beef Council Chairman for two years; in this position he became engaged in the programs and education efforts of the checkoff. He served at the national level as the Cattlemen’s Beef Board Secretary/Treasurer in 2022 and was just elected to serve as the 2023 Vice Chair.

Through all his volunteer work, there is one thing that keeps him doing it, the people. “I thoroughly enjoy getting to work with and meet

producers from across the country”, stated Andy, “I can break down anywhere in the country and I know someone in each state that would help me, and that is what this industry is all about.”

His work through the checkoff really ties into the things Andy believes in and it shows in his advocacy efforts. He is a strong defender of the checkoff in person and on social media. He is passionate about youth in agriculture and feels strongly about educating not just our farm kids, but all kids to be advocates for our industry. Having four children of his own, he is proud to teach them on the farm and encourages their involvement in all aspects of agriculture, from production to finances. When he was a teacher he enjoyed working with kids who didn’t grow up on a farm, but felt it was important for them to understand and see it. He watched them grow and become leaders in other fields with a strong understanding of how agriculture works.

Another force that keeps him volunteering his time is the opportunity to be a part of the changes in our industry. He enjoys seeing things change, trying to make things better, and knowing that others have elected him to do that. With each position he reminds himself to be humble and to make decisions based on those who put him in that position. “Seeing things change for the better really fuels me,” he proudly confessed.

He is a humble leader and knows the importance of remembering where you started and recognizing the information and education you learn along the way, but also realizing that the people who put him there need a voice. “If the people involved feel like I need to be moved up that is great, but it is then my responsibility to understand and do what they put me there for, so I must take their matters/issues and put those at the forefront,” he humbly stated.

He feels his position at the national level is especially important. He acknowledges that small farmers east of the Mississippi don’t always get a national voice, so becoming involved at that level is even more important to him. He knows that small farmers need help with several issues and hopes to help move them forward with representation.

At the state level, Andy has some goals for his year as President. His first goal is working with the Kentucky Junior Cattlemen’s Association to increase involvement through a points program. Andy is currently working to put together a Junior Committee to help move this forward. This committee will be responsible for establishing the guidelines and events that will give juniors credit for participation and education and rewarding the winners. He hopes that more junior involvement will also help with his goal of reaching 12,000 KCA members this year.

His next effort is to continue to move forward with the Agriculture Education Center. He wants to engage all producers, hear their thoughts on how they can benefit from it, and identify programs or events that this facility can be used for.

Being a strong advocate for the checkoff, he of course wants to work on continued efforts to educate producers on all programs offered and how they may benefit. He would love to see more producers gain that understanding and pass that on not only to producers but also consumers.

Andy is a President who we can all be proud of. He gives an enormous amount of time to move our industry forward. He scaled back on his farm in order to make more time for his current commitments. Andy feels like that is more important and knows that he can make a bigger difference in the industry this way. He encourages all producers to reach out to him to share their concerns and hear their solutions. He will also encourage everyone to get more involved and make their voice heard, whether it is at the county, state, or national level. He sums it all up by saying “I want people to count on me to get things done and I work really hard to help when someone needs it”.

Andy and his wife, Meagan, stay busy with full-time jobs, four children and their farm. They operate Fairfield Farms, a small registered Angus operation where they sell bulls and females as well as a commercial cow herd and selling freezer beef directly off the farm. They have 75 cows on 200 acres of owned and rented land. The farms motto is Faith, Family, and Farming. Those words hold true every day in the Bishop household. .

Congratulations to Rockcastle County Beef Association on winning the Priefert Squeeze Chute and Headgate for their County Chapter! All counties that retained 50% or more memberships by January 1st, 2023 based on the previous year’s ending membership total were entered into the drawing. Thank you for all your hard work!

If you need anything for membership, please contact Rachel Cain at (859) 278-0899 or rcain@kycattle.org

2022-23 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

* MEMBERSHIP YEAR 10/1/22– 9/30/23

*Payments of KCA membership dues are tax deductible for most members as an ordinary and necessary business expense. However, charitable contributions of gifts to KCA are not tax deductible for Federal Income Tax purposes. Due to new IRS regulations, $2.24 of your dues would not be deductible. Approximately $12 of your dues will go towards the monthly publication Cow Country.

PLEASE CHECK THE MEMBERSHIP(S) YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN:

KCA MEMBERSHIP ($30/YR) NEW RENEWAL Membership dues are $30 unless otherwise listed below

KCA COUPLE MEMBERSHIP

To add your spouse, please add $15 to your KCA Membership

KENTUCKY JUNIOR CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION ($10/YR) NEW RENEWAL

I WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE YOUNG PRODUCER’S COUNCIL

TOTAL MEMBERSHIP:

$ KCA $ KJCA

TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS:

$ CATTLEMEN’S FOUNDATION DONATION (voluntary)

TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED:

$ ALL DONATIONS TO KCF ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE

COUNTY DUES

Dues are $30 except for the counties listed below.

Allen...............................$40

Anderson........................$25

Bourbon.........................$20

Boyle ..............................$35

Bullitt..............................$20

Butler..............................$25

Franklin ..........................$25

Highlands .......................$20

(Boyd, Floyd, Johnson, Lawrence, & Martin)

Hopkins ..........................$35

Laurel.............................$35

Lincoln ...........................$25

Louisville Area ................$20

(Jefferson, & Spencer)

Magoffin .........................$20

Menifee ..........................$25

Mountain........................$25

(Breathitt, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Morgan, Owsley, Perry & Wolfe)

Oldham ..........................$35

Taylor..............................$20

Twin Lakes ......................$20

Warren ...........................$40

Wayne ............................$25

Whitley ...........................$25

Woodford......................$25

IF YOU WOULD ALSO LIKE TO JOIN THE NATIONAL CATTLEMEN’S BEEF ASSOCIATION

The NCBA is now a State Marketing Partner with the KCA. You can pay your dues to both organizations with one check, at the same time.

Early Herd Rebuilding Could Happen Through The Bred Cow Market

Elliott Dennis University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The USDA Cattle Inventory report showed a 4% reduction in beef cows, a 6% decrease in heifers held back for retention, and a 5% reduction in heifers expected to calve this year (USDA-NASS 2023). Feeder cattle supplies will be reduced nationally in 2023. Continued liquidation in 2023 will depend on the profit margins producers expect to receive. Higher prices for feeder cattle are expected but higher feed costs, especially hay, and other inputs are limiting the profit potential.

Some producers have already run out of hay as heavy snow has limited winter grazing and persistent drought conditions shortened the grazing season and reduced overall hay production. Much has been said about the ENSO weather patterns changing this year. If this weather pattern does materialize the change will benefit the Southern Plains with a cool and wet spring/summer whereas the Northern Plains generally stay dry in the summer before a cool/wet fall. For Northern Plains cattle producers, it may get a bit tougher before things improve from a feed perspective.

Profits ahead?

There will be producers who have feed resources and believe profits are to be had in 2023 and 2024. The quickest way for these producers to increase the feeder cattle supply is through the addition of bred cows or bred heifers. Bred heifers receive a premium over bred cows. For example, the price ratio of bred heifers to bred cows has averaged 2.5% over the last 5 years. In other words, bred heifers are on average 2.5% more expensive than bred cows. The premium is the widest in the Spring (March-May) and lowest in the Fall (September-November).

There is a premium due to the longer useful life of the cow in the herd but smaller than expected due to potential issues with calving which can occur with first calf heifers.

Cattle age and sex

However, the national bred cow price masks several factors that impact price. Age, weight, months bred, genetics and market conditions are the primary drivers of bred cow prices. One study using Oklahoma City bred heifer and bred cow sales from 20002015 estimated the premiums and discounts for each of these factors in the bred cow market (see Mitchell et al. 2018).

To illustrate how these factors could impact producers’ decisions to either buy or sell bred cows this year, I walk through several scenarios assuming we have a three-year-old bred cow that is six months pregnant, is a medium/large 1-2, and black hided. February 2023 prices for this type of cow in Oklahoma City, OK is $1,150 but has averaged $870 over the past three years.

Producers selling cows older than this should expect to receive a discount and the discounts tend to decrease almost linearly from 0%-20% as cows age. A four-year-old bred cow would cost

$1,150 (0% discount), a seven-year-old bred cow would cost $1,035 (10% discount), and a ten-year-old bred cow would cost $920 (20% discount). Producers considering marketing older cows as bred should acknowledge the heavy discounts assigned as age increases.

Similarly, the closer the cow is to calving, the more expensive the bred cow becomes relative to a six-month-old bred cow. Discounts and premiums are nearly linear between a 4% premium ($1,196) for an eight-month-old bred cow, a 5% discount ($1,092) for a 4-month-old bred cow, and a 12% discount ($1,012) for a one-month-old bred cow. These premiums and discounts exist as there less risk of losing a calf as age increases, lower production costs before the calf’s birth, and revenue is received more quickly when late-gestating cows are purchased.

Selling this same bred cow at different times of the year will impact the price received. Producers looking to buy bred cows in the late winter or early spring should expect to pay a premium. The highest premiums are in February and March as many producers are purchasing cows that are on the same calving cycle in anticipation of summer grass and pastures. Prices peak in early March at approximately an 8% premium ($1,242). Prices are lowest in the summer and fall months in areas that are heavy spring calvers as producers are culling their herds and determining which heifers to be retained – a 4% discount ($1,104). Selling the same quality, age, and pregnancy age results in a difference of $138 per cow.

Market pressure

Current market conditions will also play a role in the price of bred cows. The feeder cattle and corn markets are the two largest drivers of bred cow prices. Higher feeder cattle prices create incentives for more calves to be brought to market and bred cows are the quickest way to do so. Higher corn prices increase the cost of gain in feedlots. This puts downward pressure on feeder cattle prices although the impact is delayed as it takes at least 6-8 months before the potential calf will reach the feedlot. Combining these impacts and current price forecasts can show the premiums and discounts producers can expect to receive for a bred cow. Premiums/discounts are relative to our bred cow (three-year-old that is six months pregnant) and current CME Feeder Cattle ($210 per cwt.) and Corn ($6 per bu.) contracts. The nearby feeder cattle price at the time of sale has a much larger impact than the nearby corn price. For example, relative to the BASE, a $0.50 decline would increase the price of our bred cow by 0.77% whereas a $10 per cwt. increase in the feeder cattle contract increases the price by 5.29%. Producers looking to rebuild herds through the bred cow market should be aware of these and other factors before buying or selling bred cows.

Celebrate National Nutrition Month ® by Fueling Our Bodies and Protecting the Environment

Janine Faber MEd, RDN, LD, Registered Dietitian

It’s the 50th anniversary of National Nutrition Month® and this year's Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics National Nutrition Month® theme is "Fuel for the Future." During the month of March, the focus is to eat with sustainability in mind to nourish ourselves during every phase of life and protect the environment.

The weekly messages in March around this theme include:

1. Eat with the environment in mind: purchase foods in minimal packaging, buy foods in season, and shop locally when possible.

2. See a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN): find a registered dietitian who specializes in your unique needs and learn how nutrients may change with age.

3. Stay nourished and save money: plan meals and snacks, use a grocery list and shop sales, and learn about community resources including SNAP, WIC, and local food banks.

4. Eat a variety of foods from all food groups: include favorite cultural foods and traditions, eat foods in various forms including fresh, frozen, canned, and dried, and avoid fad diets which promote unnecessary restrictions.

5. Make tasty foods at home: learn cooking and meal preparation skills, try new flavors and foods, and find creative ways to use leftovers to prevent food waste.

Our current Spring health professional outreach activities lend well to this theme:

• We have partnered with NCBA (National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, contractor to Beef Checkoff) to provide resources for Kentucky pediatricians and family physicians. At the end of February, a “Strong Minds, Strong Bodies” Toolkit was sent to 50 Kentucky pediatricians in the Northern Kentucky, Lexington, Louisville, and Bowling Green areas.

• NCBA reached out at the beginning of February and offered to send extra “Strong Minds, Strong Bodies” Toolkits plus a heart-healthy cookbook to Kentucky Family Physicians we work with in the state. We are sending these resources to the Kentucky Family Physicians Board Members and Committee Chairs as we partner with them and participate in their annual conference each Fall.

• On March 7th and 10th, registered dietitian, Janine Faber, will be presenting “Beef on a Budget” at the Boone County Extension office. One presentation will be available virtually and the other presentation will be live at their office.

• On March 23rd, Janine Faber will be exhibiting at the Kentucky Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics annual conference at the Hyatt Regency Lexington. We are partnering with NCBA and excited to host sports dietitian, Marie Spano, MS, RD, CSCS, CSSD, from Atlanta. Her presentation, entitled “Sports Nutrition Challenges and Solutions” will kick off the conference on Thursday morning.

• On April 20th and 21st, Janine Faber will be exhibiting at the Kentucky Public Health Association Annual Conference in Bowling Green. This is our first time sponsoring and exhibiting at this conference and we are excited to reach a variety of health professionals including health department employees, registered dietitians, diet techs, health coaches, and more. We are looking forward to sharing our resources and developing partnerships.

Healthy Eating on the Run

1. Think ahead and plan where you will eat. Consider what meal options are available. Look for places with a wide range of menu items.

2. Take time to look over the menu and make careful selections. Some restaurant menus may have a special section for “healthier” choices. When choosing steak, look for the words loin and round.

3. Review and compare nutrition information if it’s available. Menu terms that may indicate an item is healthier include: baked, braised, broiled, grilled, poached, roasted, and steamed.

4. Menu terms that usually mean a food is higher in saturated fat and calories include: batter-fried, pan-fried, buttered, creamed, crispy, breaded. Choose these foods only occasionally and in small portions.

5. Think about your food choices for the entire day. If you’re planning a special restaurant meal in the evening, have a light breakfast and lunch.

6. Hold the bread or chips until your meal is served. Hunger may drive you to fill up on these foods before your meal arrives.

7. Always eating on the go? Tuck portable, nonperishable foods in your purse, tote, briefcase or backpack for an on-the-run meal. Some suggestions are peanut butter and crackers, granola bars, a piece of fresh fruit, trail mix, single serve packages of whole grain cereal, and beef jerky.

8. Order the regular or child-size portion. Megasized servings are probably more than you need. For a lighter meal, order an appetizer in place of a main course.

9. Begin with soup or salad as a way to include more vegetables at mealtime. Follow up with a light main course.

10. Or choose a salad with grilled chicken, seafood, or grilled steak as your main course.

11. In place of fries or chips, choose a side salad, fruit or baked potato. Or, share a regular order of fries with a friend.

12. Ask for sauces, dressings and toppings to be served “on the side.” Then you control how much you eat

13. Split your order. Share an extra large sandwich or main course with a friend or take half home for another meal (some restaurants may not permit this or will charge for an extra plate).

14. Look for a sandwich wrap in a soft tortilla. Fillings such as rice mixed with seafood, chicken, sliced lean roast beef, or grilled vegetables can be healthier options.

15. At the salad bar, pile on the dark leafy greens, carrots, peppers and other fresh vegetables, including protein, like beef, to feel full. Lighten up on mayonnaise-based salads and high-fat toppings. Enjoy fresh fruit as your dessert.

Frequently Asked Questions about BEEF NUTRITION

We all know beef tastes great – but did you know that beef can be good for you, too? Check out some answers to your most pressing questions when it comes to beef and your health.

Q: Can beef be enjoyed regularly as part of a healthy, balanced diet?

A: Absolutely! A 3-ounce serving of beef—about the size of an iPhone—provides more than 10 essential nutrients including protein, iron, zinc and vitamins B12 and B6. One serving of beef contains about half of your Daily Value for protein in around 170 calories on average (and just 150 calories for a serving of lean beef).1

Q: How much beef should I eat at a meal to meet my daily protein requirements?

A: Beef is a great protein option and source of essential nutrients to enjoy any day and for any meal! Dietary Guidelines recommend adults eat 5.5 ounces of protein foods, including beef, per day. Beef can be enjoyed for any meal throughout the day so incorporating beef into various meals will help you meet the recommended Dietary Guidelines.2

Q: What benefits do the 10 essential nutrients in beef provide to the human body?

A: High-quality protein, like that found in beef, plays an increasingly important role in muscle maintenance, weight management, and the prevention of chronic diseases. Research also shows the iron, zinc and B vitamins found in beef play an essential role in developing and maintaining cognitive ability in children and adults.3

Q: What nutritional benefits does beef offer me that other proteins don’t?

A: Beef is a nutritional powerhouse in a smaller package than other protein foods. Apart from being a great source of protein, it would take 8 ounces of cooked chicken breast to eat the same amount of iron as in just 3 ounces of beef, and nearly 7 times (20 ounces) the amount of chicken to get the same amount of zinc in a serving of beef!1

Q: Is grass-finished beef more nutritious than grain-finished beef?

A: While grass-finished beef tends to be a little leaner, both grass-finished and grain-finished beef are natural sources of more than 10 essential nutrients including protein, iron and zinc. All cattle, whether grass or grain-finished, spend the majority of their lives eating grass on pastures and provide delicious and nutritious beef.4

Q: Can eating beef help improve cholesterol levels?

A: Yes! Research shows that a heart healthy diet and lifestyle that includes lean beef, even daily, improved cholesterol levels. About half the fatty acids found in beef are called monounsaturated fatty acids, the same kind found in olive oil, and, as part of a hearthealthy diet, can reduce cholesterol levels.1,5

Q: Can plant-based diets and proteins provide the same amount of protein as beef?

A: Many sources of plant protein do not contain all the amino acids your body needs. Beef supplies

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28 (Slightly revised). Version Current: May 2016. Internet: http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl

2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/.

3. Paddon-Jones D, et al. Protein, weight management, and satiety. Am J Clin Nutr

more protein and nutrients in significantly fewer calories than plant proteins. A lean beef burger patty averages around 154 calories and 25 grams of protein. Conversely, a veggie burger patty may be lower in calories, but only contains 13 grams of protein per serving.1

Q: Can eating beef cause cancer?

A: Cancer is a complex disease and most scientists agree that many factors, including lifestyle and environmental conditions, must be taken into consideration-- making it unrealistic to isolate a single food as a cause of cancer. In fact, despite all

2008;87:1558S-61S. • Wolfe, R. The underappreciated role of muscle in health and disease. Am J Clin Nutr 2006;84:475-82.

4. Van Elswyk ME, McNeill SH. Impact of grass/forage feeding versus grain finishing on beef nutrients and sensory quality: the U.S. experience. Meat Sci 2014;96:535-40.

5. Roussell MA, et al. Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet study: effects on lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins. Am J Clin Nutr 2012;95:9-16.

6. Schoenfeld JD, Ioannidis JP. Is everything we eat associated with cancer? A systematic

the investment made in cancer research, there is no single food, including beef, that has been proven to cause or cure cancer.6

Q: Do higher-protein diets have any negative health effects like kidney damage or bone loss?

A: No, this is a common myth about protein. Eating a diet higher in protein can actually help people lose and maintain a healthy weight and support a healthy metabolism. Research shows that eating 25-30 grams of protein at each meal is ideal for optimal body benefits.7

cookbook review. Am J Clin Nutr 2013;97:127-34.

7. Miller PE, Alexander DD, Weed DL: Uncertainty of results in nutritional epidemiology. Nutr Today 2014;49:147–52. • Phillips SM, et al. Protein "requirements" beyond the RDA: Implications for optimizing health. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2016;41:565-72. • Wallace TC, Frankenfeld CL. Dietary protein intake above the current RDA and bone health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Coll Nutr 2017;36:481-96.

KBN Grant Highlights

Becky Thompson Director, Kentucky Beef Network

In December the Kentucky Beef Network was approved for its twelfth grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund for $2,057,237 in State Funds for program work in 2023 & 2024. Our focus with these monies continues to be on increasing net farm income along with program expansion across the state.

Through the fall of 2022 the KBN staff along with our partners from the Beef Extension team met with the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board (KADB) recipient review committee and Kentucky’s Office of Agricultural Policy (KOAP) staff met several times to review our proposed application and budget our new and continuing programs for KBN 12. I appreciate the time the committee members and staff took to go through our application and listen to our updates to gain a better understanding of their impact for Kentucky farmers.

Below you will find some highlights of our current funded programs, for a complete list please visit kybeefnetwork.com.

Evolution of the KBN/UK Educational Programs

The KBN grant request for 2023-2024 reflects an evolution in programming. This evolution was the result of online Beef Extension Forum and the 2019 Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association Industry Long Range Plan. Many Kentucky producers had input into these two plans. The goal from each process was to establish a new vision for the beef industry and especially on marketing and beef educational programming. The KBN/UK Beef Team identified two core strategies from the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association Long Range Plan and five key areas from the Beef Extension Forum that furthered those Core Strategies to help serve as guiding principles for our programs.

Core Strategy I: Cultivate Value-Added Marketing Opportunities

• Expand marketing opportunities available to Kentucky Farm Families

• Cultivate using a business approach to cattle management and marketing

Core Strategy II: Strengthen Research, Demonstration and Outreach

• Develop Educational programs to support finishing and harvesting cattle in Kentucky

• Infuse more youth and new farmers into the beef industry through development of programs that support their needs

• Provide continuing education opportunities that foster a growth in production and management on the farm

Managing Cattle in Confinement Conference

Over the last decade, interest has grown in confinement cattle housing for beef from all segments. Kentucky has seen an increase in the number of beef cattle confinement facilities over this time frame as well. As urbanization continues to increase land values and pressure

on land availability, beef cattle production intensification will occur, or the number of beef operations will decline. This program will help to answer questions received over the last several years on confinement management and allow participants to gain knowledge to make a better-informed decision regarding confinement cattle housing.

Freezer Beef Short Course

There continues to be an interest in marketing finished beef cattle throughout the state. This enterprise offers multiple marketing opportunities including direct to consumer sales, marketing directly to processors, or to restaurants.

The goal of this program is to provide basic educational opportunities for producers interested in finishing cattle on their operations. This program will focus on nutrition of growing and finishing cattle, feeding management, as well as evaluating growth and finish of live cattle, and marketing strategies for freezer beef producers. This program will seek cooperating producers interested in hosting a portion of the short course at their operation for the hands-on components.

Advanced Post Weaning Value-Added Program – Advanced PVAP

The objective of the Advanced PVAP program is to capture preconditioning data from experienced producers to effectively illustrate the advantages and economic benefits of weaning and preconditioning calves prior to marketing. Advanced PVAP will seek to enroll experienced producers who have traditionally weaned and preconditioned their calves prior to sale.

Bull Value Assessment Program

There are enormous consequences associated with purchasing a bull and introducing his genetics for both the calf crop to be marketed and the future cow herd, if replacements are being retained. The purpose of this educational program is to improve beef farmers’ ability to purchase the correct bull for their management conditions, in a cost effective manner, and then manage the bull properly to facilitate reproductive success.

Attendees will participate in a two-part educational program combining formal classroom education using modules breeding soundness exams, bull nutritional management, matching genetics to management, targeting selection for specific markets, tools for selection. At the conclusion of the classroom education participates will be assigned a scenario and sales catalog and participate in a “mock auction” to purchase a bull to fit their scenario.

Please watch future issues of Cow Country News, Off the Hoof, or your local county extension newsletter for more information on these programs and others as they are developed, and registrations opportunities open.

Eden Shale Update

Dan Miller Industry Coordinator, Kentucky Beef Network

Travel across rural Kentucky this time of year and it won’t take you long to notice where farmers have been. They mark the road with their muddy tracks which fade away as they near the next farm gate entrance. There you will find, idling patiently, the farm truck. While easily recognizable farm trucks are each one unique. They come in many makes and models and the good ones can date back decades to when they came without amenities and they were made with American steel.

Of course there are different variations of farm trucks. The row crop farmers tend to have ones that look like service trucks with enough tools and air compressors to keep their fleet of equipment running during planting and harvesting season. It seems that these trucks tend to be newer than their livestock counterparts. I guess its because they don’t have any baling twine to keep things tied together…

It's easy to spot a cattlemen’s farm truck as they tend to be a little older and a little rougher (I’m referring to the truck). A good farm truck serves multiple purposes. It simultaneously can be a tow vehicle, a feed wagon, a service vehicle, and a farm office. The truck will contain 5 gallon buckets, empty mineral bags, multiple colors of baling twine, a couple of spare tires, various hammers and cheater bars, the paperwork of any transaction from the last two years, one to two dogs, and enough fencing tools to run two crews. There is no chance of all the lights being operational and you can hear the co-op mud tires humming along from

a mile away. A safe top speed is about 45 MPH and if you see a farm truck going faster it means the cows are out on the highway.

Our farm truck is a 1996 F-150 with the 300 inline six cylinder paired to a 5 speed manual transmission. While not a power house by any means, the torquey motor and low gears work with the positive tract differentials and aggressive tires to pull it out of any muddy situation it encounters (again, sorry about the road).

Our farm truck came painted mud brown from the factory which is how it got its name “Brownie”. After years of faithful service we noticed this winter that the frame under the bed was cracked and needed some repairs so we contracted the services of our neighbor welder.

Upon removing the bed we realized that there was not much left of it either. So the decision was made to give Brownie the ultimate farm truck upgrade of a homemade flatbed. The frame was repaired and a leaf spring shackle was replaced before the bed was constructed. The bed was built from oak boards that we already had at the farm. The existing custom steel bumper was integrated into the new design. A headache rack and tool compartments added to the functionality.

Overall it turned out great and I want to thank Mr. Steve Petzinger for his construction of the flat bed. Now Brownie can continue to serve as a very capable farm truck for years to come, and we will do our best to keep the mud off the road…

BLEVINS BLACK CATTLE

Gary, Nicole, & Ethan Blevins

59 Fieldstone Court Greenup, KY 4114

606.465.4040

blevinsblackcattle@gmail.com

BOYD BEEF CATTLE

6077 Helena Road

Mayslick, KY 41055

Charlie Boyd II: (606) 584-5194 • Blake Boyd: (606) 375-3718 www.boydbeef.com • cboyd2@maysvilleky.net

BRANCH VIEW ANGUS

927 Old Liberty Pike • Hustonville, KY 40437 (859) 238-0771 • www.branchviewangus.com

James S. & LuAnn Coffey, Donald & Donna Coffey Annual Production Sale- 2nd Saturday in April

BURKS CATTLE CO.

531 Rick Rd. Park City, KY 42160

Eddie Burks • (270) 991-6398 www.burkscattle.com

BURTON & SONS ANGUS

Joe D. or Karen Burton

480 Hominy Hill Rd. Nancy, KY 42544

Joe: (606) 305-3081

Located 15 miles West of Somerset • klburton01@windstream.net

Bulls & females sold private treaty. Inquiries Welcome. Sell only what we would buy. Data driven since 1981.

COFFEY ANGUS FARMS

661 Hopewell Road

Liberty, KY 42539

Matt Coffey: (270) 799-6288

Dewey Coffey: (606) 706-2699

Genetics for Maximum Profitability since 1984

JASON & KATIE CROWE

ELI HASKELL

10825 Red Lick Road

Irvine, KY 40336

(859) 582-0761

DAVIS BEND FARMS

2315 Davis Bend Road

Canmer, KY 42722

timmothyljeffries@gmail.com

www.davisbendfarms.com

Tim: (270) 528-6605 • Leslie: (270) 528-6435

FALL CREEK ANGUS

448 Corder Farm Road

Monticello, KY 42633

Ronnie Corder

(606) 348-6588

GREAT MEADOWS ANGUS ASSOCIATION

Spring Sale: 4th Saturday in April

Fall Sale: 3rd Saturday in October

www.greatmeadowsangus.com

Dale Brown

(859) 940-8437

HAMILTON ANGUS FARMS

Eddie Hamilton 2142 Stilesville Road

Science Hill, KY 42553

edjohami@aol.com

(606) 271-1286

Bulls and Females for Sale

ANGUS

THE BUSINESS BREED

HERITAGE FARM

Tom McGinnis

1024 Hinkle Lane • Shelbyville, KY (502) 633-1634, home • (502) 633-5100, work (502) 655-0164, cell

HILL VIEW FARMS

Jimmy Gilles

5160 Lee Rudy Road Owensboro, KY 42301 (270) 929-5370 jcgilles86@gmail.com

JOHNSON FARMS ANGUS

Angus Bulls & Females Slaughters, KY

Keith: (270) 635-0723 Reese: (270) 635-1137

LYNN CREEK FARMS

Kris and Sara Lynn 2184 Bardstown Rd Springfield KY 40069 573-721-6663

MT. MORIAH ANGUS FARMS

Bob, Kathy, and Rob Clark (859) 748-5558

1446 Kennedy Bridge Rd. Harrodsburg, KY 40330 Bob: (859)339-2610 • Rob: (859)612-1594 mtmoriahfarms1@gmail.com www.mtmoriahangus.com

FOUR KINGS ANGUS

250 Bright Leaf Dr. • Harrodsburg, KY 40330 Cary & Kim King Carymking@yahoo.com • fourkingsangus.com

Cary Cell: (859) 613-3734 • Colby Myers - Purebred Manager

OLD BARK FARM

370 Ferrill Hill, Buffalo, KY 42716

Kenley Conner 270/358-8057

Registered Angus Cattle

4040 Taylorsville Rd

Taylorsville, KY 40071

Gordon Schubert

502-477-2637 • 502-548-8440

Anne Patton Schubert

502-477-2663 • 502-548-2359

PLEASANT HILL FARMS

Gil, Mary, Corbin, Caroline, and Catherine Cowles 500 Rockfield Richpond Road Rockfield, KY 42274

(270) 843-9021 • Fax (270) 843-9005

Located 7 miles west of Bowling Green, 1/2 mile off Hwy 68/80

President: Henry B. Smith

Vice President: Anne Patton Schubert

Secretary/Treasurer: Anne DeMott

Past President: Jason Crowe

RAGS ANGUS FARM

Richard and Glenda Stallons

1240 Dogwood Kelly Road Hopkinsville, KY 42240 Home: (270) 885-4352 Cell: (270) 839-2442

rstallons@bellsouth.net

SHAW FAMILY ANGUS

Jim & Cathy Shaw

935 Miller Road • Hodgenville, KY 42748 (270) 769-8260

www.shawfamilyangus.com

Quality Registered Angus Cattle since 1975

SMITHLAND ANGUS FARM

5202 East Hwy 80, Russell Springs, KY 42642

Charles “Bud” & Pam Smith: (270) 866-3898

Henry & Melissa Smith: (270) 866-2311

ST. CLAIR FARMS REGISTERED ANGUS

Eric & Sherry St. Clair

13433 Falls of Rough Road • Falls of Rough, KY 40119

Home: (270) 257-2965 • Cell: (270) 617-1079

www.stclairangus.com

Performance Tested Bull & Female Sale April 2020

TAMME VALLEY FARM

Jacob Tamme, Owner-Operator (859) 583-7134 jacob.tamme@gmail.com www.tammevalley.com & Find us on Facebook!

TRIPLE D ANGUS

Nathaniel & Darla Denham

Nathaniel(Bub), Sarah, Ashley Denham (606) 423-2457 • (606) 875-0780 tripledangus.com

TWIN CREEK FARM

Shawn, Melissa, Devin & Dylan Gibson (270) 337-3072 or (270) 692-5304

Dennis & Emily 270/337-2128 or 270/402-4338

Watch for us in Branch View Production Sale in April

WHITE FARM

Tim and Amy White

3664 Military Pike • Lexington, KY 40513

Home: (859)223-0326

Tim: (859) 509-5401 • Amy (859)227-2552

whitefarm4@twc.com

KENTUCKY ANGUS ASSOCIATION

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Return to: Anne DeMott 1220 Angus Trail Lexington, Kentucky 40509 • Annual Dues $35

For sale book contact Wesley Womack

womackcattle@aol.com

Kentucky Hereford Association

KENTUCKY BEEF EXPO SCHEDULE

Friday, March 3 - Hereford Show - 1:00pm

Saturday, March 4 - Hereford Sale - 1:00pm

Sunday, March 5 - Junior Show - 8:00am

Toby & Debby Dulworth 2492 S. Kirkman Road

LaCenter, KY 42056 (270) 224-2993

dogwood@brtc.net

Herefords that thrive on forages. www.dogwoodherefords.com

6077 Helena Road

Mayslick, KY 41055

Charlie Boyd II

606-584-5194

Annual Bull Sale second Saturday in March

Hereford and Angus Bulls

Chambliss

Hereford Farms

Brad, Carla, Clay & Clint Chambliss 1101 Driftwood Lane

Elizabethtown, KY 42701

Home (270) 982-3905

Cell (270) 668-7126

fax 270-735-9922

www.chamblissherefordfarms.com

WCN Polled Herefords

Since 1961

Bill Norris

2220 Celina Road

Burkesville, KY 42717

Phone (270) 433-7256

Cell (270) 433-1525

“Every calf needs a white face”

WELLS FARM

Polled Herefords 439 Flatwoods Frozen Camp Rd, Corbin KY 40701

Bobby & Brenda Wells (606) 523-0569 or (606) 344-0417

wells_farm@yahoo.com

Kevin, Angela, Kenlea & Kyler Murray (606) 528-1691 or (606) 682-8413

NJB Limited

KHA OFFICERS

President: L.W. Beckley

Secretary/ Treasurer: Suzanne Matheny 606-584-0577

suzannebmatheny@gmail.com

MPH Farms

Registered Polled Herefords PAUL L. HANCOCK 8559 KY 56 Owensboro, KY 42301 270-771-4194

Jackson Farms

Registered Polled Herefords PO Box 215 Cross Plains, TN 37049 615-478-4483

billymjackson@aol.com

“Farming the Same Land Since 1834”

WOLF FARM

Registered Polled Herefords

Bulls & Females for sale

Tim & Peggy Wolf

12939 Peach Grove Road

Alexandria, KY 41001

Home: 859-635-0899

Cell: 859-991-3484

Peyton’s Well Polled Herefords

The Lowell Atwood Family 133 Edgewood Drive • Stanford, KY (606) 365-2520 home/fax

(606) 669-1455 cell

Victor- influenced cattle bred for performance on grass.

“Black cows need a good Hereford Bull”

K3 CATTLE REGISTERED HEREFORDS

KYLE BUSH

K3CATTLE@YAHOO.COM

859-588-4531

198 HICKS PIKE CYNTHIANA, KY 41031

Dale Stith 5239 Old Sardis Pike

Mays Lick, KY 41055

dalestith@yahoo.com

(918) 760-1550

Home of Select Sires’ Boyd

Fort Knox 17yxz54040

Polled Hereford and Gelbvieh Cattle 3459 KY Hwy. 1284 E. Cythiana, KY 41031 (859) 234-6956

Ben, Jane, Shelby and Lincoln

THOMAS FARM

Eric & Ronnie Thomas

2396 Union City Rd. Richmond, KY 40475

(859) 623-5734

Eric’s Cell (859) 314-8256

“Cattle for sale at all times”

Windy Hills Farm

Jackie D. Perkins II 367 Mt. Pisgah Rd. Bremen, KY 42325

(270) 543-3586

Breeding to produce good cows since 1981

BECKLEY HEREFORDS

L. Wayne Beckley • 1420 Fitchburg Rd. Ravenna, KY 40472 • 606-723-3021

Cell: 859-779-0962

L.W. Beckley D.V.M 284 Pyrse Lane • Irvine, KY 40336

Cell: 859-779-1419 • Clinic: 606-726-0000 www.beckleyherefords.com

Danny Miller jmspolledherefords.com

270-465-6984

270-566-2694

HEREFORDS

Codee Guffey • 1815 Grassy Springs Road

Versailles, Kentucky 40383 (502) 598-6355

rockridgeherefords@gmail.com

www.rockridgeherefords.com

TK4 Herefords

Tony & Kathy Staples

992 Knotts Road Brandenburg, KY 40108 (270) 422-4220 tstaples@bbtel.com

PILE STOCK FARM

Registered Polled Herefords

HANSELL PILE, JR. 12045 St. John Rd. Cecilia, KY 42724

270-735-5192

270-862-4462

12 miles West of Elizabethtown

T S F

TUCKER STOCK

“Breeding Polled Herefords for over 58 Years”

Breeding cattle for sale at all times.

1999 Walnut Hill Rd. Lexington, KY 40515 (859) 271-9086 cell (859)533-3790

Tucker Stock Farms

FARMS

“Registered Angus and Polled Herefords”

“Registered Angus and Polled Herefords”

John A. Tucker II 1790 Hidden Valley Lane Hudson, KY 40145 (270) 257-8548

John Tucker II 1790 Hidden Valley Lane Hudson, KY 40145 270-617-0301

Office (270) 257-8167

18-month-old Angus & Polled Hereford Bulls

“Bulls always for Sale”

WATSON LAND & CATTLE

Matt, Melinda, Harlee, & Wyatt Watson 6196 Mount Sterling Rd Flemingsburg, Kentucky

melindawatson8660@gmail.com

Matt - 606-748-1600

Melinda - 859-625-8660

CATTLE FOR SALE AT ALL TIMES

KENTUCKY CATTLEMAN ELECTED AMERICAN SIMMENTAL ASSOCIATION BOARD CHAIRMAN

United Producers Inc. Scholarship Application Open for Class of 2023 Students have until April 1, 2023, to apply for 1 of 10 available $1,500 scholarships

COLUMBUS, OH – United Producers Inc. (UPI) is supporting the future generation through its scholarship program. UPI will offer up to 10 scholarships, each valued at $1,500, to deserving high school students pursuing higher education.

Applicants can be a member, or a child/grandchild, of a UPI member. To be considered a member, the member must market at least one head of livestock at UPI per year. Membership is based on UPI’s 2022 records. Applicants who are not a member, child, or grandchild of a UPI member, can also be nominated by a member.

“Students who have demonstrated an interest in the agriculture industry during their high school career have a bright future ahead, with potential to make a positive impact in a wide range of career fields,” said Mike Bumgarner, President and CEO, United Producers Inc. “We look forward to the positive impact these students will have as they pursue a higher education and launch future careers.”

Applicants must be a 2023 high school graduate planning to attend college or technical school. Applicants must submit an application and essay summarizing their college and career goals. Children and grandchildren of full-time UPI employees or the Board of Directors are not eligible.

BOZEMAN, MT— Doug Parke, Paris, Kentucky, has been elected Chairman of the American Simmental Association Board of Trustees, succeeding Barry Wesner, Chalmers, Indiana.

Parke has been involved with the Simmental breed for 40 years. With his wife, Debbie, they own and operate DP Sales and Management, Parke Livestock Enterprises, and DP Online Sales, and have been involved with hundreds of SimGenetics sales. Parke was involved with the Tennessee Simmental Association, serving as board member and president, before moving home where he has served on the Kentucky Simmental Association board. He has served the Simmental Breeders Sweepstakes as a board member, attended Fall Focus events, ASA Annual Meetings, and numerous AJSA National and Regional Classics. With their daughter, Holli, the Parkes have raised SimGenetics animals and marketed progeny through various sales. Parke has owned percentages in sires like Dream On, In Dew Time, and Duracell. Parke is also active in the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association, Farm Bureau, and volunteers for and sponsors 4-H, FFA, and his community. In 2020 Doug was awarded entry into the Golden Book of the World Simmental Fleckvieh Federation.

Parke was formally seated at ASA’s 55th Annual Meeting held virtually in January of 2023. Also seated on the Executive Committee were Vice Chairman Chris Ivie, Summertown, Tennessee; Treasurer Chad Cook, Walsh, Colorado; Tim Clark, Turtle Lake, North Dakota; Ryan Thorson, Glendive, MT; and Immediate Past Chairman Barry Wesner, Chalmers, IN.

Founded in 1968, the American Simmental Association is headquartered in Bozeman, MT. ASA is committed to leveraging technology, education, and collaboration to accelerate genetic profitability for the beef industry. In keeping with its commitment, ASA, along with its partners, formed International Genetic Solutions — the world’s largest genetic evaluation of beef cattle. Learn more at www.simmental.org..

Apply online at www.uproducers.com/scholarship. Applications must be completed by April 1, 2023..

United Producers Inc. services 35,000 members in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee. United Producers operates 30 facilities and handles approximately 3 million head of livestock annually. As one of the nation’s largest livestock marketing cooperatives, United Producers provides livestock marketing, credit and risk management solutions. United Producers is a farmer-memberowned and operated cooperative headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. For more information visit www.uproducers.com.

Norbrook® Launches Tulieve® (tulathromycin injection) at 2023 NCBA Convention

Company’s latest anti-infective offers cattle industry affordable alternative to leading tulathromycin injectables in exclusive plastic bottles

LENEXA, Kansas (January 26, 2023) – Cattle producers, veterinarians and industry representatives attending the 2023 NCBA Convention in New Orleans can learn more about new Tulieve® (tulathromycin injection), the newest anti-infective product from Norbrook®.

Eric Moore, DVM, director of technical services for Norbrook, says a major advantage of Tulieve® over other tulathromycin injectables is its availability in four different size plastic bottles, from 100 mL to 1 liter. Two of these are plastic hanger bottles, making it easier to handle while reducing risk of product loss. “This rapidly absorbed, long-acting, single-shot antibiotic has proven highly effective in treating a broad range of bacterial pathogens that affect cattle,” Dr. Moore notes. “We are excited to offer this alternative to Draxxin® (tulathromycin injection) Injectable Solution in our exclusive plastic packaging as part of the Norbrook portfolio of anti-infective solutions for producers and their veterinarians.” The addition of Tulieve establishes Norbrook as the animal health manufacturer with the most complete antibiotic portfolio, now providing five classes of antibiotics.

The annual NCBA Convention and Trade Show are February 1-3, 2023, in New Orleans. Dr. Moore and company technical representatives will be at the Norbrook exhibit to provide more information about new Tulieve® as well as their full line of cattle health products, including Noromycin® 300 LA (oxytetracycline injection), Norfenicol® (florfenicol) Injection and Cefenil® RTU (ceftiofur hydrochloride) Injection. In addition, company representatives can help prepare producers and veterinarians for the new FDA antibiotic-use guidelines that go into effect this coming June.

For more information about new Tulieve® (tulathromycin injection) from Norbrook and its portfolio of cattle products, visit Norbrook.com. To schedule a time to visit with Dr. Moore during the NCBA Convention and Trade Show, contact Jill Means at 515-710-2667 or email at Jill.Means@ modop.com

Kentucky Farm Bureau BEEF EXPO

Kentucky Fair & Expo Center • Louisville, KY • March 3-5, 2023

ANGUS

Show: 10 AM, Friday

Sale: 12 PM, Saturday

Wes Womack, 270-484-0556

GELBVIEH

Show: 1 PM, Friday

Sale: 11:30 AM, Saturday

David Slaughter, 270-556-4259

HEREFORD

Show: 1 PM, Friday

Sale: 1 PM, Saturday

Suzanne Matheny 606-584-0572

PEN HEIFER

Show: 2 PM, Friday

Sale: 2 PM, Saturday

JWC Marketing LLC 859-229-1767

Major Co-Sponsors: Kentucky Farm Bureau and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture

RED ANGUS

Show: 10 AM, Friday

Sale: 10 AM, Saturday

Johnnie Cundiff, 606-871-7438

606-636-6896 (Work)

RED POLL

Show: 2:30 PM, Friday

Sale: 9:30 AM, Saturday

Kyle Young, 502-321-9892 (Cell)

SHORTHORN

Show: 10 AM, Saturday

Sale: 1 PM, Saturday

Cindy Cagwin Johnston - 217-370-6034

SIMMENTAL

Show: 4 PM, Friday

Sale: 11 AM, Saturday

Doug Parke, 859-987-5758 859-421-6100 (Cell)

DON’T MISS THESE OTHER EXPO EVENTS!! Junior Heifer, Steer, and Market Heifer Jackpot Shows More information available at www.kybeefexpo.com

OTHER EVENTS:

Kentucky Junior Heifer Show

Saturday, Check In

Show: 4:30 PM

Junior Steer Show

Saturday, Check In

Sunday, Show: 8:00 AM

Open Junior Heifer Show

Saturday, Check In

Sunday, Show: 8:00 AM

Trade Show

Brandy Graves, 502-229-2747

*Kentucky heifer exhibitors will show separately Saturday, March 4 at 4:30 PM and may choose to show in the Open Junior Heifer Show, Sunday, March 5 at 8:00 AM.

SIMMENTAL

KEVIN AND RACHEL BARRON Crestwood, Ky

(502) 905-5851 rkbarron812@gmail.com

SWAIN SELECT SIMMENTAL 12113 Green Valley Dr. Louisville, KY 40243 frederickswain@bellsouth.net facebook.com/swainselectsimmental

Fred & Phyllis: 502-245-3866 502-599-4560

Chi & Angie: 502-287-2116

ROCKING P LIVESTOCK 8308 Orangeburg Road Maysville, KY 41056

Chan: 606-584-7581

Keith: 606-584-5626 rockingplivestock@maysvilleky.net

BRIAN & HEATHER SWAIN 3906 Pottertown Road Murray, KY 42071 • 270-293-4440 wksbswain@murray-ky.net

SIMMENTAL AND SIMANGUS BULLS FOR SALE

1939 Huntertown Road Versailles, KY 40383

BULLS FOR SALE

JUDY AND RONDAL DAWSON

1156 Buzzard Roost Road Shelbyville, KY 40065 502-593-5136 • jrdawson22@outlook.com

Chris Allen 859-351-4486 callenuky@hotmail.com

Dr. Henry Allen 859-229-0755

BRET AND LAURA JACKSON 859.533.3718 or 859.707.7200

She’s built to last in heat, fescue or high altitudes. And thanks to the breed’s built-in adaptability, you can match Simmental genetics to your environment – SimAngus,™ SimAngus HT, Simbrah or proven Simmental genetics. Meet

BILL KAISER • Shelbyville, KY • 502.639.4337

PRIVATE TREATY SALES CHECKOFF INVESTMENT FORM

State and National Beef Promotion and Research Programs Information is required by 7 CRF 1260.201. Failure to report can result in a fine. Information is held confidential per 7 CRF 1260.203.

Total Checkoff Payment for STATE OF ORIGIN*

X BUYER SELLER PHONE

X

Send Report and Remittance to: Kentucky Beef Council

176 Pasadena Drive

Lexington, KY 40503

For additional information: call 859-278-0899 or email beef@kycattle.org

*If the cattle purchased came from another state within the last 30 days, indicate from which state the cattle were purchased.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

REGISTERED RED ANGUS BULLS FOR SALE

* FREE DELIVERY *

FOUR WINDS FARM

N ew Castle, Kentucky (502) 296-1044

PERFORMANCE TESTED PUREBRED ANGUS BULLS FOR SALE

Call 270-202-7186 for more info or check out www.oakhollowangus.com for current availability.

POLLED HERFORD BULLS FOR SALE

19-20 month old Polled Hereford bulls. Good selection. Low birthweight, medium frame. Free Delivery Available.

JMS Polled Herefords, Knifley, KY Danny 270-566-2694 Trent 270-566-2000

THE FOUNDATION SALE IX

September 16, 2023

United Producers Facility, Bowling Green, KY Selling FULLBLOOD & PUREBRED LIMOUSIN Genetics

For info call: A C H Holdings, LLC Stephen Haynes 270-799-8685

REGISTERED BLACK SIMMENTAL BULLS

Many blaze faced. Excellent EPD’s. Semen Tested. Delivery Available. Maximize your profit with proven performance. All bulls qualify for new CAIP cost-share. Adam Wheatley 502349-2665

BREEDING AGE HEREFORD BULLS FOR SALE AT ALL TIMES

Over 60 years of Line 1 Hereford Genetics. Groups of open and bred heifers available for sale at all times.

Chambliss Hereford Farms. 270-668-7126

RED ANGUS, SIMANGUS, CHAROLAIS, ANGUS FOR SALE

Red Hill Farms, Lafayette, TN, 615-666-3098 Bart, Sarah and Ty Jones Gordon and Susan Jones, 270-991-2663 Visit us online - www.RedHillFarms.net

Contact us for cattle and semen availability. Annual Production Sales: More Than a Bull Sale – 3rd Saturday in March Maternal Monday – 3rd Monday in May Bulls & Females of Fall Sale – Last Saturday in October

SORTING POLES – PADDLES – FLAGS

Poles with your 8” decal, $6.70 each for 50 or $7.25 each per 25. Sorting flag, $13.00, Sorting paddles, $9.50. Ear tag cutters with print, quantities at $4.00 each. Kerndt Livestock Products, 800-207-3115

18 MONTH OLD REGISTERED SIMMENTAL BULLS

BSE tested with excellent calving ease and growth EPD’s. Quality based on 40 years of AI breeding. Ideal choice for crossbreeding. 502-839-6651 or 502-260-7884

HOT SPRINGTIME DEALS:

ESCH NO TILL DRILLS-12 ft in stock Today! Order your Horning 2/3 row Headers

New Holland TL -100 with loader-2wd Luck now 2350 mixer -$11,000 JD 6400-cab- $34,000

Meyer TMR mixers- in stock

Cloverdale 420-500 T - in stock

1402/03 Horning Rotary Headers

Lancaster hammermills- ready to go

4218-22 Esch hay tedders- in stock

WLS 50- $20,000 wet lime spreader

Stoltzfus -LIME -LITTER- FERTILIZER

Spreader John Deere 4020 -3 to choose from Manure spreaders- 8 in-stock John Deere 7200- cab -16 speed John Deere 3975 - base unit- Artex SB 600 Spreader -in stock John Deere 468 - net $16,500 John Deere 566twine $12,000 Stoltzfus 10 ton Litter spreader

$$$$ New Holland 790 choppers-$8500 Gehl 8335 feeder wagon $7500 Artex SB 200vertical beater- Farmco feeder wagons-5 in stock-www.redbarnandassociates.com

Charlie B. Edgington 859-608-9745

How Will You Market Your Fall Born Calves?

Kevin Laurent Extension Specialist, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky

Well March has arrived and if we have a fall calving season, decisions need to be made on how we will market these fall born calves. Currently the calf market has been on an upward trend which is generally the norm as we approach spring. Demand for calves to turn out on grass or to enter backgrounding programs increases as a smaller supply of available calves come to market. This seasonal trend in calf supplies is simply because most beef cattle operations calve in the spring. A quick check of calving data from the USDANASS Cattle Inventory Reports shows that over 70% of the nation’s calf crop is born between January 1 and June 30. In fact, the latest reported data for 2022 finds that only 27% of the nation’s calf crop was born between July 1 and December 31.

So how does this translate for KY cattle prices? The tables below show the average prices paid for KY steers from 2010-2022. To save space, I only included the three highest months of the year (shaded in blue) and the three lowest months of the year (shaded in yellow). Table 1 are the prices paid for 500-599 lb. steers. On the average, from 2010-2022, 5 wt. steers selling in March-May averaged $12.68/cwt

higher than 5 wt. steers selling OctoberNovember. Table 2 shows similar data for 800899 lb. steers. In this case, 8 wt. steers selling in August-October averaged $10.75/cwt. more than 8 wt. steers selling February-April. Realize that although these are consistent seasonal trends, there are outside factors that can come into play from time to time. For example, extreme drought coupled with a spike in corn prices wreaked havoc on the cattle market in the summer of 2012 (see 2012 August average price in Table 2). Another example was the upturn in the market in 2014 when fall calf prices were actually higher than the previous spring (see 2014 prices in Table 2).

Looking at these historical price trends, targeting the grass market in the spring or the yearling market in late summer seem to both be viable options. Even though supply and demand are in the sellers’ favor, care must be taken to prevent potential discounts. Regardless of which market you target, bull calves need to be castrated. Discounts for 550 lb. intact bulls vs. steers since 2013 have averaged $12.08/cwt. (Burdine, UK Agricultural Economics). That’s over $66

per head and it should be noted that these discounts increase as calf weights increase. Additionally, if targeting the spring grass market, care should be taken to prevent creep fed calves from becoming too fleshy. Removing the creep feeder for a period of time prior to sale will help “harden” calves’ appearance and make them more attractive to grass buyers.

Producers targeting the late summer yearling market can wean and drylot feed or graze available pasture. Depending on pasture quality, a targeted supplementation program maybe needed for adequate gains. With higher feed costs, yet another strategy maybe to leave calves on the cows into late June or early July. Oklahoma State published research in 2010 that evaluated two weaning strategies for 158 cows over a 4 year period. Calves were either weaned in April at 210 days of age or in July at 300 days of age. Calves weaned in April averaged 438 lbs. Calves weaned in July averaged 642 lbs. April weaned calves grazed on similar native pasture without supplementation weighed 607 lbs. on the same date in July. There was a 35 lb. advantage for allowing the calf to nurse for 300 days.

Table 1: Medium-Large Frame, #1-2 Steers, 500-599 lbs. (USDA-AMS, KY Prices, $/cwt)

Researchers reported no negative effects on pregnancy rates among cows that were 4 years of age or older. However, there was a decrease in pregnancy rates for cows younger than 4 years that nursed calves for 300 days.

This research shows that with mature cows, delayed weaning may be a viable option

Spring-Calving Cow Herd

to save on feed costs and still grow calves for the late summer/early fall yearling market. Couple this strategy with a 60-day preconditioning period and you could have an 8 wt. calf ready for market in September. Whether you choose to wean and feed or delay weaning, producers marketing small

lots of heavy feeders should consult with their local sale barn about their intentions and sell when there will be other heavy weight feeders available to avoid potential discounts. Regardless of which path you choose, fall calvers can take comfort in knowing that in most years their calves will be in high demand.

TIMELY TIPS FOR MARCH

• Obser ve spring-calving cows closely. Check cows at least twice daily and first-calf heifers more frequently than that. Be ready to assist those not making progress after 1 to 2 hours of hard labor. Chilled calves should be dried and warmed as soon as possible.

• See that each calf gets colostrum within an hour of birth or administer colostrum (or a commercial colostrum replacement) with an esophageal feeder, if needed.

• Identify calves with eartags and/or tattoos while calves are young and easy to handle and record birthdate and Dam ID. Commercial male calves should be castrated and implanted as soon as possible. Registered calves should be weighed in the first 24 hours.

• Separate cows that have calved and increase their feed. Energy supplementation to cows receiving hay is necessar y to prepare them for rebreeding. For example, a 1250 lb cow giving 25 lb/day of milk would need about 25 lb of fescue hay and 5 lb of concentrate daily to maintain condition. If you need to go from a condition score of 4 to 5, you will need to add about 2 more lb of concentrate. Cows must be in good condition to conceive early in the upcoming breeding season.

• Watch for calf scours! If scours become a problem, move cows that have not calved to a clean pasture. Be prepared to give fluids to scouring calves that

become dehydrated. Consult your veterinarian for advice and send fecal samples to diagnostic lab to determine which drug therapy will be most effective. Try to avoid feeding hay in excessively muddy areas to avoid contamination of the dams’ udders.

• Continue grass tetany prevention. Be sure that the mineral mix contains high levels (~15%) of magnesium and that cows consume adequate amounts. You can feed the UK Beef IRM High Magnesium mineral.

• Plan to vaccinate calves for clostridial diseases (Blackleg, Malignant Edema) as soon as possible. You might choose to do this at the prebreeding working in late April or early May.

• Obtain yearling measurements on bulls and heifers this month (weight, height, pelvic area, scrotal circumference, ultrasound data, etc.) if needed for special sales. Heifers should be on target to be cycling by the start of the breeding season.

• Prepare bulls for the breeding season. Increase feed if necessar y to have bulls in adequate condition for breeding. Obtain Breeding Soundness Evaluation (BSE) on bulls, even if they were checked last breeding season. Only use bulls that pass the BSE.

• Finalize plans for your spring breeding program. Purchase new bulls at least 30 days before the breeding. Order semen now, if using artificial insemination

Fall-Calving Cow Herd

• Bull(s) should be away from the cows now!

• Plan to pregnancy check cows soon. You can also blood test for pregnancy as early as 30 days after bull removal.

• Creep feed calves with grain, by-products, or high-quality forage. Calves will not make satisfactory gains on the dam’s milk alone after about 4 mos. of age – since there isn’t much pasture in March, fall calves need supplemental nutrition. Consider creep grazing on wheat pasture, if available. Calves can also be early weaned. Be sure that feed bunks are low enough that calves can eat with the cows.

• Calves intended for feeders should be implanted.

• Consider adding weight and selling your fall calves as “heavy” feeder calves. Keep them gaining!

General

• Repair fences, equipment, and handling facilities.

• If you have a dr y, sunny day, use chain-link harrow to spread manure in areas where cattle have overwintered. This may be done in conjunction with renovation.

• Renovation and fertilization of pastures should be completed.

• Start thistle control. They can be a severe problem in Kentucky pastures. Chemical control must be done early to be effective.

• Watch for lice and treat if needed.

Table 2: Medium-Large Frame, #1-2 Steers, 800-899 lbs. (USDA-AMS, KY Prices, $/cwt)

5,376 cows harvested

2,314,805 pounds of ground beef packaged $4,807,922.84 farm gate sales

309 farms impacted 74 counties impacted in 180 Kroger stores

Also available at the KFC Yum Center, Kentucky Fair & Expo Center, Louisville Slugger Field, and Wild Health Field.

www.kentuckycattlemensbeef.com

310 Females sell

ANNUAL SALE

• Powerful, high performance VAR Power Play 7018 son that goes back to one of the best cows we’ve owned. 9323 maintains a calving interval of 12/369 despite being flushed numerous time; with progeny ratios of WW 12/105, YW 10/106, IMF 41/101, RE 41/103.

• 1516 posted impressive ratios of WW 126, YW 118, ADG 108 to arrive at top 1% WW, 3% YW EPDs. Index values of top 3% $W, 20% $B, $C.

CEDBWWWYW$W$C

2/118, IMF 2/112, RE 2/119.

BV Growth Fund 2002 | Reg# 20451664

BV Power Play 1516 | Reg# 20303835

CEDBWWWYW$W$C