Cow Country News - April 2023

The full sister to BJ Surpass’ dam. Offering embryos and a fall heifer pregnancy by Baldridge Limitless from this massive donor.

A massive daughter of RB Lady Denver 167-426. Selling sexed heifer embryos by DB Iconic and Kenny Rodgers. Her donor sister also sells!

Full sib embryos to this female by Tahoe sell along with maternal sib embryos by Connealy Craftsman. Maternal at its best!

A rare daughter of Clarity due this fall to GB Fireball. Imagine that EPD script!

Baldridge Colonel x Boyd Rita 5149. A true power cow with an awesome BJ Surpass son at side. Safe to Sitz Resilient.

Fancy Spring Yearling and the EPDs to match. Growth Fund x Flat Top that is sure to impress!

Ms Clarity 165-6073

COLUMNISTS

07 Andy Bishop: President’s Thoughts

08 Ryan Quarles: Shrinking Cattle Herd in Kentucky

11 Dave Maples: Thoughts from Dave

16 Dr. Michelle Arnold: Parasite Problems Returning in Cattle Due to Dewormer Resistance?

26 Chris Teutsch: Results from 500 Hay Samples: What They Do and Do Not Tell Us, and What We Can Do About It

38 Ruminate on This: To Graze of Not to Graze?

86 Jeff Lehmkuhler: Don’t Expect Things To Return To The Way They Used To Be

FEATURE STORIES

14Commissioner Praises Passage Of Bill To Add New Division To State Vet’s Office

18Invasive Insect Species Closer To Kentucky Border

20NCBA Welcomes Introduction of Black Vulture Relief Act

30The Beef Checkoff and Lab-Grown Protein

482023 Beef Expo Sales Reach $780,000

50 Pork Exports Robust in January; Slow Start for Beef Exports

52USDA Proposes New Requirements for the “Product of USA” Label Claim

52Ministers Bibeau and Ng Respond to Changes Proposed to “Product of Usa” Labelling Regulations

12County News

22NCBA Legislative Update

42Economic & Policy Update

66Membership

56Kentucky Beef Council

58Kentucky Beef Network

66Calendar of Events

67Advertisers Index

67Classifieds

Bovine Beauties

photo by Nathaniel Weaver Lincoln County

My wife runs marathons. When I say that Cassie runs marathons, I don’t mean she has run a marathon or likes to run; she legitimately is a high-level marathon runner. If you are reading this, she has a better marathon time than you. She most likely has a faster marathon time than anyone you know. Your neighbor down the street you see running every morning, the guy from your kid’s school who was a good cross-country runner, and your coworker who “likes to run marathons” all have slower times than my wife. Unless you know a professional female distance runner or a retired male collegiate runner who still logs 50+ miles a week, I can assure you she is faster than them. She is obviously extremely gifted, talented, and beautiful (yes, she reads my newsletters). However, as someone who hears her 5:00 am Sunday morning alarm every week, I know the path to get where she is could not possibly be more monotonous and boring. Her success results from her work ethic, time, and consistency. Yet, with spring break on the horizon, everyone with a house booked in Florida is trying to find a quick fix to “tone up” a little bit. They will consider any diet, workout routine, or bio hack possible to look marginally better by the end of the month. As someone that spends 300+ mornings a year in the gym to at least look like I know what a barbell is, I can guarantee that there is no such thing.

However, regarding genetic selection in beef cattle, everyone looks for a bull that can “do it all” in one generation. Marketing materials make it sound like there are bulls that can give you replacement heifers that breed at 100% conception rate, make the best cows, produce feeder calves that will top every sale, and hang carcasses that are 100% Yield Grade 1 and 2 USDA Prime. Unfortunately, that animal doesn’t exist. It is hard enough even to find an animal that is above breed average for every single trait. Whether natural service or AI, if there is a bull in the Angus breed I want to use, I am using him. I know how to do a data search and make a phone call. If an animal is unique enough, I will find a way to use him. That being said, there is not a single bull I wouldn’t change something about in a heartbeat. The changes range from more marbling, smaller mature size, better feet, greater carcass weight, higher levels of heifer fertility, better hair shed, or smaller birth weights. I am using 100% of the bulls I want to use in the entire database. Yet, there is still some deficiency in every one of them that I am trying to improve in the next generation. Using 15-20 bulls each year, we can balance out the strengths and weaknesses of each individual female through complementary breeding decisions. There are bulls I am not using that are certainly interesting but don’t quite hit the mark for

one reason or another. All this is to say no bull will fix all your problems in the first generation, but he can certainly bring you quite a few.

Judging by the questions new customers ask me about bulls, it appears that feet continue to be the biggest headache for commercial cattlemen. Whether this is due to genetics or a breeder’s bull development program (probably a little bit of both), the problem still exists. Based on the sale reports I see, I don’t think many out there are listening to their customer base, and I don’t think it is a simple fix. For example, suppose you started with a cow herd that was breed average for foot EPDs. In that case, I think it would still require two generations of breeding exclusively to bulls in the top 15% of the breed for claw and angle to achieve a cull rate of 0% on feet in a bull development program. I told this to dad, and he corrected me and said it would probably take three. The heritability of traits obviously impacts how long progress can take, but minimizing culling rates and maximizing performance on par with the breed’s top-performance genetics sounds impossible. It sounds nearly as impossible as trying to run a marathon as fast as my wife after sitting on the couch for the last year.

A lot of 8-mile runs at dawn with no one watching has given her the ability to run a fast time when everyone is watching. It is the same with cattle. I am as tired of writing as you are of reading that we need these cows to breed at 15 months old, calve at 24 months, and do so every 365 days for 12 to 15 years old. They need to stay sound and produce a calf the feedlot wants to buy with the genetic potential to grade USDA Choice and Prime. Those are the genetics the uniform calf crops come from, and that is where the money is made. Both concepts are unbelievably simplistic but very easy to try and shortcut. Without a big aerobic base for a marathon, if you try and keep up with Cassie, you will have your heart rate through the roof by 10 miles in and not finish the race. Without a fundamentally sound cow herd, you may still produce some nice calves, but you will have a lot of culls along the way. We all know what that does to profit. Whether you are training for a race or building a cow herd, the most significant progress is made by doing the boring stuff repeatedly. The idea of hard work and no shortcuts feels like something we can relate to in agriculture. Let’s not fool ourselves and think the same thing doesn’t apply to the genetics of the animals we work with as well.

Joe K. Lowe II Contact joe.lowe@icloud.com for an additional monthly newsletter

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OFFICERS: REGIONAL DIRECTORS:

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

KCA PAST PRESIDENTS:

REGION

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

VOLUME 36 • ISSUE 4

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.............................502-817-1511

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 Megan Tindle MDT Photography LLC, Henry County

Presidents Thoughts

Andy Bishop KCA President

It was a balmy 22 degrees when I le the house this morning and you could almost see the life draining out of the blooms on the trees that prematurely thought Spring had arrived. I must admit with the 70-degree weather I had let myself dream of an early Spring and an escape from the grasp of winter. Nonetheless, here we are and let the hay feeding continue, but the green pastures still give a glimmer of hope that we are just around the corner from turning those cows out on fresh grass. I hope everyone has taken the time to pull soil samples to see what needs attention. If you are like me you may have cut fertilizer a bit short last year with the high prices and therefore may intensify the need for getting soils ready for new growth. Fortunately, much higher cattle prices are giving us the additional dollars needed for inputs as we move forward. e near future looks bright for the cow/calf sector and I would encourage you to remember the old adage that the best cure for high prices is high prices. Be smart this year and look at using some insurance to lock in prices with minimal cost. I remember 2014 when prices were high and the crash that soon followed with most people riding the market. My advice … don’t be that producer!

I wanted to use this month’s article to correct a misconception in the industry, one that even I had several years ago. I am currently serving as Vice Chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board(CBB) and the rst thing people say when I tell them that is “oh that’s NCBA”. I too, thought that same thing until I got involved as the Kentucky Beef Council Chair several years ago. e Cattlemen’s Beef Board IS NOT NCBA and as a matter of fact is independent of any individual cattle organization. e Cattlemen’s Beef Board was authorized by the Beef Promotion and Research Act to administer the national checko program. e Cattlemen’s Beef Board collects 50 cents of every Checko $1. e Checko was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill and falls under the oversight of the USDA. States keep 50 cents of that $1 under the Federation of State Beef Councils to use for local promotion while 50 cents goes to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and is used for Domestic and International Promotion and Research. Currently there are 8 contractors to

the National Beef Checko that must meet stringent requirements to be a contractor. e Cattlemen’s Beef Board is made up of 101 members from across the U.S. that are appointed by the US Secretary of Agriculture. e Board is made up of 94 producers and 7 importers that pay into the checko . Each year contractors present Authorization Requests to producer led Checko Committees at Summer Business meeting. ose requests are analyzed, scored, and then passed on to the Beef Promotion Operating Committee who determines how funds are allocated. e Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC) is made up of 10 CBB members who interview for a position and 10 Federation of State Beef Council Members (also elected producers) from across the country. e task of the BPOC is to take the Authorization Requests and determine what cuts are needed to balance the budget. is past year there were nearly $48 million dollars in requests for funding and the budget was slightly over $38 million. As you can see the BPOC has quite the task and with any business, tough decisions must be made. At the end of the day we are tasked with choosing which programs get us the biggest bang for the buck and have the largest impact. Did you know that the original $1 in 1985 is now worth $.42 cents? is coupled with a much smaller cow herd and rising costs makes the job of the BPOC even harder. Feeder calf prices in 1985 averaged $.56 cents, just imagine trying to take that and run a business today. at’s what the BPOC is dealing with!

e 8 contractors to the checko are American Farm Bureau Foundation, North American Meat Institute, US Cattlemen’s, Foundation for Meat and Poultry Research, Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative, Meat Importers Council of America, US Meat Export Federation, and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. NCBA is the largest contractor to the Checko but IS NOT the Cattlemen’s Beef Board which o en gets misconstrued. Just for clari cation NCBA has an o ce in Denver that handles all things Checko and has a clear rewall between Denver and it’s lobbying arm which is housed in Washington DC. ere are strict rules against using checko funds for lobbying activities and its important for producers to understand that the Firewall is in place for a reason and USDA makes sure that Firewall stays in place. Being in the trenches daily with Checko items, I can honestly say that the utmost caution is given to make sure all contractors adhere to the rules of the Act and the Order and there is no gray area.

Let me close with “What does your Dollar do?” I would encourage you to go to www.bee oard.org and not only learn about the checko but see what programs are out there and meet the producers that are involved on a strictly voluntary basis. We receive zero money for our countless hours of service and do it because we are passionate about this industry and ensuring it continues for future generations. As a producer, it will be rare for you to see marketing paid for by the Checko because we already have your vote. ose monies are better spent to reach the millions of consumers outside of agriculture in places like social media, Spotify, Tiktok, Pandora, and much more. Unless you hang out in those places you aren’t likely to see the messaging, so I encourage you to take the time to visit our website and see “What

your Dollar does!”

Shrinking Cattle Herd in Kentucky

Ryan Quarles Commissioner of Agriculture

Fi y-six years ago, Lyndon Johnson was president, the best-selling album was e Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” and a gallon of gas cost 33 cents. 1967 was also the last time the number of beef cows in Kentucky was as low as it is now. Kentucky’s beef cow inventory was estimated at 895,000 head on Jan. 1, 2023, according to the Kentucky Field O ce of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

e drop in numbers follows a national trend as NASS estimates a 3.5-percent reduction nationally in beef cattle inventory to 28.9 million head. at’s the lowest total in 61 years – since John F. Kennedy was president, the “West Side Story” soundtrack was the best-selling album, and gas cost 31 cents, all in 1962.

Across the nation, all cattle and calves as of Jan. 1 totaled 89.3 million head, 3 percent below the 92.1 million head just a year prior, according to NASS. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 38.3 million head, were 3 percent below the 39.4 million head at the

start of 2022. e 2022 calf crop was estimated at 34.5 million head, down 2 percent from the previous year.

e Kentucky cattle and calf inventory on Jan. 1 was estimated at 1.93 million head, 100,000 fewer than last year, according to NASS. Cows and heifers that have calved were estimated at 940,000 head, down 70,000. e 2022 calf crop was estimated at 920,000 head, down 60,000. Despite the drop in numbers, cattle are still an important livestock to Kentucky. e commonwealth ranks 14th nationally for cattle inventory and remains the state with the largest number of beef cattle east of the Mississippi River.

Kenny Burdine, agricultural economist for the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, has been following the situation closely. He attributed the drop in our cattle numbers to “a combination of dry weather, high input costs, and strong cull-cow prices.”

Kentucky producers also dealt with extreme weather events such as tornadoes in western Kentucky in late 2021 and ooding in eastern

Kentucky last summer. Burdine called the weather “a perfect storm” with more than half of the state mired in a moderate drought last fall and far western Kentucky baking in a severe drought.

Dry conditions forced cattle producers to start feeding hay a lot earlier than usual, leading to tighter hay supplies and higher winterfeeding costs for cow-calf producers. Winter feed is the largest expense for most cow-calf operations, and most years, producers can buy hay for $60-$80 per ton, according to Burdine. But he added that recent hay auctions in Kentucky have seen the same quality hay selling for $100 per ton or more.

Burdine said those higher costs result in a signi cant increase in daily feeding costs, causing some producers to reduce their numbers. Cattle markets have been mixed but have been trending stronger, which he expects will continue into the spring for calf and feeder markets.

e silver lining in a lower cattle inventory is it may result in higher sale prices for Kentucky cattle producers.

STONE GATE FARMS OPTIMUM TRAIT GENETICS

A special thank you to all the buyers, bidders and participants at our annual production sale. We were blessed to have so many repeat buyers and old friends pay us a visit. Exciting times are ahead for the cattle industry and we are enthusiastic about the future, with several young buyers deciding to start their herds with Stone Gate cattle. We understand the investment it takes to build and maintain a cowherd, that’s why we have been so diligent over the years to provide our customers with consistent and predictable cattle.

Thoughts From Dave

Dave Maples Executive Vice President

Our o ce has spent a great deal of time this month on the issues of veterinarians and the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act. If you are interested you can read House Bill 167 which is an ACT relating to veterinarian licensing. Just to give you a heads up, it is a 68 page bill that is very comprehensive. It includes nearly all aspects of veterinary medicine including small animals, food animals and telemedicine.

ere are two di erent bills relating to the veterinary profession working through the legislature this session along with a task force to come up with recommendations or ideas to address the shortage of rural veterinarians. e search for the State Veterinarian is going on at the same time.

And don’t forget that the reality of over-thecounter antibiotics will end come June 2023. Cattlemen will have to have a prescription to purchase the common antibiotics that we have all used for years that you purchased at the local farm supply store. A VCPR (Veterinary Client Patient Relationship) will be highly

important going forward. is will require a veterinarian to visit your farm at least once every 12 months. You need to establish a VCPR anyway and work with your local veterinarian.

I don’t think most people realize the importance of the State Veterinarian position. Today we have no State Veterinarian or Assistant State Veterinarian. is is not a good position to be in with all the livestock and equine that Kentucky is home to. Over the years we have been very fortunate to have a long run with Dr. Bob Stout and Dr. Don Notter before him. Dr. Katie Flynn was just getting into the job but a better o er came along and she couldn’t turn it down. It looks like the compensation package is going to have to be better if we are going to attract the high-quality personnel that is required to manage the State Veterinarian o ce. A veterinarian can just about name their price in today’s market. For some reason I have managed to get on the telehealth email

list where I get correspondence from several of the televet companies. One of the companies was o ering paid time o at a top-rated vacation property courtesy of their company if you came to work for them.

e one thing I have had to come to grips with on this issue is that the veterinary industry is going to change and the way you as a cattleman interact with your veterinarian could be di erent than the way we grew up with our local veterinarian. e veterinary industry is consolidating just like about everything else.

As for the shortages of rural veterinarians it is going to be important that we as cattlemen identify young people in high school that have a strong desire to be a veterinarian and then come back to our rural communities to practice. I had a good conversation with the folks at Auburn about a mentorship program with these select students. e details of the program have not been worked out but it sure sounded like a good idea that KCA could support.

BRACKEN COUNTY NEWS

Submitted by Meg Strausbaugh

Bracken County Cattlemen enjoyed a great meeting on February 23rd! A delicious roast beef meal from K's IGA was served by Bracken County FFA students and sponsored by Dr. Darrin Stan eld and presentation from Brent Tolle with Boehringer Ingleheim. Members so generously donated $393 for our scholarship funds. And a collection was also taken up in support of our local animal shelter, in which a check of $189 was presented to Robbin Snapp, Animal shelter director.

We had some generous donations for prizes! Two $50 Brooksville Farm Supply gi certi cates donated by Brooksville Farm supply, a case of oil donated by Kubota of the TriState, Augusta store, and a $25 Brooksville Farm Supply gi certi cate donated by David and MaryAnn Cummins. Winners: Crystal Dunn, Michael McClanahan, Debbie Hargett, Tina Teegarden.

We are currently 170 members strong! It's not too late to join! If you would like to be part of the board of directors in the upcoming membership year, see President Nicole Goecke.

KCA HALL OF FAME AWARD

Judge Executive Tina Teegarden, Bracken County Animal Shelter Director Robbin Snapp, and Bracken County Cattlemen's Association President Nicole Goecke

FRANKLIN COUNTY NEWS

Submitted by Crystal

Harrod

e Franklin County Cattlemen's Association held an educational meeting on March 9th at the Franklin County Extension O ce. e meal was sponsored with le over funds from a previous sponsorship from Shelby Vet Clinic and Blue Grass Stockyards. We had 50 members in attendance.

Jimmy Chambers, Versailles USDA Farm Service Agency Executive Director, explained in detail how additional emergency relief and pandemic assistance was available from the USDA through the ERP Phase Two as well as the new PARP program. He also reminded producers about LIP and the need to keep accurate records and document losses. He also advised that anyone who had experienced recent wind damage to keep records and take pictures, before if possible, but also immediately a er any clean up or debris removal in case there is assistance in the future.

LINCOLN COUNTY NEWS

Submitted by Tyler Miller

Jack Blair presents a pair of bid overalls to Lincoln County’s Past President, Buddy Pence, for his service and leadership to the county Cattlemen’s Association. Buddy did a wonderful job during his time as President. e overalls will be embroidered with the LCCA logo.

e annual Lincoln County Cattleman’s Cow Calf and Farm Bureau chemical meeting went o with a bang. A delicious steak dinner was prepared and served to a room full of attendees. Our KBN facilitator, Jacob Settles, did a wonderful job addressing the group. We are lucky to have the KBN facilitators that we have in this state!

Dr. Carlton, a local vet came and spoke on the topic of delivering backwards and upside down calves. Dr. Carlton did a knock out job and was very thorough in his presentation. Next up was Dr. Les Anderson. If you have ever heard a presentation from Les, then you realize the treat we had that evening. Dr. Anderson did a fabulous job speaking about the importance of controlling your breeding season. Dr. Anderson gave examples of controlling the breeding season vs not and spoke on di erent products and how to use those products to shorten the breeding season.

e last speaker for the night was Mr. Je Morris, a cattleman and a director on the Farm Bureau board of directors. Je spoke on the chemical program explaining the bene ts of purchasing your farm chemical through this program.

Keenan Bishop, Franklin County Ag and Natural Resources Agent, presented an introductory how-to on the X10D app for managing your beef cattle herd and keeping up to date with local events and educational opportunities. e X10D app could be a valuable tool for producers to use as documentation for USDA programs such as LIP.

Each mL contains 300 mg of oxytetracycline base (equivalent to 323.5 mg of oxytetracycline dihydrate).

For Use in Beef Cattle, Non-lactating Dairy Cattle, Calves, Including pre-ruminating (veal) calves

BRIEF SUMMARY (For full Prescribing Information, see package insert.)

INDICATIONS: NOROMYCIN 300 LA is intended for use in treatment for the following diseases when due to oxytetracycline-susceptible organisms:

Beef cattle, non-lactating dairy cattle, calves, including pre-ruminating (veal) calves: NOROMYCIN 300 LA is indicated in the treatment of pneumonia and shipping fever complex associated with Pasteurella spp., and Histophilus spp. NOROMYCIN 300 LA is indicated for the treatment of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (pink eye) caused by Moraxella bovis, foot-rot and diphtheria caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum; bacterial enteritis (scours) caused by Escherichia coli; wooden tongue caused by Actinobacillus lignieresii; leptospirosis caused by Leptospira pomona; and wound infections and acute metritis caused by strains of staphylococcal and streptococcal organisms sensitive to oxytetracycline.

Swine: NOROMYCIN 300 LA is indicated in the treatment of bacterial enteritis (scours, colibacillosis) caused by Escherichia coli; pneumonia caused by Pasteurella multocida; and leptospirosis caused by Leptospira pomona.

In sows NOROMYCIN 300 LA is indicated as an aid in control of infectious enteritis (baby pig scours, colibacillosis) in suckling pigs caused by Escherichia coli.

PRECAUTIONS:

Exceeding the highest recommended level of drug per pound of bodyweight per day, administering more than the recommended number of treatments, and/or exceeding 10 mL intramuscularly or subcutaneously per injection site in adult beef cattle and non-lactating dairy cattle and 5 mL intramuscularly per injection site in adult swine, may result in antibiotic residues beyond the withdrawal time.

Consult with your veterinarian prior to administering this product in order to determine the proper treatment required in the event of an adverse reaction. At the first sign of any adverse reaction, discontinue use of the product and seek the advice of your veterinarian. Some of the reactions may be attributable either to anaphylaxis (an allergic reaction) or to cardiovascular collapse of unknown cause.

Shortly after injection treated animals may have transient hemoglobinuria resulting in darkened urine.

As with all antibiotic preparations, use of this drug may result in overgrowth of non-susceptible organisms, including fungi. The absence of a favorable response following treatment, or the development of new signs or symptoms may suggest an overgrowth of non-susceptible organisms. If superinfections occur, the use of this product should be discontinued and appropriate specific therapy should be instituted.

Since bacteriostatic drugs may interfere with the bactericidal action of penicillin, it is advisable to avoid giving NOROMYCIN 300 LA in conjunction with penicillin.

WARNINGS:

Warnings: Discontinue treatment at least 28 days prior to slaughter of cattle and swine. Not for use in lactating dairy animals. Rapid intravenous administration may result in animal collapse. Oxytetracycline should be administered intravenously slowly over a period of at least 5 minutes.

CAUTION: Intramuscular or subcutaneous injection may result in local tissue reactions which persists beyond the slaughter withdrawal period. This may result in trim loss of edible tissue at slaughter.

Intramuscular injection in the rump area may cause mild temporary lameness associated with swelling at the injection site. Subcutaneous injection in the neck area may cause swelling at the injection site.

ADVERSE REACTIONS:

Reports of adverse reactions associated with oxytetracycline administration include injection site swelling, restlessness, ataxia, trembling, swelling of eyelids, ears, muzzle, anus and vulva (or scrotum and sheath in males), respiratory abnormalities (labored breathing), frothing at the mouth, collapse and possibly death. Some of these reactions may be attributed either to anaphylaxis (an allergic reaction) or to cardiovascular collapse of unknown cause.

To report a suspected adverse reaction call 1-866-591-5777. Livestock

Commissioner Praises Passage Of Bill To Add

New Division To State Vet’s Offi ce

DIVISION WOULD FOCUS ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE

FRANKFORT (March 15, 2023) – Kentucky

Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Quarles is applauding the work of Kentucky legislators a er they passed a bill to add a new division within the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s (KDA) O ce of the State Veterinarian (OSV).

Senate Bill 46 (SB46) enhances the department’s preparedness and response to animal emergencies.

Sen. Jason Howell (R-Murray), who is the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, sponsored the bill.

“I appreciate Sen. Howell’s leadership and the legislators in the Kentucky House and Senate recognizing the importance of OSV,” Commissioner Quarles said. “OSV’s top priority is protecting the health of livestock and poultry in the commonwealth. e passage of this bill will allow KDA to start changes to help us enhance this ability, especially in the case of an animal health emergency.”

“I was proud to work with Commissioner Quarles on this bill to increase sta ng and emergency preparedness for the O ce of the State Veterinarian,” Sen. Howell said. “ is bill restructures the State Vet’s o ce and readies it for the necessary improvements needed to increase its capacity to respond to animal health emergencies, which is a bene t to all Kentucky residents.”

e need forSB46 was rst introduced in November when Commissioner Quarles, KDA Chief of Sta Keith Rogers, and former State Veterinarian Dr. Katie Flynn testi ed before the Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture. e bill passed out of the Senate and House this month with overwhelming support. e bill now goes to the governor for signing.

In addition to creating the Division of Emergency Preparedness and Response to the State Vet o ce, SB46 renames two current divisions including the Division of Animal Health to the Division of Regulatory Field Services and the Division of Producer Services to the Division of Animal Health Programs. e changes address the top three de ciencies the O ce of the State Veterinarian (OSV) identi ed during the last year: emergency programs, policy and regulations, and outreach and education.

OSV is currently made up of 35 positions, led by the state veterinarian and deputy state vet. Most of the jobs, 25, are in Animal Health. e remaining 10 sta are in the Producer Services division. SB46 would provide for increased sta , allowing OSV to be better positioned for its principal role in protecting Kentucky’s animal agriculture. OSV’s need for more sta has been put on critical display in the last 18 months as the o ce dealt with several animal disease and natural disaster occurrences, including a Chronic Wasting Disease case in a deer near the Tennessee border, which initiated required surveillance throughout several counties in Kentucky; devastating tornadoes that impacted agriculture across Western Kentucky; several outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian In uenza, a deadly virus for domesticated poultry; and widespread ooding in Eastern Kentucky. SB46 would allow the state vet’s o ce to be in a better position to defend the state’s agriculture livestock against disease and nature disasters, while at the same time completing the other tasks that maintain the health of the state’s herds and ocks.

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Parasite Problems Returning in Cattle Due to Dewormer Resistance ?

Dr. Michelle Arnold UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

UK EXTENSION TEAMS UP WITH KBN AND MERCK ANIMAL HEALTH TO ASSESS PARASITE BURDENS IN KY BEEF COW/CALF OPERATIONS

Dewormers (anthelmintics), when given correctly, are not killing intestinal parasites of cattle as they used to. Although new drug “classes” entered the market from the 1950s to the 1980s, it has now been over 40 years since ivermectin was introduced in 1981. Basically ‘we have what we have’ which is 3 major chemical classes or families of dewormers known as the Benzimidazoles (SafeGuard® & Panacur®/ Valbazen®/Synanthic®), the Macrocyclic Lactones or MLs (Ivomec®/ Cydectin®/ Eprinex® & LongRange®/Dectomax®/ generic ivermectins) and the Imidazothiazoles/ Tetrahydropyrimidines (Rumatel®/ Strongid®/ Prohibit® or Levasol®). ese dewormers are gradually losing e ectiveness against livestock parasites with no new products on the horizon to take their place.

“Anthelmintic resistance” is the term used for the ability of a parasite to survive treatment with a chemical dewormer due to a genetic change (mutation) that would otherwise be lethal. Only the parasites that survive a er deworming will go on to reproduce and may pass a copy of their newly formed “resistance gene” to their o spring. But this is only half of the story. If one remembers back to genetics, one gene comes from a female and one from a male to produce o spring with 2 copies of a gene. For fully resistant parasites to develop, both parents must pass a copy of this “bad” gene to the o spring. ese resistant genes build up slowly but steadily in the parasite population, especially from repeated use of dewormers over many years, and they do not revert back to susceptibility. Resistant worms are not more aggressive or deadly; they simply survive in higher numbers a er deworming, resulting in production loss and disease in the most susceptible animals.

Consequences of parasites are mostly seen in younger animals, especially weaned calves and replacement heifers, since adult cattle develop an immunity to the e ects of parasites. Most infections in cattle are a combination of several di erent worm species but, in general, gastrointestinal parasites cause anorexia and reduce the animal’s ability to e ciently convert forage to milk and muscle. e number one sign of a parasite problem is lower than expected production, including less than genetic potential rate of gain, feed conversion, growth, and reproduction. is is potentially costing producers due to reduced weaning weights, delayed puberty, decreased fertility and pregnancy rates, reduced feed e ciency and

immune suppression in young cattle, especially in cattle ages 2 and younger. As exposure to parasites increases with age, the immune system reduces worm infections and suppresses worm egg production. is immunity to parasites is a moderately heritable trait (0.3). Unfortunately, the dependence on chemical dewormers has allowed selection of bulls and replacement females with high production numbers but has ignored any potential genetic contribution to ghting parasites. Additionally, chemical deworming has allowed continued husbandry and pasture management factors that keep worm burdens high. As an example, overstocking a pasture results in more feces, more worm eggs and larvae a er egg hatching, shorter grass and more parasites in animals forced to graze near manure piles. Young, growing animals are at highest risk due to lack of previous exposure to parasites and a naïve immune system. How is it possible to know if dewormer resistance is a problem in a herd? e best way to test is a Fecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) based on the knowledge that dead worms don’t lay eggs. is test basically involves taking fecal samples from 20 random animals within a production group (cows, calves, or replacement heifers) at the time of deworming and sending them to a laboratory for a fecal egg count (FEC). Fecal samples are collected again from the same production group 14 days later and those samples are sent to the same laboratory for a second FEC. e second samples do not have to be collected from the same individual animals but do need to be from the same group collected previously. If the dewormer worked e ectively, there should be at least a 90% reduction in the average or mean number of eggs from the rst sample to the second sample. “Resistance” is present when the correct delivery of the correct dose of the dewormer to a healthy animal fails to produce at least a 90% reduction in the number of parasite eggs. It is important to understand that a decrease in “anthelmintic e ectiveness” or “treatment failure” may be for reasons other than genetic or heritable resistance in the parasite population. Many factors can cause smaller than expected reductions in fecal egg count numbers including underdosing dewormers from errors in weight estimation, dosing equipment not calibrated correctly and/or not working properly, applying pour-ons to the hair of an animal rather than skin, use of expired products, and errors in sample collection and shipment, just to name a few.

How can we slow the development of resistance to dewormers? First and foremost, we must understand the parasite prevalence (the proportion of cattle with a large parasite load in a given time period) in KY cattle in order to properly direct research and extension interventions to lessen the e ect of parasites on health and production. Secondly, we have to examine the current level of resistance to dewormers through FECRTs performed throughout the Commonwealth. Finally, it is important to identify the predominant types of gastrointestinal parasites in our cattle in order to correctly interpret the FEC. Most of the major parasites in cattle are classi ed as “strongyles” and their eggs are basically indistinguishable. However, a PCR is now available to identify the parasite genus and species as there are concerns that climate change, intensive livestock management and dewormer resistance issues have fundamentally changed our picture of “expected” parasite burdens in production classes of cattle. To accomplish these three tasks, UK Extension faculty and agents, in conjunction with KBN and Merck Animal Health, have launched a parasite study that is set to begin in the Spring of 2023 in beef cow/calf operations in KY and we need your herds.

To participate, collaborating herds must be planning to administer a dewormer in BOTH the spring and fall of the year. Producers may use any dewormer they normally use or one recommended by their veterinarian. It is important to understand that dewormer will NOT be provided to participating herds! Fecal samples will be collected twice in the spring and twice in the fall from the same group of animals. Producers will be asked to complete a short questionnaire requesting basic information on the herd. Once all the data is compiled, the information will be shared with the producer and his/her veterinarian, if desired. If you wish to be considered for enrollment in this important study, please contact your local County Extension agent and convey your interest in joining.

Reducing unnecessary treatment with dewormers, making sure the dewormers used are e ective, and making sure deworming is performed correctly all contribute to fewer resistant genes in parasites. In addition, environmental management (see box) will help create safer pastures and lessen the need for chemical dewormers.

Environmental management to reduce exposure of the host animal is central to parasite control. The following list of practices will help create safer pastures with lower worm numbers and result in less need for anthelmintic (dewormer) treatment:

Stocking rate is exceptionally important, as overgrazing forces consumption of forage close to the soil surface where the larvae are concentrated. Most larvae never migrate higher than 4-6 inches on forage.

Flipping pastures, tilling and reseeding, or removing a cutting of hay will decrease existing worm burdens.

Exposure to ultraviolet light (sunshine) kills larvae, so removal of extensive overgrowth of pasture or heavy thatch is recommended.

Pasture rotation provides nutritious forage for growth and development but is usually not rested an adequate length of time to decrease the level of worm contamination. Allowing calves to creep graze in clean pastures ahead of adults in a rotational grazing situation will minimize the exposure of the most susceptible animals.

Areas of highest risk are those where animals congregate, such as watering troughs, shady areas, or sheltered areas, because manure buildup and high moisture are conducive to larvae survival.

Grazing after the dew dries in the morning decreases consumption of larvae from pasture, since moisture is necessary for larval movement up a blade of grass.

If practical, cattle and small ruminants can be grazed together or alternately, where each consumes the parasites of the other. This reduces available infective larvae for the preferred host species.

Invasive Insect Species Closer To Kentucky Border

Jordan Strickler Agricultural Communications Specialist

LEXINGTON, Ky., (March 8, 2023) -- Kentucky residents should be on the lookout for an invasive bug with the potential to disrupt multiple industries. People have observed the spotted lantern y close to the Kentucky border in Ohio and Indiana. If the insect enters the commonwealth, it can impact wine, apples, Christmas trees, hops and Kentucky’s sizable forest industries.

“Spotted lantern ies feed on over 70 di erent host plants and could really wreck a number of small commodities we have in the state,” said Jonathan Larson, entomology assistant professor. “ ey also feed on hardwood trees, so once they get in people's yards, their numbers can just explode. It kind of becomes a quality-of-life issue. Some people in Pennsylvania, where the lantern ies were rst discovered in 2014, don’t even want to go outside anymore. ere's so many of these bugs jumping and ying around on their property.”

While feeding, the spotted lantern y excretes a sugary substance called honeydew. When large lantern y populations establish themselves, the insects create so much honeydew that black sooty mold thrives, negatively impacting other vegetation. is honeydew also attracts stinging insects, who feed on the sugary material. Even though the impacts of infestation in diverse woodlands and natural areas are not as straightforward as in more uniform agricultural and landscape settings, the extra strain the bug puts on trees' resources may worsen tree stress.

“ e spotted lantern y can really devastate plant health, so if someone sees something they suspect is a lantern y they either need to catch it or take a picture,” Larson said. “Other insects in the state can resemble the spotted lantern y, so we must verify the insect rst.”

Stripes and spots adorn an adult’s front wings, while the back wings are a brilliant red, contrasting with the rest of the body's white, black and khaki coloring. If spotted lantern ies appear in Kentucky and stay relatively contained, Larson said professionals may be able to locally eradicate the insects to prevent their spread and establishment. Treating potential host trees with insecticides and eradicating Tree-of-Heaven and other preferred hosts will help with containment. Early detection increases the chances of controlling the insect’s spread.

e invasive Tree-of-Heaven is one of the insects’ favorite hosts. e fast-growing tree thrives in both urban and woodland settings, outcompeting native species and tolerating a wide range of environmental conditions. It commonly a ects disturbed urban areas, roadsides and railroad tracks, also invading natural areas, particularly a er harvests in wooded areas, where its papery wind-borne seeds can quickly colonize and form dense stands.

“If the spotted lantern y makes it into Kentucky, it could lead to restrictions on the movement of goods such as lumber, the need for quarantines and even the requirement of permits to travel or move goods out of infested areas,” Larson said. “All of this could have economic or quality-of-life repercussions for Kentuckians living in infested areas.”

To learn more about spotted lantern ies, visit https://entomology.ca.uky. edu/ef465. Kentuckians who think they spot a spotted lantern y, please send pictures to the UK Department of Entomology at reportapest@uky. edu.

Selling 225 Fall Calving Bred Heifers

Saturday, May 20, 2023 12:00 Noon Central Time

Kentucky - Tennessee Livestock Market

Guthrie, Kentucky

All heifers qualify for both Kentucky and Tennessee Cost Share Programs

See these heifers at: www.kyheifersale.com

For more information contact:

Kevin Laurent, University of Kentucky (270) 625-0994

Mark Barnett, KY-TN Livestock Market (931) 624-7176

Tom Barnett, KY-TN Livestock Market (931) 624-7376

Spotted lanternflies are unique looking insects, with distinctly colored wings and unique patterns. The front wings are khaki pink with black spots and broken black lines. The back wings are a mixture of red, white, and black.

heifers are guaranteed bred to bulls with known EPDs and have met stringent requirements for health, quality and pelvic measurements.

NCBA Welcomes Introduction of Black Vulture Relief Act

WASHINGTON (March 9, 2022) – Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) welcomed the introduction of the bipartisan Black Vulture Relief Act, led by Rep. John Rose (R-TN) and Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL).

“Across the country, cattle producers are coping with extreme input costs and the worst in ation rate in 40 years. Livestock deaths due to black vultures are a nancial loss that no one can a ord right now,” said NCBA Director of Government A airs Sigrid Johannes. “Giving producers greater exibility on black vulture management means one less nancial burden to worry about.

We appreciate Congressman Rose and Congressman Soto’s leadership and commonsense approach to controlling this abundant predator species.”

e bill would allow a cattle producer to “take” (capture, kill, disperse, or transport) black vultures that pose a risk to livestock. Additionally, the bill reduces permitting burdens and red tape by instituting a simple report that producers submit once per year detailing the number of black vultures they took. Streamlining the system and li ing the cap on number of black vultures that producers can take is a commonsense approach to managing a fully recovered, aggressive, predator species.

“Black vultures have developed into a lethal predator for newborn calves, costing Tennessee cattle producers thousands of dollars in lost revenue each year. We appreciate Congressman Rose’s bill as a signi cant tool to help control the over-population of these predators,” said Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association Executive Director Charles Hord.

Black vulture depredation rates have increased across the Southeast in recent years, surpassing 30 percent in some states like Florida.

“ e Florida Cattlemen’s Association appreciates Congressman Soto's cosponsorship of this commonsense bill,” said Jim Handley, executive vice president of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association.

“ e economic loss to Florida cattle ranchers from black vultures is signi cant every year, and we thank Congressman Soto for taking action to assist our industry with this legislation.”

"Lawrence County livestock producers have been experiencing issues with black vultures preying on newly born calves for some time. Economic loss in addition to the time and labor spent during calving season for these producers is devastating. Government approved permits…allowing producers to use lethal means to control these preying birds is also a challenge…I know this year these black vultures have been the cause of [death for] at least one calf and damage to one cow as well, along with others in previous years."

Danny Clark, Lawrenceburg, TN

"These buzzards have gotten four calves in one season, putting tremendous strain on my little 97-acre operation…The [price of] diesel, fertilizer, fencing, feed, 24D [herbicide] have all gone up"

Laura Wallace, Spencer, TN

"Last year I found one newborn [calf] dead with its eyes eaten out. This year I came up on over 30 vultures in the eld behind my house"

Mark Russell, DVM, Tullahoma, TN

"During calving season…we have constant problems with vultures loitering in our pastures. I did lose one calf so far this year. When I found it there were 40-50 vultures in the pasture and in surrounding trees. Every time a cow gives birth the vultures are surrounding it and pestering the cow. We attempt to scare them off, but they have become more brazen and will return within minutes. The population appears to be out of balance. There are too many and the stress it is causing my cows is affecting their wellbeing and the safety of my newly born calves. Help is needed with this issue as it continues to get worse."

Jeff Russell, Kingston, TN

"I have a 200 head beef cattle operation in Columbia, Tennessee, and we have had a continual problem with black vultures attacking newly born calves."

A. T. Burchell, Columbia, TN

NCBA CALLS AGAIN FOR IMMEDIATE HALT TO BRAZILIAN BEEF IMPORTS

Last week, Brazil reported another atypical case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) to the World Animal Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). at report indicated 35 days elapsed between when the case was rst identi ed on Jan. 18, 2023, and the date it was con rmed on Feb. 22, 2023. is represents an unacceptable delay that is in clear violation of WOAH reporting requirements. It is clear that Brazil is incapable of prompt testing and the reporting requirements that all nations must follow when engaging in international beef trade. Because of a repeated pattern of delayed reporting, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is calling on Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to take immediate action to inde nitely suspend beef imports from Brazil until it has made systemic reforms and takes necessary steps to restore con dence in the nation’s ability to participate in the global beef supply.

“We have seen Brazil repeatedly fail to meet the 24-hour requirement for reporting of animal diseases listed by WOAH. In order to protect the safety and security of the U.S. herd and American cattle producers, we demand USDA take immediate steps to block further beef imports from Brazil,” said NCBA President and South Dakota cattleman Todd Wilkinson. “Furthermore, we expect USDA to keep the border closed to Brazil until

they can demonstrate that they are willing and able to play by the trade rules that govern all other nations. If they can’t play by the rules, they don’t deserve access. Secretary Vilsack needs to act now, rather than kicking the can down the road.”

Yesterday, NCBA sent a letter to USDA demanding immediate action on this issue. NCBA is also supportive of bipartisan Senate legislation to suspend Brazilian beef imports pending a review of Brazil’s standards.

“For too long, American cattlemen and women have honored the laws governing international trade, promoting fair and equitable standards, only to have nations like Brazil ignore those same standards. Brazil cannot be allowed to bene t from the investments we have made to build a massive demand for beef around the globe,” Wilkinson said. “If trade partners like Brazil fail to follow the rules, there must be consequences, they must be painful and immediate.”

NCBA HAILS HOUSE PASSAGE OF RESOLUTION TO STOP WOTUS RULE

WASHINGTON (March 9, 2022) – Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) hailed the passage of H.J. Res. 27, a joint resolution that would invalidate the Biden administration’s new Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule through the Congressional Review Act.

“ is vote is a win for America’s cattlemen and women, and NCBA is thrilled to see a majority of House members reject the Biden administration’s burdensome WOTUS rule,” said NCBA President Todd Wilkinson, a South Dakota cattle producer. “Shi ing WOTUS rules have plagued cattle producers for generations, and this latest rule only continues the decades of uncertainty. We urge the Senate to pass this resolution as well so it can take full e ect. At the same time, we look forward to the Supreme Court’s verdict in the WOTUS case Sackett v. EPA and hope that this ruling nally places guardrails on the federal government’s attempt to regulate small, isolated bodies of water on private farms and ranches.”

e Biden administration’s WOTUS rule creates more uncertainty for cattle producers by putting the burden on individual producers to determine if a water feature on their land is considered federally regulated. Additionally, NCBA has expressed strong opposition to the Environmental Protect Agency (EPA) nalizing this rule in the middle of a Supreme Court case that addresses this very issue. NCBA is also pursuing litigation against this rule to prevent it from taking e ect and harming cattle producers.

e Congressional Review Act allows Congress to invalidate an executive agency’s rule by passing a joint resolution through both the House of Representatives and the Senate. e resolution will now go to the Senate for consideration.

57th ANNUAL SPRING SALE

22nd ANNUAL PREMIER BULL SALE

APRIL 15, 2023 • DANVILLE, KY

SELLING: 89 HEAD OF REGISTERED ANGUS BULLS & FEMALES

22 PREMIER BULLS: Bulls must meet specified EPD, weight, & health requirements to qualify as Premier bulls. All will sell with a current BSE and will be DNA tested. 4 2 Year olds, 14 fall yearlings, 4 spring yearlings

2 OPEN HEIFERS: One by PLUS ONE out of BUTTERFLY family. One with a top 1% $B of 220 and 2% $C of 338.

4 BRED HEIFERS: Two from Lynn Creek sired by BOURBON & ON POINT Bred to REGIMENT & WILDCAT. Two from Boiling Springs Station, one by FORTRESS bred to RAINFALL

35 COWS WITH 26 CALVES: Many 3-n-1 packages. Ready to turn out on grass and go to work for you.

Goode Early Bird 8856: This outstanding donor cow sells along with her natural bull calf by NO SUBSTITUTE and 16 embryos: 4 each by NO SUBSTITUTE, SURPASS, ICONIC, WILLIAMS JONESBORO.

LIVE INTERNET BIDDING THROUGH TOP SHELF AUCTIONS TopShelf-Auctions.com or call Dan Wells (740) 505-3843

234th Sale Sponsored by the Central Kentucky Angus Association

GPS Address: 2286 Fork Church Road • Lancaster, KY 40444

Sale Day Phone: (859) 238.3195 or (859) 583.0364

Central Kentucky Angus Association Calendar

April 15: 57th Annual Spring Sale

Sale Manager: Dievert Sales Service

• Tim Dievert • 478 Dry Fork Road Danville, KY 40422 • (859) 238-3195 • Catalog at dievertsales.com

• 478 Dry Fork Road Danville, KY 40422

(859) 238-3195

tdievert@dievertsales.com

Catalog at dievertsales.com tdievert@dievertsales.com

September 9: Ladies Day - 2023

Like us on facebook

• Like us on facebook • Call for more details

Call for more details

November 9: 61st Annual Fall Female Sale

Auctioneer: Eddie Burks (270) 991-6398

Auctioneer: Eddie Burks (270) 991-6398

Results from 500 Hay Samples: What They Do and Do Not Tell Us, and What We Can Do About It

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

Last fall we analyzed almost 500 hay samples as part of the Eastern Kentucky Hay Contest. A summary of the results can be found in Table 1. So here is what we found:

• Crude protein (3.2 to 21.7%) and total digestible nutrients (41.8 to 68.3%) varied widely

• 6% of the hay samples contained less than 50% TDN

• 4% of the hay samples contained less than 8% crude protein

• Only 57 samples or 11% contained enough energy to meet the requirements of a beef cow at peak lactation

• Only 268 samples or 54% would meet the protein requirements of a beef cow at peak lactation

• 477 samples or 96% contained enough protein to meet the needs of a dry pregnant cow

• 468 samples or 94% contained enough energy to meet the requirements of a dry pregnant cow

So, what does all of this tell us? I guess the biggest take home for me as forage specialist is that I have done a poor job helping people make better quality hay! For you as a cattle producer, the results of these 500 samples tells us that if you are feeding hay to lactating cows, you will likely need to provide some type of supplement to keep cows from loosing condition, especially rst calf heifers that are trying to grow and feed a calf.

So, what don’t these results tell us? Since there was such wide variation in both crude protein and energy for the hay samples in this dataset, no recommendations can be made on what or how much to supplement.

To make this type of recommendation, you will need to sample the hay lots (one cutting from one eld) that you will be feeding (see AGR-257 Hay Sampling Strategies for Getting a Good Sample). Once you have the results in hand, then a supplementation program can be designed by either working your local extension agent or veterinarian or by using the UK Beef Cow Forage Supplementation Tool.

UK Beef Cow Forage Supplementation Tool: An Example

For this example, we will use the “average” crude protein, neutral detergent ber, and total digestible nutrients for the 500 hay samples that were tested as part of the 2022 Eastern Kentucky Hay Contest (Table 1) and assume an as fed dry matter of 12%. When we compare the average values in Table 1 to the nutrient requirements of a lactating brood cow (Table 2), it becomes apparent that this hay will require supplementation. e question

then becomes what type of supplement and how much? is can be determined by using the UK Beef Cow Forage Supplement Tool. is application can be used on-line or downloaded to your smart phone. It allows you to enter the results from your forage test (dry matter, neutral detergent ber, crude protein, and total digestible nutrients) and gives you a range of supplement options and how much of each supplement must be fed to meet the cow’s nutritional requirements at a given stage of production (Table 3). e UK Beef Cow Forage Supplement Tool can be found on-line at http://forage-supplementtool.ca.uky.edu/.

When we enter the average values for crude protein, neutral detergent ber, and total digestible nutrients from Table 1, the application indicates that this hay would need to be supplemented with either 4.4 lb corn, 4.4 lb of soybean hulls, 4.4 lb of Corn Gluten Feed, or 4.1 lb of Distillers Dried Grain with Solubles on a daily basis (Table 4). When selecting a supplemental feed, it is important to consider local availability, how and where it will be stored, how it will be fed, how much can be safely fed, and of course how much it costs. It is important to realize that both hay testing and the UK Beef Cow Forage Supplement Tool are NOT perfect. ey are designed to get you in the ballpark and let you

Table 2. Nutritional requirement of various livestock classes.

Table 1. Summary of Eastern Kentucky Hay contest forage quality results. Samples were collected by extension agents, dried in a forced air oven, ground to pass through a 1 mm screen, and predicted using a near infrared spectroscopy.

Using UK Beef Cow Forage Supplementation Tool

1. Obtain a representative forage sample and send to NFTA certified lab.

2. From the test results enter DM, CP, NDF, and TDN (all on a DM basis) into the supplementation tool.

3. Select the stage of production from the drop down menu.

4. Select the supplements that you have available or just click the “Select All” button.

5. Click on the “Calculate” button.

6. View the results and select the appropriate supplement. Note: This NOT ration balancing software. Consult your local extension office or a trained nutritionist for help with formulating complete rations.

know if there is going to be a real problem with the hay that you are feeding. e true test is how your cows perform on a given hay lot. Sometimes when you look at your cows it is hard to see loss of condition from day to day. It may be a good idea to take some good quality photos at several times during the hay feeding season to document and compare changes in body condition.

Lastly, it is always a good idea to run your forage testing results by your local extension agent, veterinarian, or nutritionist. When it comes to hay feeding, it is important to be proactive rather than reactive. It is always easier to maintain condition rather than try to put it back on. So, make sure to test your hay and supplement accordingly before your cows lose condition and come up open.

Improving Hay Quality

If you nd the quality of your hay to be below “average” and/or you are tired of buying and feeding supplements, then it may be a good time to think about steps that you can take this spring to improve your hay quality. Below is a short list of things that you can implement to improve hay quality on your farm.

• Fertilize and lime according to soil test. A balanced fertility program is essential for optimizing hay yield and quality. Phosphorus, potassium, and lime should be applied according to soil test results. Avoid using “complete” fertilizers such as 10-10-10. ese fertilizers commonly over apply phosphorus and under apply potash.

• Apply nitrogen early to promote rapid spring growth. Applying 80 lb N/A in mid- to late March will promote early growth in hay meadows, resulting in higher rst harvest yields with improved crude protein values.

• Harvest at the boot stage. e single most important factor impacting forage quality is stage of maturity at harvest. Hay elds should be mowed as soon as the grass reaches the late boot-stage. e boot stage

occurs when the sheath of the ag leaf swells just prior to the emergence of the seed head. By making the rst cutting in a timely manner, we will have time to make a leafy second cutting just prior to the summer months.

• Mow early in day. Some studies have shown that sugars tend to be highest in late a ernoon, making this the optimal time of day to cut. However, in high rainfall environment like Kentucky, maximizing curing time is the highest priority. erefore, hay should be mowed in mid to late morning a er the dew has dried o .

• Use mower-conditioner. Conditioning the stems allows moisture to escape at a faster rate. is shortens curing time and improves your chances of avoiding rain. Conditioning is especially important for rst cutting grasses, summer annual grasses, and legumes, all of which tend to have larger stems.

• Set swath on mower-conditioner to the widest possible setting. Maximizing the swath width decreases curing or wilting time by exposing a larger portion of the forage to direct sunlight.

• Rake or ted at 40-50% moisture content. Raking and tedding the forage while it is still pliable helps to reduce leaf loss and maintain forage quality. Once the moisture content is below 40%, leaf loss increases, especially in legumes such as alfalfa and clover.

• Bale at 18-20% moisture. Baling in this moisture range inhibits mold growth and reduces heating. Avoid baling hay that is excessively dry due to high levels of leaf loss and hay that is above 20% moisture due to heating and potential hay res.

• Store dry hay under cover and o the ground. Protecting hay from weathering

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

Table 3. Steps for utilizing UK Beef Cow Forage Supplement Tool. Access the tool by scanning the QR code on page 26.

Table 4. Results from the UK Beef Cow Forage Supplement Tool for the “average” of the 500 hay samples analyzed as part of the 2022 Eastern Kentucky Hay Contest

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

Understanding Forage Quality by Don Ball, Mike Collins, Garry Lace eld, Neal Martin, David Mertens, Ken Olson, Dan Putnam, Dan Undersander, and Mike Wolf. https://forages.ca.uky.edu/ les/ foragequality.pdf

FEATURED VIDEO

Converting High Quality Forage into Haylage: A Research Update by Jimmy Henning. This presentation was given as part of the 2022 Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference, Conserving High Quality Forage as Baleage, that was held in Bowling Green, KY on February 24, 2022.

https://www.youtube.com/@KYForages

FENCING TIP

Always use underground cable designed for electric fencing and place it in protective tubing. It is very important to only use underground cable that is designed for electric fence. Never use any product that is intended for residential use. Whenever a cable carrying current is run under the ground, always place it in some type of pipe or conduit that will protect it from future damage. Wires going under gates should be buried to a depth of approximately 1 foot.

FORAGE MANAGEMENT TIPS

• Graze winter annuals.

• Flash graze paddocks that were frosted with clover.

• Allow calves and lambs to creep graze.

• As pasture growth begins, rotate through pastures quickly to keep up with initial growth.

• As pasture exceeds the needs of grazing livestock, remove some pastures from the rotation and allow growth to accumulate for hay or silage harvest.

• Get equipment ready to harvest hay at the late boot stage to early head stage top optimize yield and forage quality.

• Determine the need for and prepare to plant warm-season annuals.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

helps to reduce dry matter losses and maintain forage quality. Much of the weathering damage is a result of the hay bale wicking moisture up from the ground. So, storing hay o the ground can greatly reduce deterioration.

Allison

• Consider using baleage. e biggest advantage of baleage is the shortened period between mowing and baling. In many cases, hay can be mowed one day and baled the next. is facilitates harvesting hay at the correct stage of growth, the NUMBER ONE factor impacting forage quality. To learn more about baleage see AGR-235 Baleage: Frequently Asked Questions.

If you need help with hay sampling or interpreting your hay testing results, make sure and contact your local extension agent. Forage testing is available from several commercial labs and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. e Kentucky Department of Agriculture o ers a standard forage analysis to Kentucky producers for a reduced cost. More information on this program can be found at http://www.kyagr. com/marketing/forage-program.html. Make sure and use a lab that has been certi ed for accuracy and precision by the National Forage Testing Association. A list of certi ed labs can be found at NFTA Certi ed Labs.

Charolais Breeder

Allison Charolais

Charolais Breeder Since 1962 • Bulls Available

Ø Bull calves out of HCR Answer HCR SPIRIT 4007.

CHAROLAIS

Ø Bull calves out of HCR Answer 2042 and HCR SPIRIT 4007.

Ø Bull calves out of HCR Answer 2042 and HCR SPIRIT 4007.

Ø Bred for calving ease and growth.

Ø Bred for calving ease and growth.

Ø Bulls for both purebred and commercial breeders.

Ø Bulls for both purebred and commercial

Ø Bred for calving ease and growth.

Ø Yearlings and two-year-olds available.

Ø Yearlings and two-year-olds available.

CHAROLAIS BULLS FOR PUREBRED BREEDERS AND COMMERCIAL BREEDERS

Ø Bulls for both purebred and commercial breeders.

Ø Bred heifers to calve in fall available.

Ø Bred heifers to calve in fall available.

Ø Yearlings and two-year-olds available.

John Allison, Owner 545 Eminence Road New Castle, KY 40050 502-220-3170

John Allison, Owner

David Carter, Farm Manager 502-706-0075

Ø Bred heifers to calve in fall available.

John Allison, Owner 545 Eminence Road New Castle, KY 40050 502-220-3170

John Allison, Owner 545 Eminence Road New Castle, KY 40050 502-220-3170

John Allison 545 Eminence Road New Castle, KY 40050 (502) 220-3170

David Carter, 502-706-0075

David Carter, Farm Manager 502-706-0075

Registered South Poll bull with papers available for tranfer. Louie is easy to work, has been a solid producer for us and is only 4 years old

Contact Prince Dinger, Nicholasville, Kentucky. springwaterbeef@gmx.com 859-221-3519

The main reason we’re in the MAINE business

PRODUCTION

Full Blood Bulls: 100% - Priced for Herd Builder Producers

Reg# 491147 – BNT Ellis – Tag #121E, Full Blood (100%) - $3,000

Reg# 500598 – BNT Grit (Embryo) – Tag #127G, Full Blood (100%)

Reg# 500598 – BNT Grant (Embryo) – Tag #110G (embryo brother to Grit)

Both are Coco Cola sons, $4500 your choice

Reg# 500596 – BNT Garth – Tag #118G, Full Blood (100%) - $3000

Talon is a moderate framed fullblood Maine that you can use to infuse some fresh genetics into your herd. Bently’s have been in the Maine business for 30+ years and anyone who’s seen Talon says he’s a great fullblood. Fullblood Bull Herd Sire – Grass Fed – Made right in Kentucky. He brings a lot to the table and makes his calves great. A certified sire from a certified herd.

Purebred Bulls: Black in color/75% plus – Ready for work

Reg# 507360 – BNT Gentry – Tag #419G, Purebred - $2,500

Reg# 506611 – BNT Gatsby – Tag #410G, Purebred - $2,500

Bulls are ready for this season – priced at farm – with registration transfers.

Selection available 3/1/23 – all animals are subject to sell as of this date.

Maine-Anjou Cattle

Full Blood/High Percentage

100%...............62.5%

Red/White – Black

FOR SALE

Priced right for the commercial market

Cows – Heifers

Registration – Transfer • Health Certificates

Bulls

For Sale – FOB – Farm

Richmond, KY • 859-200-2414 • kirk@mis.net

SAV Elation 7899

The Beef Checkoff and Lab-Grown Protein

Greg Hanes CEO, Cattlemen’s Beef Board

As the fortunes of “plant-based meat” companies appear to be in decline recently, another competitor to beef raised on farms and ranches is starting to garner more headlines. “Lab-grown” or “cell-cultured meat” seems to be popping up here and there. Seeing these articles, some producers have expressed concern to me that the Beef Checko may begin to promote this “lab-grown” protein. Based on the law, my answer to them is always the same – no way!

Regardless of how these lab-grown products will be categorized, the Beef Checko will not be promoting them. Why? It all goes back to the federal law that created and controls the Beef Checko . In this law, called the Beef Promotion and Research Act (the Act), there are very clear de nitions relative to the Checko program and what it can and can’t do.

e Act speci cally de nes three important terms: “beef”, “beef products”, and “cattle”:

De nition #1: “beef” as “ esh from cattle”

De nition #2: “Beef products” are “edible products produced in whole or in part from beef”

De nition #3: “cattle” are de ned as “live domesticated bovine animals”

e Act goes on to note that the Beef Checko can only be used for promotion, advertising, research and consumer and industry information programs, focused solely on “beef and beef products,” and to support the beef industry.

ese de nitions for both beef and beef products as coming directly from the esh of cattle (and cattle are live animals) are key, as lab-grown protein does not meet these established descriptions. In addition, no Checko dollars will be collected from any of these cell-based products. Checko assessments are based on live cattle or imported beef and beef products originating

from live cattle. ere are no provisions in the federal Checko law to collect dollars from lab-grown meat to be used in our program. Keep in mind there is one more check and balance to ensure no Beef Checko dollars are spent promoting a product that does not generate assessments on behalf of the Checko program. According to e Act, any programs funded by national Beef Checko dollars must be approved by the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC), comprised of “cattle producers and importers”. Non-assessment payers are not eligible to become CBB Board or BPOC members, and would not make these important funding decisions. We stand by those who pay into our longstanding program and will continue to take our legal and duciary responsibilities in upholding the law with the same continued commitment we use every day - now and in the future.

Amburgey Charolais Farm

Annual Bull & Female Sale & Herd Reduction Sale

Saturday, April 8, 2023 • 1 PM

Followed with the Commercial Cow Sale Blue Grass Stockyards East, Mt. Sterling, KY (1/2 mile off I-64 at exit 113)

Performance tested, good disposition, semen checked Bred

For More Information Contact:

Bovine Beauties

TOP SCENES

1. Megan Tindle Henry County

2. Tiffany Perkins Daviess County

3. Elli Ramey Pendleton County

4. Addison Staton Bath County

5. Nikki Smith Casey County

6. Nikki Smith Casey County

7. Addison Staton Bath County

8. Kristin Carmack Shelby County

9. Holly Tucker Shelby County

10. McKenzie Hays Madison County

Bovine Beauties TOP PEOPLE

1. Megan Tindle Henry County

2. LaShannon Spencer Montgomery County

3. Courtney Scott Bourbon County

4. Layla Dailey Harrison County

5. Kati Stevens Ohio County

6. Henry Ferguson Wolfe County

7. Elli Ramey Pendleton County

8. Britney Estes Clark County

9. Laura Jackson Bourbon County

10. LaShannon Spencer Montgomery County

7

Thank you to all participants!

See more submissions on our Facebook page and in future issues of Cow Country!

To Graze or Not to Graze?

Brittany Davis Ph.D., Research Animal Scientist

Jennifer Weinert-Nelson Ph.D.; Animal Scientist Research Associate

Tracy Hamilton Agriculture Research Technician

It has been a very interesting year as far as winter weather, or the lack thereof in the state of Kentucky. We started with the late December polar plunge leaving most livestock producers thinking it was going to be a long winter of frozen automatic waterers and hoping there would be enough hay from an already pretty tight supply. Fortunately, the pattern subsided and since then we have had many sunny and very windy days with above normal temperatures for the season. With warmer temperatures has come a little earlier start to the growing season for most perennial plants including our pastures. Grass has been greening up since the end of February and most of us are ready to park our tractors and take advantage of some

early grazing opportunities. Our cattle are also noticing the green, green grass and are demanding access. Every cattle producer has their own strategies of determining when it is time to graze in the Spring, and there is no right or wrong way. However, there are some pasture and animal considerations that should be acknowledged when making these management decisions.

Pasture Considerations

at rst glimpse of green grass in the spring a er long winter months is a beautiful sight! It signals that the need for feeding supplemental forage is coming to an end and grazing is right around the corner. However, spring pasture management can present a number of challenges, and the decisions we make now

can impact the productivity and quality of our pastures later in the grazing season and even in future years.

Avoiding overgrazing is one of the primary challenges associated with spring pasture management (Figure 1). Defoliation during overgrazing removes a large percentage of the stem and leaf material available to perform photosynthesis in the plant. ose green parts of the plant act as solar panels capturing sunlight and converting it into energy. Removing too much plant material through overgrazing can reduce photosynthetic e ciency and capacity, limiting the ability of pasture grasses to produce energy needed for re-growth and lowering pasture yield in later months of the grazing season. In the spring, the risk of overgrazing increases if pastures are grazed too early before enough forage has accumulated and animals quickly deplete the available grass. Fluctuations in weather can also create potential for overgrazing. In some years, early spring temperatures are warm (as they have been this spring), but that does not mean that above average (or even average) conditions will continue over the course of the full spring season. If cooler temperatures

Figure 1. (a) Overgrazing - Where is my grass?, (b) Optimal Grazing - Happy cows grazing pasture, and (c) Undergrazing - I can’t see my friends?

Figure 2. Dry matter content and water content in hay, early spring pasture, and spring pasture

Figure 3. The rumen fiber mat is ESSENTIAL for rumen health. Lower fiber intake from early spring pasture reduces the fiber mat causing rumen disturbance

return later in spring, pasture growth will slow, and pastures that provided adequate forage during those earlier warmer months may no longer be able to support your herd.

In addition to depressing pasture productivity, overgrazing can lead to a reduction in vegetative cover and a greater percentage of bare ground in pastures. Decreased competitiveness and persistence of grasses due to overgrazing can leave pastures vulnerable to weed invasion. Not only are weeds often an eyesore, but they can decrease the overall nutritional quality of pastures, and some can even be toxic to grazing cattle. Once weeds have infiltrated a pasture stand, eliminating them from pastures can be time-consuming and costly.

Decreased vegetative cover due to overgrazing can also be detrimental to soil health. Impacts of overgrazing on pasture soils in the spring are compounded by characteristically wet weather conditions. Grasses growing in wet and muddy soils have less wear tolerance and are prone to trampling. These combined stressors can have negative environmental implications. When vegetative cover in pastures is reduced below 70%, there is a greater potential for soil erosion and nutrient runoff. It is difficult for pastures to recover from these effects of overgrazing without reseeding or renovation, which can confer significant costs to producers.

Animal Considerations

Early Spring grass is like candy to cows. They will eat and eat and eat for several days until they have a stomachache just like we do when faced with an endless supply of our favorite sweet treat. It is true that cows are typically able to regulate their intake to avoid gut disturbance, toxins, or disease, but early Spring grass is the exception to that rule. I think we are all familiar with the geyser of wet green feces coming from the rear of our cows after transition to grass. Hopefully, for your sake, you weren’t standing too close when observing this! The facts are that there are several nutrition, performance, and health challenges when transitioning from stored forages to lush Spring pastures that producers need to consider in our management decisions.

Lush green spring pasture is NOT a balanced diet. As perennial pastures break dormancy in the spring, we often see a rapid green up. Rapid grass growth requires fast nutrient and water uptake by the plant. As a result, our first spring pastures are quite different in nutrient and moisture content in comparison to the stored forages being fed through the winter and even what we typically expect from the same pastures later in the spring season. The

first grass growth can contain as high as 85% moisture and only 15% dry matter (DM; Figure 2). The DM portion includes ALL of the nutrients available to the animal including sugars, proteins, and fiber. In comparison, pasture grasses later in the Spring often provide 30% DM and stored forages like hay provide 85% DM. This dietary transition is probably one of the most dramatic a cow will face over the year and if managed incorrectly can dramatically impact rumen function and lead to loss of performance and even increase risk for disease.

Cattle appetite is limited to rumen capacity. The rumen is the largest digestive organ (20 – 30 gallons) in the cow’s body, but it still can only hold so much plant material. When cattle chow down on early spring pasture the rumen will fill up with water before they can consume enough to get the fiber and nutrients they need. If a 1200 lb cow needs to consume 2.5% of her body weight in pasture DM to meet her energy requirements she would normally consume 30 lb of pasture DM or 100 lb of fresh forage per day. In early spring, that same cow would have to consume double that or 200 lb of pasture to get to the same DM consumption. This is an impossible task for the cow and can lead to nutritional restrictions and decreased performance.

It is also important to note that nutrient composition is often unbalanced in spring pasture with higher protein, moderate energy, and low fiber. Balanced protein and energy in the diet are essential for supporting optimal animal health and performance. Adequate fiber intake is important for maintenance of the rumen fiber mat and rumination behavior. The rumen fiber mat is made up of long plant fiber material and microbes and is essential for maintaining a normal digestive passage rate to allow for optimum nutrient utilization (Figure 3). Without it, digesta passes too quickly through the gut resulting in decreased nutrient utilization, unsatisfied cows, and you guessed it – the dreaded fecal geysers. The fiber mat also stimulates rumination or cud chewing, allowing for saliva production that provides minerals and buffers that help to maintain a healthy rumen environment. These nutrient imbalances and limitations on DM and fiber are most concerning when cattle have increased nutrient demands like spring calving cows that not only have to produce milk to support their calf, but also maintain body condition for re-breeding or recently weaned calves from fall cows. Lack of fiber and nutrition can result in digestive disturbances, performance limitations (milk production, re-breeding, gain), metabolic issues, and even increased susceptibility to disease and parasites.

QUICK TIPS FOR TRANSITIONING FROM HAY TO EARLY SPRING PASTURE:

Be Patient: Initial grazing of forage should not start until plants are 8 –10 inches tall. Research has shown that >60% loss of total forage yield can occur if early spring grass is grazed too early. One week of early grazing in the spring can translate to 3 weeks of lost grazing in the fall. It just isn’t worth it.

Be Mindful of Overgrazing: Overgrazing early in the spring can also lead to decreased forage production later. Moving livestock through pastures a little faster allows for only a few inches of grazing at a time which prevents overgrazing and also will allow you to get through all your paddocks before pastures get too mature.

Supplement Fiber and Nutrition: Consider supplements to better meet nutrient requirements during transition. These can include concentrate and/or high Mg mineral supplements. If there is still residual dry grass from the fall (4 – 6 inches) there may already be enough fiber for your cattle to consume and balance the spring lush forages. If not, provide hay for a minimum of 2 weeks when transitioning to allow for adequate DM intake and to support a healthy and productive rumen and animal.

Respect Mother Nature: No matter how hard we try as producers to predict the future and support our cattle, the biggest challenge we encounter is Mother Nature. Don’t ever assume that green grass means winter is over. As we have experienced over the last few years, she always sends us a surprise when we least expect it. Always be prepared with a backup plan.

Toxin Infested Fescue? WE CAN HELP!

A three-year research study was conducted using Fescue 7 at Morehead State University. Researchers measured cow body condition scores, calf weights, hair shedding, body temperature, and cow behavior. Cows provided the Fescue 7 mineral had significantly better body condition scores, quicker hair shedding, lower body temperature and grazed more frequently during the heat of the day. We believe that our research shows that Fescue 7 mineral can be an effective tool in combating heat stress associated with fescue toxicosis.”

Dr. Patricia Harrelson Associate Professor of Animal Science at Morehead State University

Gro-Tec • Austin Stevens • Willy Campbell 1-800-535-3354 • (606) 748-9987 • www.gro-tec.com

Fly control has never been easier.

“Some years ago, we lost almost an entire calf crop due to the fescue. Needless to say I was looking for answers. One thing I did was attend the Alliance for Grassland Renewal workshop and learned a lot of things, which we have instituted as common practices on our farm and farms we rent. However, I didn’t want to get rid of the Kentucky 31 because I’m a seedstock producer and I felt that if I did away with the Kentucky 31 I could possibly be selling cattle to people that couldn’t handle the hot grass. So I opted to just do a better job of managing the grass that covers most cattle country in my area. The second thing I did was look up a mineral salesman I had talked to a year prior by the name of George Speigelhalder. That conversation changed the landscape of our operation forever. He introduced me to Gro-Tec mineral and a product called Fescue 7. Without going into great detail this stuff is a gamechanger. Not only did it help tremendously with the fescue but it also cut down our pinkeye and foot rot problems. Sent our breed back rates on the high 90% range.”

Jason S Jefferson City, MO .,

Toxin Infested Fescue? WE

A three-year research study was conducted using Fescue 7 at Morehead State University. Researchers measured cow body condition scores, calf weights, hair shedding, body temperature, and cow behavior. Cows provided the Fescue 7 mineral had significantly better body condition scores, quicker hair shedding, lower body temperature and grazed more frequently during the heat of the day. We believe that our research shows that Fescue 7 mineral can be an effective tool in combating heat stress associated with fescue toxicosis.”

Dr. Patricia Harrelson Associate Professor of Animal Science at Morehead State University

Cow-Calf Profitability Estimates for 2022 and 2023 (Spring Calving Herd)

Greg Halich, Kenny Burdine, and Jonathan Shepherd

The purpose of this article is to examine cow-calf profitability for a spring calving herd that sold weaned calves in the fall of 2022 and provide an estimate of profitability for the upcoming year, 2023. Table 1 summarizes estimated costs for a well-managed springcalving cowherd for 2022. Every operation is different, so producers should evaluate and modify these estimates to fit their situation (see Table 2). Note that in Table 1 we are not including depreciation or interest on equipment/fencing/facilities, as well as labor and land costs.

Calves are assumed to be weaned and sold at an average weight of 550 lbs. In the fourth quarter of 2022, steers in this weight range were selling for prices in the upper $160’s and heifers in the low $140’s, on a state average basis. Therefore, a steer / heifer average price of $1.55 per lb is used for the analysis, which was $0.15 per lb higher than last year. Calf prices have increased significantly since that time, but this analysis assumes that spring born calves are sold late in the same year. Weaning rate was estimated at 85%, meaning that it is expected that a calf will be weaned and sold from 85% of the cows that were exposed to the bull. Based on these assumptions and adjusted for the weaning rate, average calf revenue is $725 per cow. Cost-wise, the major changes for 2022 were significant increases in fertilizer and fuel prices. Nitrogen, potassium, and diesel fuel prices more than doubled between 2021 and 2022. The biggest impact that these had collectively was on hay production costs, but many other areas were impacted as well. However, general price increases were seen in almost all cost categories. These are all reflected in the cost estimates for 2022.

Pasture maintenance costs are assumed to be relatively low at $30 per acre and would include only basic cash costs of pasture clipping (fuel, maintenance, repairs), and a limited amount of reseeding, fertilizer, and fencing repairs. Cattle farmers who consistently apply large amounts of fertilizer to pasture ground would see much higher pasture maintenance costs. The pasture stocking rate is assumed to be 2.0 acres per cow, but this will vary greatly. Stocking rate impacts the number of grazing days and winter feeding days for the operation (i.e. high stocking rates will mean more hay feeding days), which has large implications for costs on a per cow basis.

These spring calving cows were assumed to use 2.5 tons of hay per cow, and the estimated cash cost of making this hay (fuel,

maintenance, repairs, supplies, fertilizer, etc.) was $55 per ton. Mineral cost is $35 per cow, veterinary / medicine costs $25, trucking costs $15, machinery cash costs for winter feeding and other miscellaneous jobs is $15, and other costs (insurance, property taxes, water, etc.) are $40. Breeding costs are $40 per cow and should include annual depreciation of the bull and bull maintenance costs, spread across the number of cows he services. Marketing costs are assumed to be $35 per cow (adjusted for the 85% calf crop) for average-sized farms selling in smaller lots. Larger operations would likely market cattle in larger groups and pay lower commission rates.

Breeding stock depreciation and interest are major costs that are often overlooked. They are generally not cash costs that need to be paid on a yearly basis, unless you have a loan on the cattle, but they are real costs that need to be paid at some point. As an example, assume that in a typical year bred heifers are valued at $1600, have eight productive years, and have a cull cow value of $850. The average yearly depreciation is calculated as follows:

$1600 bred heifer value

–$808 cull-cow value (adjusted for a 5% death loss)

$793 total depreciation

$793 depreciation / 8 productive years = $99 cow depreciation per year. The actual depreciation will vary across farms. When buying bred replacement heifers, the initial heifer value is clear. With farm-raised replacements, this cost should be the revenue foregone had the heifer been sold with the other calves, plus all expenses incurred (feed, breeding, pasture rent, etc.) to reach the same reproductive stage as a purchased bred heifer. At an average value of $1225 (halfway between bred heifer and cull value) over her lifespan on your farm, and assuming a 3.5% interest rate results in a $43/cow/year interest cost, or a total of $142/cow/year in combined depreciation and interest.

Note that based on the assumptions in our example, total specified expenses per cow are $550 and revenues per cow are $725. Thus, the estimated gross return is $175 per cow. At first glance, this positive return looks impressive, but is also misleading. A number of costs were intentionally excluded because they vary greatly across operations. Notice that no depreciation or interest on equipment/ fencing/facilities was included. Notice also that labor and land costs were also not included. Thus, the gross return needs to be adjusted by these costs to come up with a true

return to the farm.

Since these costs vary so much from one operation to the next, it may be helpful to pick a specific sized farm and provide estimates for these costs: a 40-cow operation that is producing its own hay and has all farming operations on its own land (80 acres of pasture and 30 acres of hay).

Assume this farm has on average $50K in equipment which depreciates roughly $1000 every year, or $25/cow/year in depreciation. At 4% interest, an additional cost of $2000 in interest per year, or $50/cow/year, would be realized. Assume also this farm has fencing, barns, working facilities, etc., with an initial value of $50K and a lifespan of 25 years. That would amount to $50/cow/year in depreciation and $25/cow/year in interest. If we have 2.0 acres of pasture and .75 acres of hay per cow, and value that at a land rent of $36/acre, that would be $100/cow/year in land rent. Assume also that we have determined we have $100/cow/year in labor, which would amount to $4000 total per year for the entire herd.

Summary of Additional Non-Cash Costs (40Cow Example Farm):

Equipment Depreciation $25/cow/year

Equipment Interest $50/cow/year

Fencing-Facilities Depreciation $50/cow/year

Fencing-Facilities Interest $25/cow/year

Land Rent $100/cow/year

Labor $100/cow/year

Total Additional Non-Cash Costs $350/cow/year

These non-cash costs add up to $350/cow/ year on our example farm: $150 per cow in depreciation/interest on equipment/fencing/ facilities and $200 per cow in land rent and labor. We encourage you to estimate these for your own operation, but the unfortunate reality is that they quickly add up on most farms. The $175/cow/year gross return over cash costs and cow depreciation does not look quite as good now. After adjusting for these other costs, the net return (all costs included) is –$175 per cow per year ($175 – $350), or –$7000 total for the 40-cow farm. Another way to look at this is to just include the depreciation and interest for equipment/ fencing/facilities ($150/cow/year), and not include land and labor ($200/cow/year). In this case, the return would increase to $25/ cow/year and would represent the farms return to land and labor. Did this farm actually lose money on a cash basis? No, not

if they are using their own labor and their land is paid for. But the farm also did not make a real pro t. is farm essentially paid the equipment/fencing/facilities depreciation and interest in full but only part of the labor-land cost: e farmer and the land worked for free roughly 7/8 of the time.

ese numbers will vary across operations, so estimating your own cost structure is extremely important. Our guess is that compared to our example farm, there are far more cow-calf operations of similar size with a higher cost structure than there are operations with a lower cost structure in Kentucky. Put simply, well-managed spring calving herds were likely covering all cash costs, breeding stock depreciation/interest, and depreciation and interest on equipment/fencing/facilities, but were not generating much of a return on their labor or land this last year.

Readers can use Table 2 to modify the analysis based on their cost structure and calf prices for 2022. It uses all costs except for land and labor, so the table shows a return to land and labor using the cost structure in our example. As an example, we used $1.55/lb in our base scenario as the steer/heifer price for 2022. Given the cost structure we used ($0 change on the le hand side of the table), the expected return to land and labor is $25/cow/year, just as was previously described. If a cattle farmer sold their calves for an average price of $1.55/lb but had a $50/cow/year cheaper cost structure (-$50 change on the le hand side of the table), their expected return to land and

management would increase to $75/cow/year. If another cattle farmer sold their calves for an average price of $1.60/lb calf, and had a $50/ cow/year cheaper cost structure (-$50 on the le hand side), their expected return to land and management would increase to $98/cow/ year. In this last example, they fully covered their depreciation/interest on all equipment and facilities, fully covered their land rent, but worked for free.

Discussion

Even though calf prices were better in 2022 compared to 2021 (+$.15/lb), projected pro tability is lower due to increases in cash costs ($94/cow higher in 2022). Again, this was largely driven by signi cant increases in fertilizer costs, and to a lesser degree, fuel costs. Farms that rely less on commercial fertilizer would have had better pro tability than what we show here.

We also assumed an average-sized cattle farm that would sell at the higher commission rate and would likely get a lower sales price for calves compared to larger operations. Larger operations that can sell at the lower commission rate and generally get better calf prices for selling in larger lots would have had better pro tability than what we show here. Finally, one important assumption that we made that would change on some farms relates to culling open cows. Our assumption for an average-sized farm was that they would not pregnancy-check cows in the fall and would thus not cull open cows at that time.

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.

Farms that are able to cull open cows in the fall at weaning time and avoid the expense of wintering them would have had better pro tability than what we show here. ese open cows would be replaced with bred heifers that would incur wintering costs, but would be very likely to produce a calf the following spring.

2023 Outlook

ere is good reason to expect higher prices for 2023, and calf prices have already risen quite a bit since last fall. e size of the US cowherd continues to shrink and is 9% smaller than it was in 2019. Additionally, beef exports set a record in 2021 and broke that record again in 2022. While uncertainty exists, 2023 is likely to be the best calf market we have seen since 2015.

Our best guess for fall 2023 prices for that same 550 lb steer/heifer are in the $1.85-1.95/ lb range, or $1.90/lb average. Spring prices are likely to be much higher than this, but we do expect calf prices to decline seasonally by fall. Reducing the costs slightly for fertilizer for hay/pasture and fuel, but increasing marketing costs and the amount of hay fed in 2023 (due to drought conditions during the 2022 growing season), results in a return to land and labor of $198/cow/year. Recall that in our example we had estimated $200 per cow in land rent and labor. us we would essentially fully cover our land and labor costs

CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

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

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

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

Table 1. Estimated Gross Return to Spring Calving Cow-calf Operation 2022

Table 2. Estimated Return to Land and Labor (per cow) to Spring Calving Cow-Calf Operation given Changes in Cost Structure and Calf Prices

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 43

in 2023 in our example farm, which would be a considerable improvement over 2022. Fertilizer prices have come down in 2023 compared to the unprecedented high levels in 2022. However, they are still roughly 50% higher than pre-2022 levels. In this analysis, we assumed a below-average fertilizer dependency to sustain a beef cow unit. Farms that use higher levels of fertilizer will have lower pro ts than we show here. us managing around these high fertilizer prices is still of paramount importance. For practical strategies to reduce or eliminate fertilizer use on cattle farms see the February 2023 video “Strategies to Reduce Fertilizer Use on Cattle Farms.”

e article “Reducing Your Dependency on Commercial Fertilizers - Strategies for Cattle Farms in 2022 and Beyond” is also available to read.

Market fundamentals suggest that calf prices should be at very high levels in 2023 and the same should largely hold in 2024. Still, calf prices are only part of the story, and we hope this article highlights the importance of cost control. Ideally, costs for a given operation would be structured such that attractive pro ts can be had at these high calf prices. However, there will be farms that will still struggle to cover all their costs, even with the higher calf revenues.

Many farms will be tempted to increase the size of their cow herds in response to these high calf prices. However, two cautionary red ags should be waved at this point: 1) During the last time of extremely high calf prices (20142015), bred heifer prices got bid up to the point where they would only pencil out with continued high calf prices. ose calf prices collapsed quickly leaving those that expanded with low revenues to support paying for those high-priced breeding stock. 2) Concentrating

on high-priced calves and ways to produce more of them takes away focus from reducing costs that are out of control on many farms. If you are not generating a true pro t (above what would give you and your land a fair return) in the current market, you are almost certain to be in the red when calf prices come back down to more normal levels. Most farms would be better served to concentrate on reducing their cost structure to better position themselves for the lean times that are almost sure to follow.

Greg Halich is an Associate Extension Professor in Farm Management Economics for both cattle and grain production and can be reached at Greg.Halich@uky.edu or 859-257-8841. Kenny Burdine is an Extension Professor in Livestock Marketing and Management and can be reached at kburdine@uky.edu or 859-257-7273. Jonathan Shepherd is an Extension Specialist in Farm Management and can be reached at jdshepherd@uky.edu or (859) 218-4395.

Changes in Kentucky Sales Tax That Apply to Farming

Jerry Pierce Department of Agricultural Economics

Legislation went into e ect on the rst of 2023 that made many services subject to Kentucky’s 6% sales tax. One change was to the quali cations for residential use exemption from sales tax on utilities. As a result, 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 classi ed as residential.

e Agriculture Exemption License Number makes quali ed farms exempt from sales tax on natural gas, LP, and water used exclusively and directly in quali ed farming operations, but not electricity. See the article on Kentucky Sales Tax on Utilities.

ere are other changes that apply to farming: “Marketing Services.” Sales tax now applies to “developing marketing objectives and policies, sales forecasting, new product developing and

pricing, licensing, and franchise planning.” If you pay for things like marketing advice, strategies, advertising, and sales services expect to see KY sales tax added on to your bill. Extended warranty services purchased separately are now subject to sales tax. An extended warranty, service agreement, or maintenance agreement provides prolonged coverage in addition to the standard warranty. Sales tax now applies to an extended warranty on farm machinery and equipment, even though the purchase price of the property itself is exempt. is also includes extended warranty contracts for land, buildings, and improvements.

Services performed by veterinarians and veterinary practices are now taxable. However, services for horses and food animals, like cattle, are exempt.

ere is now a sales tax exemption for drugs and over-the-counter medications “that are purchased by a person regularly engaged in the business of farming and used in the treatment of cattle, sheep, goats, swine, poultry, ratite birds, llamas, alpacas, bu alo, aquatic organisms, or cervids.”

Security system monitoring services for home and business are subject to sales tax.

Electric Vehicle (EV) power distributed in Kentucky by electric charging stations will be taxed at $0.03 per kilowatt hour, including stations located on state property. Registration of a new EV and annual renewal registration fees now apply, as well.

For more information and a list of other services covered see Kentucky Sales Tax Facts from the Kentucky Department of Revenue.

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Proven Donor Sells!

Herd Bull Prospect Sells

Donor Prospect Sells

2023 Beef Expo Sales Reach $780,000

FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 8, 2023) – e 2023

Kentucky Farm Bureau Beef Expo nished with more than $780,000 in total sales in the 37th edition of the event at the Kentucky Exposition Center during the rst weekend of March.

Total sales in 2023 were $781,410 a decrease of $147,590 compared to last year’s sales, but closer in line to 2021 sales which reached a little more than $770,000. In addition to total sales being down, the average sale also decreased slightly by $98 to $2,427 per lot, with 324 lots auctioned this year, nearly 50 less than 2022.

“Cattle is one of Kentucky’s top livestock and

the Kentucky Farm Bureau Beef Expo is a place to showcase the fact that this state is still the largest beef cattle state east of the Mississippi River,” Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Ryan Quarles said. “Cattle numbers are down this year, but that’s a trend we’re seeing nationwide. Tough weather events and high input costs combined to create a necessary culling of some cattle. But, we’re an agricultural state and the resiliency of our farmers will see them bounce back. is show is putting that resiliency and toughness center stage.”

Angus cattle brought an average of $3,232

per lot to lead all breeds. e sale topper was an $8,000 Hereford Female from Matheny Herefords Farm out of Mays Lick, Ky. e Beef Expo welcomed 15 states and eight breeds this year.

In the junior show, 378 cattle from 14 states passed through the show ring, including 190 from Kentucky. e judging contest attracted 115 participants.

e 2023 Beef Expo’s main sponsors were Kentucky Farm Bureau and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

Burns Farms

Annual Female Event

12 noon CDT

SATURDAY, MAY 13 Pikeville,

SELLING 100-PLUS HEAD AS 65 HEREFORD LOTS

TN

BF WICKED 116K ET 10/4/22 • P44432720 • Polled

SIRE: H Swanson 902 ET

DAM: BF Sinful 8252 ET (UPS Sensation 2296 ET)

CED +5.4 / BW +3.5 / WW +64 / YW +108 / MILK +35 REA +.65 / MARB +.08 / CHB +127

BF MOXIE 120K ET 10/10/22 • P44432722 • Polled

SIRE: H Swanson 902 ET

DAM: BF Girl Power 646 ET (Winchester Powerball)

CED +5.7 / BW +2.5 / WW +62 / YW +106 / MILK +31

REA +.56 / MARB +.05 / CHB +126

BF MEGHAN 205K ET

9/27/22 • P44435102 • Polled

SIRE: KLD RW Marksman D87 ET

DAM: BF Girl Power 646 ET (Winchester Powerball)

CED +4.1 / BW +3.1 / WW +59 / YW +95 / MILK +29 REA +.54 / MARB +.04 / CHB +118

BF AMBITION 11J ET

4/8/21 • P44275353 • Polled

SIRE: Boyd 31Z Blueprint 6153

DAM: BF Novel 5502 ET (Golden Oak Outcross 18U)

Featured in the 2021 Burns Farms and Friends Sale, commanding $20,000 to the Musser Family in Indiana. Two full sib heifer calves sell as well as a full sister with a fall calf at side.

BF SAVAGE SON 4K ET

4/16/22 • P44384555 • Homozygous Polled

SIRE: KLD RW Marksman D87 ET

DAM: BF Girl Power 646 ET (Winchester Powerball)

CED +8.0 / BW +2.4 / WW +61 / YW +99 / MILK +32

REA +.49 / MARB +.14 / CHB +126

Feature of our 2023 Cattlemen’s Congress Grand Champion Pen of 5!

Please contact the farm or the sale manager to request a sale catalog. Catalog & videos online at burnsfarms.com.

Since 1952

DAVID BURNS (615) 477-5668 E-mail: burnsda2@gmail.com

Zach Day, Herdsman (859) 588- 6271

Pork Exports Robust in January; Slow Start for Beef Exports

U.S. pork exports, which posted a strong nish in 2022, maintained momentum in January, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). U.S. beef exports were recordbreaking in 2022 but slowed late in the year. is trend continued in January, as shipments were well below the large totals from a year ago.

Record-large shipments to Mexico lead strong month for pork exports

January pork exports totaled 236,767 metric tons (mt), up 13% year-over-year, while export value climbed 16% to $643.4 million. Exports to Mexico, which nished 2022 on a remarkable run on the way to an annual record, set another volume record in January. Exports also trended signi cantly higher year-over-year to China/Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Honduras and the ASEAN region.

“While Mexico is certainly the pacesetter for U.S. pork exports, it’s encouraging to see such broad-based growth,” said USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. “Market diversi cation is always a point of emphasis for the U.S. industry, and it’s more important than ever to nd new opportunities for U.S. pork in both established and emerging markets.”

Challenging month for beef exports, but bright spots

emerge

Beef exports declined to several major destinations in January, though shipments increased sharply to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines and Africa. January volume fell 15% year-over-year to 100,942 mt, valued at $702.3 million (down 32%).

Beef inventories swelled in some key markets near the end of last year, contributing to a challenging environment for U.S. exports.

“While beef exports are o to a slow start in 2023, we remain optimistic that post-COVID foodservice demand will strengthen in additional markets as the year progresses,” Halstrom said.

Lamb exports open 2023 on high note

January exports of U.S. lamb muscle cuts totaled 222 mt, up 161% from the low year-ago volume, while export value essentially doubled to $1.1 million (up 99%). Growth was led by strong increases to Mexico and the Caribbean, while shipments were also higher to Canada and Guatemala.

A detailed summary of the January export results for U.S. beef, pork and lamb, including market-speci c highlights, is available from the USMEF website.

For questions, please email Joe Schuele or call 303-5470030.

Count on Y-TEX ® insecticide ear tags to knock out flies, ticks and lice.

Insect pests can wreak havoc on your cattle, from reducing weight gains to carrying costly diseases like pink eye. That’s why it pays to protect your herd with the proven performance of Y-TEX® insecticide ear tags. Y-TEX® tags control a wide range of livestock pests, including horn flies, face flies, stable flies, black flies, Gulf Coast and spinose ear ticks and lice.

So when it’s time to protect your cattle from flies, ticks and lice, look for the insecticide tags that put a stop to profit-robbing pests: TRI-ZAP ™ , MAX 40 ™ , XP 820 ® , OPtimizer ®, PYthon® II, and PYthon® II Magnum™from Y-TEX®

Where do you think the phrase

“dropping like flies” came from?

USDA Proposes New Requirements for the “Product of USA” Label Claim

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2023 – e U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today released a proposed rule with new regulatory requirements to better align the voluntary “Product of USA” label claim with consumer understanding of what the claim means. e proposed rule allows the voluntary “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label claim to be used on meat, poultry and egg products only when they are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States. Today’s announcement delivers on one of the key actions in President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy, and a commitment made in the Biden-Harris Administration’s Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain. e increased clarity and transparency provided by this proposed change would prevent consumer confusion and help ensure that consumers understand where their food comes from.

“American consumers expect that when they buy a meat product at the grocery store, the claims they see on the label mean what they say,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “ ese proposed changes are intended to provide consumers with accurate information to make informed purchasing decisions. Our action today a rms USDA’s commitment to ensuring accurate and truthful product labeling.”

USDA’s proposed rulemaking is supported by petitions, thousands of comments from stakeholders, and data. In July 2021, USDA initiated a comprehensive review to understand what the “Product of USA” claim means to consumers and inform planned rulemaking to de ne the requirements for making such a claim. As part of its review, USDA commissioned a nationwide consumer survey. e survey revealed that the current “Product of USA” labeling claim is misleading to a majority of consumers surveyed, with a signi cant portion believing the claim means that the product was made from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States.

USDA’s comprehensive review shows there is a clear need to revise the current “Product of USA” label claim so that it more accurately conveys U.S. origin information.

Under the proposed rule, the “Product of USA” label claim would continue to be voluntary. It would also remain eligible for generic label approval, meaning it would not need to be pre-approved by USDA’s Food

Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) before it could be used on regulated product, but would require supporting documentation to be on le for agency inspection personnel to verify. e rulemaking also proposes to allow other voluntary U.S. origin claims we see on meat, poultry and egg products sold in the marketplace. ese claims would need to include a description on the package of all preparation and processing steps that occurred in the United States upon which the claim is made.

USDA encourages stakeholders, both domestic and international, to comment on the proposed rule. e proposed rule will be open for public comment for 60 days a er publishing in the Federal Register. Public comments can be submitted at www.

regulations.gov.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the BidenHarris 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 safe, 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.

Ministers Bibeau and Ng Respond to Changes Proposed to “Product of USA ” Labelling Regulations

Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, and Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, the Honourable Mary Ng, today released the following joint statement in response to the advance notice of changes that will be formally proposed by the United States to the “Product of USA” voluntary labelling regulations for meat, poultry and egg products.

“ e Canada and United States meat and livestock sectors are highly integrated. is collaboration contributes to the growth and resilience of farmers and processors on both sides of the border. It also allows us to ensure a reliable supply of high-quality products.

“Canada remains concerned about any measures that may cause disruptions to the integrated North American livestock supply chains.

“Canada will closely review the proposed amendments to the labelling of meat, poultry and egg products in the U.S. and will participate in the U.S. rule-making process to ensure that these changes conform to the U.S.’ international trade obligations and do not disrupt supply chains.

“Canada will also rmly oppose any proposition from the United States to renew a mandatory country of origin labelling system for pork and beef, a practice which the World Trade Organization allowed Canada to take retaliation measures against the United States.

“Canada will work with the U.S. to ensure that new de nitions and rules allow farmers, processors and consumers in both countries to continue to bene t from e cient, stable and competitive markets.”

Congratulations to Rockcastle County Beef Association on being the lucky winners of this year’s squeeze chute sponsored by Priefert! The squeeze chute winner was drawn at random following this year’s KCA Convention & Ag Industry Trade Show. To be eligible, County Chapters had to retain 50% or more memberships based on the previous year’s ending membership total by January 1st.

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

Kylie Trail Director of Brand Management

BEEF ITS WHAT'S FOR DINNER 300 Tomahawks, It’s What’s for Winners at Daytona!

In February, I had the opportunity to take Checko Committee Members: Kent Robertson, Don Pemberton, and Allison Nissley to spend the weekend volunteering at Daytona International Speedway for the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner 300 X nity Race!

is consumer outreach promotion is led by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, a contractor of the Beef Checko , with immense support from multiple participating State Beef Councils. Austin Hill was the back-to-back winner of the 2023 Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.® 300, the 42nd annual NASCAR X nity Series season opening race, one day before the iconic DAYTONA 500. For the second year in a row, Austin Hill drove into victory lane where he was greeted by a buckle and a Tomahawk Steak to close out a week that showcased all things beef and agriculture to race fans young and old.

Along with the race sponsorship, we also had a booth in the fan experience zone that was a huge hit. ere were long lines all day to spin the beef cuts wheel for a prize, sample brisket sliders, and learn to rope a calf! ese were great ways to get fans excited about trying new cuts of beef and interacting with farmers and ranchers to increase their trust in our product. Another piece to the activation was highlighting fans on the in eld that were grilling beef by handing out signs that read “Grilling Beef Here”, that were proudly displayed at nearly every camp sight.

For race fans not able to join the tailgate in person, a satellite media tour took the tailgate to them. Just two days before the race, award winning chef Ryan Clark, Tucson’s Iron Chef for three consecutive years and Executive Chef for the AAA 4-Diamond and Forbes 4-Star Hotel Casino Del Sol, was live from the track for interviews with TV and radio stations across the country. Chef Clark shared two of his favorite race day recipes – a Beef, Beer & Cheese Dip and BBQ Beef Sliders – both perfect for tailgating, or homegating.

Finally, the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand was also showcased nationwide through various advertising e orts before and during the race. In addition to signage on the racetrack, funding from several State Beef Councils allowed for commercials showcasing beef to a national audience on FS1 during the race. Ads were also featured on various digital platforms and billboards could be seen in the Daytona International Airport and along the highway approaching the speedway.

A er attending the event in person each one of the committee members that attended agreed that this national promotion was time and money well spent and was e ective in increasing the demand for beef!

OWENSBORO BURGER WEEK

is year was the third year now that KBC has been the presenting sponsor of the Owensboro Burger Week. is event continues to grow and exceed all expectations, the excitement and participation around this event is electric. is year 38 restaurants participated in the 9-day promotion where their chefs cra ed a signature burger to be sold for $7 dollars. It was such a hit many locations had trouble keeping up with the demand for these specialty burgers.

During my time in Owensboro, we had the opportunity to get area cattlemen immersed into this checko -funded promotion by hosting a Cattlemen’s Pop-up Event held at e Miller House. is was a chance for cattlemen to catch up with what their Beef Checko is doing in their own county to increase beef demand while enjoying a signature burger!

THE RESULTS ARE IN!

The Owensboro Burger Week promotion produced record sales for Daviess County restaurants. There were over 34,549 specialty burgers sold for $7 a piece at 38 participating restaurants. Over $241,843 was spent in nine days on featured burger sales alone. That's a lot of beef consumed!

As we transition into Spring time, most people seem to begin looking forward to warmer weather, longer days, and ring up their grills. I look forward to those things for sure, but there are also a lot of opportunities to get more involved with our educators across the state. Some of those ways have been through eld trips, agriculture day events, however one of the ways that has been bene cial is through our beef demonstrations.

What I have been able to nd is that the majority of our high school students are somewhat familiar with the kitchen, however the idea of correctly purchasing and cooking beef is intimidating to them. e opportunity to make educated consumers who will continue to consume and purchase beef starts while they are in high school. Also, most of the students who attend these events do not come from cattle farming backgrounds. In my opinion, we have an obligation as members of the beef industry to help students make connections between the beef farmer story, all the way to beef consumption tips and tricks. When presenting during these demonstrations, I really work to engage with students and answer the questions that they have regarding various cuts of beef, cooking methods, and beef advocacy. Reaching almost 300 students, Morgynne Lunsford and I have visited schools all across the state including Ms.Hunter-Anne Julian’s Food Science and Animal Science classes at South Warren High School, Mrs. Darilyn Hamilton and Mrs. Kaitlin Eades Animal Science and Principles of Agriculture classes at Spencer County High School, and Mr. Conner Richardson’s Principles of Agriculture classes at Woodford County High School. If you are interested in learning more about how to have a beef demonstration in your classroom, contact Bradon at bburks@ kycattle.org.

We would also like to o cially announce the Kentucky Beef Council’s Advocacy Summit and Youth Advocacy Summit for this year as well. During these events, attendees will be able to take a deeper dive of how to share their beef message with both producers and consumers. With the help of NCBA’s Director of Grassroots Advocacy and Spokesperson Development, Mr. Chandler Mulvaney, we know that these events will be bene cial for attendees on all age levels and knowledge levels. Our Adult Summit will be April 28th and our Youth Summit will be on April 29th, both at e YARDS Classroom at Blue Grass Stockyards in Lexington, KY. For more information or to register for either event, visit www.kybeef.com.

Bradon Burks Director of Education

University of Kentucky Extension and Kentucky Beef Network Offer Free

BQCA Certi cations in April and September

e Kentucky Beef Network and University of Kentucky Extension are pleased to announce that they will be o ering free Beef Quality and Care Assurance (BQCA) certi cations in April 2023 and September 2023.

e Kentucky BQCA program takes national BQA practices one step further to provide a holistic program for Kentucky producers, by adding cattle handling and animal care component to the training modules. Educational modules provide the best management practices for handling cattle and providing for their well-being, in addition to training on the core principles of BQA.

e cost of BQCA enrollment is $5 for in person training through their local county extension o ce and $10 for online training, however from April 1- 30, 2023 and September 1-30, 2023 the Kentucky Beef Network and University of Kentucky Extension will be sponsoring the enrollment costs, making it free for producers.

Producers interested in taking advantage of this opportunity can visit www.kybeefnetwork.com to access the online training platform or contact their county extension o ce for training opportunities.

“We are very excited for this partnership for our Kentucky cattlemen to continue to tell their story to consumers through sound management practices,” says Kevin Laurent University of Kentucky CoBQCA Coordinator.

e Kentucky Beef Network and University of Kentucky merged their Cattle Handling and Care Program with the National BQA program to create a new program, aptly named the Beef Quality and Care Assurance (BQCA) program. is program was implemented to raise awareness of practices that ensure the proper handling and welfare of cattle while keeping farmers safe and continuing to supply healthy beef to consumers. In turn, this program enables beef and dairy producers to enhance their product, maximize marketability and strengthen consumer con dence.

Attendees who complete the BQCA exam at the end of the training will become

Eden Shale Update

Dan Miller Industry Coordinator, Kentucky Beef Network

March at Eden Shale means calving season. is year has been warmer and drier than normal which makes things nice. It makes you realize why producers enjoy fall calving with no mud.

If you recall, last spring we bred 114 females. As of this spring we have 97 bred cows that are expected to calve. at equates to a an 85% total conception across the entire herd.

e herd is broken into two main groups during calving season. e mature cow herd consists of cows that are having at least their third calf. is year we have 63 of these mature cows. ey will mainly calve out in the pasture and Greg will ear tag them and rotate them to new pasture as they calve.

e second group is made up of rst and second calf heifers and they will calve at the barn next to Greg’s house. is makes keeping a close eye on them much easier. is year we have 34 heifers at this facility to calve.

Much like the cows, as the heifers calve the babies will get tagged and the pair will get moved into the “nursery” eld for the next 10-12 days. Once the babies are stronger and doing good, those pairs will get moved in to a third eld. is rotation during calving season makes it easy to locate new calves because we are always moving them out of the pregnant group and into the nursery. e nursery group never has large numbers in it as we are always adding to it but also moving the older stronger calves out. e last group starts small and continually has new pairs added to it until calving season is over. is rotation allows us to keep the mud at a minimum and have fresh pasture that we are rotating the new calves to which keeps the udders cleaner and the calves healthier.

As of writing we have had 52 calves born in the rst 18 days of the calving season. at is 54% of the calf crop born in two and half weeks! In my opinion this is the best reason to synchronize and AI the herd. Having the calves all be similar in age and size makes it easier to manage them throughout their time at the farm. e AI component gives us consistent genetics and coloration throughout the calf crop and it allows an advantage at marketing when there are more animals that will sort onto the same load.

On the farm there are many things that are di cult to control. In my opinion the length of your calving season is the easiest thing to manage. Besides; calving season is hard, so why allow it to drag on for months…

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

ANGUS

THE BUSINESS BREED

HILL VIEW FARMS

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

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

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

HAMILTON ANGUS FARMS

Eddie Hamilton 2142 Stilesville Road Science Hill, KY 42553 edjohami@aol.com

(606) 271-1286

Bulls and Females for Sale

President: Henry B. Smith

Vice President: Anne Patton Schubert

Secretary/Treasurer: Shayna Gibson

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

HERITAGE FARM

Tom McGinnis

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

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, Rob, and Janna 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

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

WHITE FARM

OLD BARK FARM

370 Ferrill Hill, Buffalo, KY 42716 Kenley Conner (502) 905-7825 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

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: Shayna Gibson 1220 Angus Trail Lexington, Kentucky 40509 • Annual Dues $35

Shayna Gibson named new KY Angus Association Secretary/Treasurer

Shayna graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelors degree in Community and Leadership Development in 2015. She is the District Administrative Secretary for the Henry County Conservation District going on 6 years. She is happily married to her high school sweetheart, Dallas Gibson since 2017. He is a lineman at Shelby Energy Cooperative in Shelby County, Kentucky. They welcomed a little girl; Paisley Lane Gibson in November of 2021 and they couldn’t imagine life without her. They recently purchased the family farm that Shayna grew up on. Dallas and Shayna are running a Registered Angus cow/calf operation known as Circle G Angus in New Castle, Kentucky.

Shayna grew up as an avid 4-H and FFA member where she showed Registered Angus cattle. Shayna was the

Henry County FFA Chapter President as well as the Northern Kentucky Region FFA Treasurer. She received her Chapter, State and American FFA degree. She was a Regional Director for the Kentucky Junior Cattlemens Association. She was a member of the National and Kentucky Junior Angus Association. Shayna had the opportunity to attend LEAD Conferences through the National Junior Angus Association where she met several great people that she still keeps up with to this day.

Once Shayna graduated from the University of Kentucky, she came home and started the Henry County 4-H Livestock Club where she was the advisor for 6 years. Shayna is very active in her community where she is a member of the Henry County and

Kentucky Cattlemens Association and has served on several boards such as the Kentucky Association of Conservation District Employees Association, Ag Development Council, Henry County Youth Livestock Auction Committee, and the Henry County 4-H Council.

Shayna is very excited to start her new role as the Kentucky Angus Association Secretary/Treasurer. She knows she has large shoes to fill as Anne is leaving after 17 years of hard work and dedication to the KAA. If you have any questions for Shayna, please feel free to reach out to her. It is such on honor to be serving on the Kentucky Angus Association board.

Kentucky Hereford Association

2023 Membership Dues: KHA $25 and KJHA $10

If you haven’t paid your dues, please do so by April 10th. Contact Suzanne Matheny for information. 606.584.0577

WELLS FARM

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”

NJB Limited

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

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

KHA OFFICERS

President: L.W. Beckley

Secretary/ Treasurer: Suzanne Matheny 606-584-0577 suzannebmatheny@gmail.com

K3 CATTLE REGISTERED HEREFORDS

KYLE BUSH

K3CATTLE@YAHOO.COM

859-588-4531

198 HICKS PIKE CYNTHIANA, KY 41031

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”

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

Windy Hills Farm

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

(270) 543-3586

Breeding to produce good cows since 1981

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

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”

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

TUCKER STOCK FARMS

“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

Danny Miller jmspolledherefords.com

270-465-6984

270-566-2694

Tucker Stock 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

Modern-day ranching requires more information to produce better animals. International Genetic Solutions works across breeds to provide more accurate head-to-head comparisons and maximum profitability.

IGS incorporates generations of data and the world’s largest multi-breed database to enable more powerful breeding decisions than ever before.

Better cattle. Better profits.

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

406.205.3033 • internationalgeneticsolutions.com

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.

MARCH 25South Missouri Bull & Female SaleCarthage, MO

MARCH 25 Candy Meadows Farm The Cowman’s Kind XXVII Lexington, TN

MARCH 25Bluegrass Gelbvieh Alliance Lexington, KY

MARCH 25Stephens Genetic Advantage Bull SaleParis, KY

MARCH 25The Clear Choice Bull Sale Milan, IN

MARCH 27 Oak Hollow Angus 45th Annual First Choice Bull Sale Smiths Grove, KY

MARCH 27Maplecrest Farms Spring Bull SaleHillsboro, OH

MARCH 28GenePlus Sale Concord, AR

MARCH 31KCF Youth Scholarships Applications Due

APRIL 1 10th Annual Commercial Open Heifer Sale London, KY

APRIL 1Angus Opportunity Sale Canmer, KY

APRIL 1 Grassy Valley Angus 30th Annual Production Sale Greeneville, TN

APRIL 1 West Tennessee Association Bull Test Sale Milan, TN

APRIL 1The Andras Kind Red Angus Bull SaleManchester, IL

APRIL 1Circle G Angus Ranch The Female SaleAdel, GA

APRIL 1Belles & Bulls of the BluegrassLexington, KY

APRIL 4 Annual Online Sale Roan for the Roses Spring Edition Online

APRIL 7Ingram Angus Spring Production SalePulaski, TN

APRIL 8Branch View Angus Sale Hustonville, KY72

APRIL 8 Crazy K Ranch The 10th Annual Production Sale Michie, TN

APRIL 8 Knoll Crest Farm’s Spring Bull & Female Sale Red House, VA

APRIL 8 TJB/3T KY Elite Genetics Bull and Female Sale Upton, KY71

APRIL 8 Amburgey Charolais Farm Annual Bull & Female Sale Mt. Sterling, KY30

April 1022nd Annual Grass Time Partners SaleParis, KY40

APRIL

DATEEVENT LOCATION AD

APRIL 15 Central KY Angus Association 57th Annual Spring Sale Danville, KY24

APRIL 15 Clifford Farms & Guests Hereford Production Sale Lexinton, KY

APRIL 15 91st Indiana Beef Evaluation Program Performance Tested Bull Sale IBEP Test Station

APRIL 20

JMar Genetics New Beginnings Charolais Bull & Heifer Sale DVAuctions

APRIL 20Chute Side BQA Training Lexington, KY58

APRIL 21Casey County Cattlemen’s SaleLiberty, KY17

APRIL 22SoKY Select Gelbvieh Sale

Bowlig Green, KY53

APRIL 22Optum Angus Genetics of the FutureSeaman, OH17

APRIL 22GMAA “Looking to the Future”

Campbellsburg, KY 2

APRIL 22Upper Cumberland Angus Female SaleCookeville, TN21

APRIL 22 Middle Tennessee Hereford Association 2023 Spring Sale Cross Plains, TN48

APRIL 29

Barnes Herefords Southern Belles Female Production Sale

MAY 6 30th Annual Pasture Performance

Tested Angus Bull & Female Sale

Cedartown, GA46

Aldie, VA19

MAY 6Heartland Highland Cattle AuctionSpringfield, MO17

MAY 6 Ohio Valley Limousin Association Spring Sale

MAY 7

Mineral Wells, WV50

Bridge View Angus 16th Annual Production Sale Stamping Ground, KY 25

MAY 13Burns Farms Annual Female EventPikeville, TN49

MAY 20West KY Select Bred Heifer SaleGuthrie, KY18

MAY 29

White Hawk Ranch Beefmaker Female Sale Buchanan, GA

JUNE 30KCA Hall of Fame Applications Due 12

SEPT 7CPC Fall Field Day Fountain Run, KY8

OCT 12 JMar Genetics Quality Over Quantity

Charolias Bull Heifer Sale

DVAuctions

OCT 14The Future is Now Fall Production Sale Bowling Green, KY 3

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 502-349-2665

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

19 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

Spring time Deals:

790 Hydroram Manure Spreader $19,500

Matching pair of 3516 Meyer forage Boxes

New Holland 7710 Cab 2 wd

Case 95 4wd Loader Open Station $40,000

John Deere 3975 with processor

Meyer 585 truck mounted mixer- call for details

ESCH NO TILL DRILLS in stock!

Order your Horning corn head today

New Holland t s 110- loader

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 select from!

John Deere 7200- cab -16 speed

John Deere 3975 - base unitArtex SB 600 Spreader -in stock

John Deere 468 - net $16,500

John Deere 566- twine $12,000

Stoltzfus 10 ton Litter spreader $$$$

New Holland 790 choppers-$8500

Gehl 8335 feeder wagon $7500

Artex SB 200- vertical beater- for rental

Farmco feeder wagons-5 in stock-call

John Deere 6300 -2wd cab loader $35,000 WWW.REDBARNANDASSOCIATES.COM

Charlie B. Edgington 859-608-9745

REGISTERED BLACK SIMMENTAL & SIMANGUS BULLS

Genomic Enhanced EPD’s Several White-Faced BSE Tested

BUSH SIMMENTALS

(502)-750-4190

Don’t Expect Things To Return To The Way They Used To Be

Jeff Lehmkuhler PhD, PAS

With increasing land values (see Figure 1), beef producers looking to enter or expand operations are faced with challenges to pencil a profitable return per acre when land cost is included. Over the last couple decades, years of high grain prices pulled marginal forage/ pasture acres away from forage production as rental rates offered were higher from grain producers than grazers. Thus, less forage acreage available for livestock forage production kicks in the macroeconomics functions of supply and demand leading to higher rental rates or challenges to find land available to rent near the home base of the cattle operation. As an example, the average rental cost per month for a cow-calf pair in Nebraska was estimated to be $57.64 compared to $25.70 in 2007-2008 (E. Dennis,

2022). Of course, urban sprawl is another leading driver of increased land value and housing developments continue to increase in many rural areas (Figure 2).

Many “land and cattle” operations recognize the land holding as an appreciating asset over time. The land asset is considered a long term payback to the operation. Land charges should be doled out to each agricultural enterprise to cover the land investment with these charges included in the enterprise budgets. Along with this appreciating land value comes increased tax payments which should be considered in the land charge. However, consider this question “Can the land value appreciation offset a slight loss in the beef operation?”.

Granted, I am not an economist by any means.

Yet, in my discussions with producers, I hear many of their concerns about production costs increasing. Many ask when will inputs come back down with an underlying expectation that they likely will not return to where prices were 10-20 years ago. Beef producers mention they need the current high feeder cattle prices to make a profit, which I am not arguing. However, I don’t know that many of our producers complete an annual enterprise budget for their operations to make decisions. We could take this one step further and ask ”What is the return per acre from the beef enterprise?”. I have been in this field long enough to know the reasons why budgets are not done, but this doesn’t mean we should not consider looking at the financial aspects of the operation to help plan for future decisions. Take the time to manage the

Figure 1 Average farmland values for Kentucky and nationally. (SOURCE: Isaacs, S. "2022 Farmland Values." Economic and Policy Update (22):9, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Kentucky, September 29th, 2022.)

Figure 2. Projected population growth in Kentucky by county through 2050.

nancial aspects of the farm and do your business plan. What are your business strengths and weaknesses? If you don’t know, consider a SWOT analyses to identify your operation’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and reats. De ne your marketable product and identify your marketing plan to capture the greatest return. Document your beef herd production, inputs, and receipts so you can analyze these each year. As Dr. Anderson wrote recently, it is perfectly ne to like cows and make money from the operation. Farmers are faced with making many choices. Farming would be easier if there was no limit on spending, but this is not the case. I like to teach the challenge of management as presented by Dr.

Tom Fields using interconnecting circles (Figure 3). Nearly everything in a farm system overlaps. When we decide to purchase a replacement bull, these funds are no longer able to be used on infrastructure, forage improvement, herd health, mineral supplements, etc. When nancial resources are limited, we have less money for hired labor, custom harvesting, preventative herd health, and other items. e question becomes when nances are tight is this impacting our quality of life and enjoyment from farming? Personally, I believe that if we can make these decisions based on information using logical approach having considered the enterprise budget, cost/bene t analyses, and/or pros/cons

list then there is no need in the future to dwell on whether the decision was right or wrong. Every farming operation is guided by a di erent set of goals and available resources. What works for one farm may not work for another. Feeder cattle prices are going to move up and down with lean years and some pro table years. Consider the opportunity to assess your operation and make wise investments that have the potential to improve your bottom line. Most importantly, do not dwell on decisions made in the past nor ponder when will things return to the way they used to be. Enjoy the memories of the past and use the knowledge gained to build for a successful future.

Spring-Calving Cow Herd

• Observe 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 necessary 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 necessary 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 dry, 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.

Figure 3. Interconnectivity of Human and Integrated Resource management resources

5,483 cows harvested 2,357,308 pounds of ground beef packaged $4,928,108.13 farm gate sales

351 farms impacted 76 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

250 commercials 60 registered 100 bulls

ANNUAL SALE

BV Power Play 1516 | Reg# 20303835

VAR Power Play 7018 son that

• 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

BV Growth Fund 2002 | Reg# 20451664

• Stout Deer Valley Growth Fund son with a top notch set of figures. Top 1% WW, YW, 2% $W, 5% $F, 10% $C, 15% $M.

• Dam shows some of the highest progeny ratios in our herd with WW 3/118, YW 2/118, IMF 2/112, RE 2/119.

CEDBWWWYW$W$C