Analytical Conservationist

Katie Pratt KCA Communications Manager

LEITCHFIELD, KY – Grayson County cattleman Jerry Shartzer believes there is always more that he can learn when it comes to farming. His quest for knowledge and consistent improvements have resulted in him having a productive cattle operation that supports and preserves his environment.

Shartzer is a fifth-generation farmer, and with the exception of a short stint as an auto mechanic in Bowling Green, he has farmed his entire life in Grayson County. He officially purchased his family’s homeplace from his father in 1978. Today, his operation includes around 365 acres− 265 of those acres date back to the 1790s when Shartzer’s many times over great-grandfather received the land for his service during the Revolutionary War.

He has a fall-calving herd of around 65 mama cows that are mostly Angus crosses.

Naturally improving his ground

As a full-time farmer, Shartzer works hard to keep his production costs low while maintaining his land’s productivity and preserving his environment.

“He has always farmed the right way,” said Jack Ewing, retired extension agent, who has worked with Shartzer since 1976. “Early on, he really challenged me to use my agronomy skills because he wanted to improve his soils and make his farm better.”

Shartzer’s operation is located along 2.5 miles of Rough River Lake. Shartzer is very aware of the lake’s presence and does his best to protect its water quality.

He applies very little commercial fertilizer to his ground. Instead, he relies on chicken litter and cow manure to supply the bulk of nutrients to his soil. Since 1995, Shartzer has had a readily available supply of chicken litter. This was when he contracted with Perdue to produce pullets and built two poultry houses on his property. He produced pullets until 2005 when he sold the operation to his son Bradley. Bradley Shartzer continues to raise broilers for Perdue on the farm.

Jerry Shartzer spreads chicken litter in the fields where he plans to raise corn and stored forages. He will spread cattle manure on his pasture ground. Red and white clover provide additional sources of nitrogen.

“Some of my fields have not had commercial fertilizer applied to them in 15 years,” he said. “It has really saved me a lot of money in fertilizer costs. I may apply some potash after Halloween if my soil tests tell me I need it, but that’s typically the only commercial fertilizer I will purchase.”

He rotates his herd between four pastures that are around 20 acres each. In each pasture, the cattle will have access to three or four waterers. He also annually rotates his fields between forages, corn and wheat to reduce weed pressure.

“I think what makes Jerry Shartzer an outstanding cattleman is the work he has done to upgrade and maintain the fertility of his pasture and hay fields,” said Warren Beeler, Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association board member. “The use of chicken litter has made his land really productive and sustainable.”

Master Tester

Starting as s a young farmer, Shartzer set out to improve his fields. He started working with Ewing on soil testing many years ago. This was during a time when not many people were participating in soil tests.

“We realized that we could really make some headway on his forages and soils based on the results of those first soil tests,” Ewing said. “Jerry liked the information he was getting and enjoyed putting it to use on his farm and making it work.”

Today, Shartzer wants to know exactly what he is putting on his fields, the nutrients his fields need and the type of food his animals are eating. As a result, he regularly tests his soil, manure sources and forages. He sometimes sends the tests to multiple labs to compare or confirm results.

“The results are always very interesting to me,” Shartzer said. “I feel like I am improving every time I make changes based on what these tests tell me.”

Fanny Ye, soil conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Grayson County, said his willingness to conduct annual fertility tests really makes him standout among area farmers.

“He has decades of soil test results,” she said. “Not a lot of people do that or see the value in it, but he does. He is always willing to try new things and sees value in conservation.”

Shartzer will use his feed analyses to develop a custom feed ration for different classes of livestock. He saves on input costs by producing all of his livestock feed. He uses wheat as a cover crop following corn. He harvests the wheat at a high moisture content and ensiles it for high quality baleage to feed to his newly weaned calves in the spring. His pastures contain cool-season grasses like KY-31 tall fescue and orchardgrass with a mixture of red and white clovers. His pastures are either grazed or cut for hay. He also raises around 20 acres of corn. The corn that doesn’t go to the livestock is sold.

Conservation work

Shartzer wants to provide his cattle with a healthy environment and maintain the land for future generations. He has served on the local Conservation District board for 31 years and regularly works with his conservation office to improve his operation.

About 20 years ago, he received a grant from the Kentucky State Cost-Share program to place two winter feeding facilities on his property. He continues to use those facilities year-round. In addition to winter feeding, they also serve as a place to wean his calves in the spring and provides shade for his herd during the summer. He installed a solar panel on one of the buildings to control his electric fencing.

More recently, he has worked with the Conservation District office to rehab a spring. His father, Tom, developed the spring on the property nearly 60 years ago and about six years ago, Jerry Shartzer decided put the spring back to work watering his cattle. Because the water lines were close to 60 years old, that meant new tanks and new plumbing. Shartzer worked with the Grayson County Conservation District office and an engineer to get the system up to current standards.

“I’m really proud of that spring,” said Brent Miller, retired District Conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Grayson County who worked with Shartzer for many years. “We didn’t know what we were getting into when we started, and springs can be kind of finicky. It just fascinates me what gravity can do.”

The spring flows into a 12-foot in diameter tire tank that also serves as a waterer for his cattle. Since the spring is located on a hilltop, the large tire water tank has lines running to four other waterers across his property. These lines are gravity fed.

“The water in the large tire tank is constantly circulating. That prevents the water from freezing during the winter,” Shartzer said. “In the wintertime, the cattle will come to this waterer because the water is warm and not frozen.”

Winter feeding facilities and springfed waterers are just a few among many conservation practices Shartzer has implemented and continues to maintain.

Marketing skills

Shartzer is also known for his cattle marketing. He works with a group of eight to 10 area producers who agreed to raise like cattle and market them together. Each member follows a set weaning and vaccination schedule.

“It’s really been a big help for everyone as far as helping us get the most money for our cattle,” he said.

Agriculture community involvement

Shartzer is active in the Grayson County agriculture community. In addition to his work with the Conservation District office, Shartzer has served on multiple extension boards, supported the local FFA chapter and been active in the Grayson County Cattlemen’s Association as a member of the cooking crew. He has also been willing to conduct research trials on his farm with University of Kentucky researchers.

“Jerry is an integral part of our agriculture community,” said Whitney Carman, agriculture and natural resources extension agent with the UK Cooperative Extension Service. “He loves Grayson County, and he loves farming. He wants to maintain it for his family.”

Shartzer hopes to one day pass his operation onto his son and grandchildren and is very willing to share his knowledge with others. He is hosting a field day at his farm Sept. 14 in partnership with the Grayson County Extension office.

United States Cattle Inventory Down 3%

WASHINGTON, July 21, 2023 – There were 95.9 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of July 1, according to the Cattle Report published today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). This is 3% below the 98.6 million head recorded July 1, 2022.

Other key findings in the report were:

• Of the 95.9 million head inventory, all cows and heifers that have calved totaled 38.8 million. This is a 2% drop from 2022’s 39.6 million head.

• There are 29.4 million beef cows in the United States as of July 1, down 3% from last year.

• The number of milk cows in the United States remained unchanged at 9.4 million.

• U.S. calf crop was estimated at 33.8 million head, down 2% from 2022.

• All cattle on feed were at 13.1 million head, down 2% from 2022. To obtain an accurate measurement of the current state of the U.S. cattle industry, NASS surveyed roughly 15,600 operators across the nation during the first half of July. Surveyed producers were asked to report their cattle inventories as of July 1, and calf crop for the entire year of 2023 by internet, mail, telephone or personal interview.

The Cattle Report and all other NASS reports are available online at nass. usda.gov/Publications.