Cow Country News- February 2025 by The Kentucky Cattlemen's Association

beef expo

FEATURE STORIES

20 Kentucky Agricultural Development Board Approves More Than $7.8 Million For Projects Across

Take advantage of residual activity for season-long control with Alligare’s PRESCOTT herbicide. Work to rid your grazing spaces of weeds such as plantain, poison hemlock, thistle, Canada thistle, buttercup, and chicory that reduce the quality and quantity of nutritious forages.

Learn more about a new treatment type that allows ranchers to achieve broadleaf weed control and forage fertilization in a one-pass application at ALLIGARE.COM/ALLIGRAZE.

ON THE COVER: photo by Garrard Coffey Coffey Ridge Farms, Laurel County

I have recently started listening to books on tape during my workouts. Despite my best efforts, my library of impulse orders from Amazon has grown much faster than the stack of read books. Therefore, I have decided to read with my ears. While I read Moneyball as a teen, majored in economics (the degree of one of the main characters as well), and watched the movie a couple times a year, I haven’t hopped back into the nerdy book in nearly 20 years. I was thinking about it the other day and decided to download and listen to it during my gym sessions for the better part of a week.

One nugget that didn’t make the movie stuck with me was an in-depth exploration of the difference between a .300 hitter and a .275 hitter. As an 8-year-old, during the home run chase of 1998, I became very familiar with the back of a baseball card and baseball metrics. When I think of a .300 hitter, I typically think of an All-Star player. When you think of a .275 hitter, you have a player who isn’t in danger of being sent down to the minors, but he probably isn’t moving the greatest number of jerseys in the team shop. Many think they can see the difference in the two players’ hitting skills.

However, the statisticians tell me you can’t “see” the difference between the two players. Over a 15-game sample, there is actually a 40% chance that the .275 hitter has more hits than the .300 hitter in the games you watch. In fact, if you are watching the games from the stands and don’t have access to every statistic at your fingertips, you won’t see the difference between the two players. When the words left the narrator’s lips, I immediately thought of the parallel to beef production. No one out there can see the difference in the progeny with a +60 on a weaning weight EPD and a +70. Over a 45-day calving season, with age of dam adjustments, it will confuse even the most astute cattlemen. I can’t see it. My father can’t see it. You are wrong if you think you can “see” a 10-pound difference in genetic potential for weaning weight. Much like baseball, there is a significant difference between the two. Unless the data is being evaluated, you don’t know it is there.

Then, we must ask ourselves if we are even evaluating the correct data. For years teams cared about batting average when runs scored is what won games. Any evaluation of a potent offense in baseball centered around batting average and home runs. Hits, walks, and steals all go into scoring runs. Hits are a great way to get on base, but they don’t tell the whole story. At this point in the example, I was frantically jotting down notes for this very newsletter at 5 in the morning in the empty gym. Much like baseball general managers cared about batting average, today’s cattlemen still view pounds as vital to profitability when so many other variables go into it. Pounds weaned will push profit, but we can’t ignore cow herd maintenance requirements, calving interval, fertility, and longevity to cow herd profit. They all go into a profitable cow herd just as many other factors go into scoring runs. They just require additional metrics to measure. I frequently hear about how all these new numbers are so confusing, and while yes, they are complex. Much like pounds, the batting average is a simple percentage that is easy to understand. However, so much more goes into wins than batting average, and so much more goes into profit than just pounds (even though pounds matter).

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OFFICERS:

President

JEFF PETTIT Sebree

President Elect

RANDY WARNER Sharpsburg

Vice President

ALLAN BRYANT Eminence

Treasurer

KEN ADAMS Upton

Past President

ANDY BISHOP Cox’s Creek

KCA Program Chairman

DANIEL HAYDEN Whitesville

KBC Chairman

RYAN MILLER Lebanon

KBN Chairman*

ALLAN BRYANT

Beef Solutions Chairman*

DANIEL HAYDEN *ex officio

REGIONAL DIRECTORS:

REGION 1

Wayne Zoglmann, John Mark Brown, Ashley Holloway, Leland Steely, Gary Woodall, Coleman Ladd, Susan Zoglmann, Bill Plemmons, Kenton Howard, Sara Roberson

REGION 2

Phyllis Gentry, Joe Lowe, Allison Nissley, Rayetta Boone, Robbie Hatfield, Chris Imbruglio, Maggie Webb, Mike Jones, Corbin Cowles, Glenn Byrd, Isaac Thompson, Kenneth Green, Trent Jones, Brian Manion, Joe Mike Moore, Amy Cecil

REGION 3

Amanda Hall, Nathan Lawson, James Brown, Phillip Douglas, Larry Bryant, Lincoln Clifford, Abbey Biddle, Ben Tinsley, Kevin Perkins, Kyle Bush, Michelle Simon, Craig Retzlaff

REGION 4

Amy White, Brad Reynolds, Chad Anglin, Phillip Stamm, Danielle Harmon, Bruce Witt, Jodi Purvis, Mike Ravencraft, Ronnie Lowe, Danny Callahan, Jason Crowe, Rob Amburgey

REGION 5

Adam Chunglo, Brent Woodrum, Tommy Spalding, Dean Craft, Doris Hamilton, Rick Brewer, Brent Williams, Anne Bays, Terry Mattingly, Ryan Miller, Phillip Reese, Tommy Glasscock Executive Committee members

KentucKy cattlemen's Foundation YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS

Five $1,500 Scholarships are available through the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association and are funded by the Kentucky Cattlemen's Foundation.

Requirements:

• Must be a graduate from a Kentucky public, private, charter, or homeschool in the year of the application

• Must be enrolled and attending an institute of higher education following graduation

• Must be planning to major in agriculture or an agriculturally-related subject

• Applicant or their parent/guardian must be an active member of the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association

Applications for the 2025 KCF Youth Scholarships should be submitted by March 31, 2025

For more information contact Bradon Burks at the KCA office at 859-278-0899 or visit kycattle.org/youth-scholarship

KCA PAST PRESIDENTS:

Kelly

Todd

Bradon Burks KBC Director of Education

Rachel Cain Membership and Communications Coordinator

Amelia Carter KBC Director of Industry Relations

Danny Coy Video Production Specialist

Jake Harrod KBN Program Coordinator

Dan Miller KBN Industry Coordinator

Debby Nichols National Advertising Sales, LAN

Katie Pratt Communications Manager

Alex Scott MS, RD, LD KBC Southeast

Director of Nutrition

Becky Thompson Director of Kentucky Beef Network

Kelly Tucker KCA Collections & Compliance

Nikki Whitaker Director of Operations & Policy

President's Thoughts

Randy Warner KCA President

I want to start this letter out by saying THANK YOU. Thanks for joining one of the country’s largest cattlemen organizations. We want to be your go-to for information and resources to help you in any way, to answer whatever questions you might have and to help you in furthering your operation into the next year.

I would like to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about myself and my family. My name is Randy Warner. My wife, Tammy, and I are fourth-generation farmers in Bath County. We reside in the small community of Sharpsburg and run about 105 head of commercial mama cows. Most of our cows are Simmental and Charolais crosses, and we crossbreed back to Angus, Simmental and Charolais bulls.

My wife and I get immense help from my nephew Noah Gifford, his wife Audra and her sister Brooke. They help put up hay and work cattle whenever the need arises. Along with these three, my brother Mike, also helps take care of the cows when I’m on the road attending meetings.

I’m what you might call a cattle enthusiast. Tammy reminds me all the time that I EAT, SLEEP AND BREATHE cattle. If I’m not talking about them, I’m thinking of them.

I want every one of you to know that I am always available for a phone call to help answer any questions you might have about the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association. If I can’t give you an answer, I will get you in touch with someone who can.

Just a few weeks ago, our KCA members came together in Owensboro for our annual convention. During convention, we come from all parts of the state to take care of business and generally fellowship with other cattlemen who all have the same goal of furthering our beef opportunities. If you ever get the chance, I implore you to try and attend in the future. The staff puts on a great convention with plenty of speakers and industry representatives that can help you further improve your operation.

In closing, it is my utmost pleasure to be able to represent you as KCA president. I have travelled all over the state attending different meetings, and it is truly humbling to sit and talk to you about anything under the sun, but I really want to talk to you about CATTLE.

Commissioner's Corner

Jonathan Shell Agriculture Commissioner

Cattle farming in Kentucky during the winter months is an unforgiving challenge, an unrelenting test of grit and perseverance. It’s a lifestyle steeped in hardship, but it’s also a life that comes with its own set of rewards, the kind that can’t be measured in dollars and cents.

Winter weather is a true adversary. The freezing cold makes every chore feel like a battle. Waterers freeze, and breaking through thick ice to provide the herd with fresh water becomes a daily, back-breaking task. Open-top tractors get bogged down in the mud, which only becomes worse when it snows. The snow hides the ruts and getting stuck is a constant worry.

Then there’s the challenge of the equipment itself. Diesel fuel gels in freezing temperatures, leaving tractors and trucks unable to start. There are days when the machines refuse to cooperate, and farmers must rely on manual labor to keep things going. Cold hands, sore backs and the heavy weight of responsibility never take a break. And the calves – newborns braving the bitter cold –require constant monitoring to ensure that they are fed and protected from the elements.

But despite these challenges, Kentucky cattle farmers press on. Because even when it feels like everything is working against them, there’s a bigger picture in mind.

The true reward comes not in the immediate success of any single day’s work, but in the long-term impact of what they do. Each calf born in the snow is a promise of future growth, both for the herd and for the farm. When you see that young calf grow strong, it’s not just a victory for the animal, but for the future of the operation.

Watching children grow up in this environment – learning the value of hard work, responsibility and perseverance – is a reward all on its own. They come to understand that cattle farming isn’t just about

the income; it’s about the legacy, the outcome and the sense of duty to the land and the animals. There’s no price tag on the lessons children learn or the pride they take on what they’ve accomplished by working alongside their parents.

Farmers work not just for the paycheck, but for the fulfillment of knowing they’re providing a crucial service. They’re feeding their communities, their state and even their country. They are the backbone of agriculture, providing food for others through their hard work, sacrifice and devotion. In the coldest, harshest months, it’s the knowledge of this contribution that fuels the fire to keep going.

Cattle farming is about more than surviving the elements. It’s about shaping a legacy. It’s about knowing that through the sweat, the frostbite,

the broken equipment and the endless hours of work, cattlemen and women are part of something far bigger than themselves. They’re passing down land, but also values of hard work, family and a responsibility to provide for others.

In the end, it’s not about the income; it’s about the outcome. The reward of seeing the farm thrive, the herd grow and the next generation learn and carry on this vital work is worth every challenge, every cold morning and every sleepless night. Because the legacy built today will continue to feed and shape the future long after the snow melts.

Examples of that livestock legacy will be on display Friday, Feb. 28 through Sunday, March 2 at the Kentucky Farm Bureau Beef Expo at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.

LEADERS IN GRASS

Selecting the best improved grasses

Developing grassbased systems

Teaching grass management

Renovating pastures effectively aPromoting soil health with grass

Thoughts From Dave

Dave Maples Executive Vice President

January welcomed us with a month of snow and ice. One of the news headlines that I read in early January stated that it was colder in Kentucky than it was in Alaska. The KCA office was quieter than normal in early January because of the weather, but it livened back up as KCA convention week approached. As I got in convention mode, I looked through the convention agenda. I know this issue of Cow Country will land in your mailbox after the convention, but I want to highlight some of the speakers anyway.

I wish everyone could have made it to the KCA convention and listened to the speakers during the Beef Efficiency Conference. The committee, including co-chairs Dr. Gordon Jones and Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler, does an outstanding job attracting top-notch speakers. I have been to a lot of seminars and conventions over my career, and the KCA convention attracts some of the best beef production experts in the country. It’s well worth the price of convention registration. Anytime you get a chance to be in one of Dr. Dave Lalman’s from Oklahoma State University presentations, you better take it. This year, he spoke at convention about finding forage efficient cows. Prior to convention, I did not know Aaron Berger from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, but I knew the UNL beef production team does high quality research. Dr. Brittany Davis with the USDA-ARS Forage Animal Research Center at the University of Kentucky was the lead-off speaker. The research unit that she works with is very important to Kentucky and to cattlemen in our geographical area. She presented on some cutting-edge research that the unit has been working on for several years.

Forages at KCA is always a big hit and attracts a large crowd every year. Dr. Chris Teutsch and Dr. Ray Smith do a very nice job organizing this educational program. I looked forward to hearing Dan Glenn speak on the topic of optimizing production with a forage-focused system. Dalton Bennett discussed genetics for tall fescue-based system. I personally know having the right animal genetics to match your forage base is an issue and was a topic that I wanted to learn more about.

As we begin 2025, all indications are for a good year for cow-calf producers. Tighter supplies of cattle and a resilient demand for our product makes for strong calf prices. The industry may be approaching a low in cow inventories, the smaller calf crop in 2024 and likely 2025 will continue to work through the supply chain. As a result, fed slaughter numbers and beef production are expected to decline in the next few years.

The Cattle Fax long-term outlook predicted that multiple factors including high costs and interest rates, labor challenges and an aging producer demographic favor a more measured pace of expansion. Assuming demand remains solid, the slower expansion pattern implies a positive outlook for cow-calf margins for the next several years.

she sells

Spring Bull & Female Sale

BARREN COUNTY NEWS

submitted by Carol Spiegl

The Barren County Cattlemen’s Association met on Dec. 5. The meeting and meal were sponsored by AgCentral Co-op. Pictured from left are Wyatt Lyles, Zack Burris and Jim Guffey with AgCentral Co-op and Josh Morris with the Barren County Cattlemen’s Association.

GRAYSON COUNTY NEWS

submitted by Rayetta Boone

The Grayson County Cattlemen's Association recently hosted Dr. Susan Jones and Dr. Anne Ferrel as guest speakers. They presented on the Raising Hope program, which brings awareness about farmers’ mental health. Robbie Hatfield, treasurer, Brian Manion, vice president, Laura Cooper Green, secretary and Ronald Horn, president show appreciation for the presentation.

GRANT COUNTY NEWS

submitted by Timothy Henry

A special thank you to Ronnie, Troy and Tanya (not pictured ). These Grant County cattlemen braved the December cold weather to cook 200 ribeyes for the Grant County football banquet.

I hope all cattlemen and women have a blessed 2025.

Embry, son of Ross and Tori Embry, assisted President Ronald Horn with drawing winners for door prizes at the Christmas Dinner meeting in December.

Jerry Shartzer, is recognized by Ronald Horn as the very first person inducted into the Grayson County Cattlemen's Hall of Fame.

Cooper

METCALFE COUNTY NEWS

submitted by Moe Hensley

The Metcalfe County Cattlemen met on Dec. 17 at the Metcalfe County Extension office. Burkmann Feeds Edmonton/Glasgow was the sponsor of the Christmas meeting. President Tom Hughes opened the meeting thanking everyone for their hard work and dedication to the cattle industry.

After the blessing of the meal, the attendees were treated to a ribeye sandwich plate prepared by the Cooking Crew. After the meal, Lynn Hawkins announced that she had held a class, and 44 Metcalfe County students were BQA certified. Caitlin Parke was in attendance and presented a slideshow on what the class consisted of, and the different activities performed. It truly is a great thing to have our younger generation interested in the industry.

Metcalfe County Extension Agent Brandon Bell talked briefly about hay and winter feeding, how weather patterns can impact hay production, and to not wait until it’s too late to do your hay inventory. Bell also spoke about the upcoming hay auction at the Metcalfe County Fairgrounds to be held Jan. 25, 2025. He also mentioned that it is a good thing to get your hay tested to know how much supplement you should feed.

Results of the officer election was announced. Lisa Gibson Upchurch will be the new president. Other officers include Bart Branstetter, vice president; Harley McIntyre-secretary/treasurer. The two outgoing board members were replaced by H.J Hawkins and Kenneth Froedge. Congratulations!

Russell Hernandez with Burkmann Feed announced his new role for the company and thanked everyone for their patronage and friendship throughout the years and said although he won’t be at Edmonton every day, he will still be just a phone call away. Hernandez said that Riley Wisdom will be the new manager at Edmonton, and he thinks Wisdom will do a great job. He then talked about some new products they were offering and urged everyone to try them.

Cattleman scholarship applications were announced and loads of door prizes from very generous businesses were given out. The Metcalfe County Cattlemen would like to thank all the businesses that support this organization. Final Thought: "Start each day with a positive thought and a grateful heart." – Roy Bennett.

Submit your County Cattlemen's Association news to Katie Pratt.

kpratt@kycattle.org

Submissions are due by the 10th of the month prior to publication.

Please include your name, your news, and your high resolution photographs.

Tom Hughes Russell Hernandez & Cailee

A nice crowd

Part of the Cooking Crew

Small Steps to Bring Biosecurity to Your Farm

Jennifer R. Way DVM, emergency coordinator veterinary medical officer for Kentucky

As we look ahead to warmer, longer spring days, many Kentucky beef producers may already be thinking about the busy spring calving season and crop planting ahead. Families with 4-H and FFA members may be looking ahead to exhibiting breeding stock and market calves at jackpots and fairs.

No matter what avenue of the Kentucky beef cattle industry you are involved in, now is a good time to also start thinking about small steps you can take to help keep your cattle and farm safe from outside diseases. This practice of keeping diseases out is often referred to as biosecurity.

Cattle diseases can be spread by new/replacement animals, semen/ artificial insemination, vehicles, animal

transport, equipment and people’s clothing, shoes and hands. Keeping your farm safe starts with six practical steps:

1. Limit people and equipment access.

2. Wear clean coveralls and boots to work with cattle.

3. Clean and disinfect all equipment and vehicles entering/leaving your farm.

4. Isolate new purchases before introducing to your herd and establish a relationship with a veterinarian to develop a herd health plan.

5. Keep pastures and housing clean by disposing of manure, trash and spilled feed.

6. Make a written biosecurity plan for your farm and tell your family/workers about the plan. Implementing biosecurity is not only

for protecting your farm against foreign animal diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). Common illnesses, such as Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) and pneumonia, harm cattle health and are costly as well. Sources estimate BVD can cost producers direct losses of $175 per beef cow and pneumonia can result in calf death and growth delays. If you thought biosecurity was too formal of a word to make its way onto your farm, let 2025 be the year your farm commits to keeping your herd and family safe! The Beef Quality Assurance Field Guide, available at https://www.bqa.org/Media/BQA/ Docs/bqa_field-_guide.pdf, is a practical resource complete with a biosecurity checklist to help get you started!

2024 Grand Champion Gelbvieh Female PADO Ms. Rebel 222K exhibited by Padon Farms

2024 Grand Champion Pen Show Female DMLF Lady Antebellum Lady exhibited by Dustin and Marlee Lanham Farms

2024 Kentucky Beef Expo Champions

Biosecurity Plan

BQA Field Guide

PEN HEIFER SHOW & SALE

Kentucky Farm Bureau Beef Expo

February 28 - March 1, 2025 • 2 PM

Show: 2 PM, Friday February 28

Sale: 2 PM, Saturday March 1

Kentucky Exposition Center

Why Buy a Red Hill

Red Hill Farms is focused on improving the proﬁtability of our customers’ operations.

• Collect ‘all the data, all the time’ to increase accuracy of EPDs and Indexes to aid in our breeding and selection program.

• Offer multiple breeds to optimize heterosis - the ‘last free lunch’ in the beef industry.

• Understand environmental and forage adaptability trumps every other selection factor.

• Place emphasis on ‘Convenience Traits’ including docility, calving ease, feet and udders.

• Extensive use of Economic Index selection to increase genetic progress for proﬁtability. REDHILL THE GENERAL 268K (RAAA #4774545)

— Pairs

Selling More Than 75 Head! Registered & Commercial Females Opens — Breds

Selling in groups of 2 or 3

Sale Managed By JWC Marketing (859) 229-1767

281-761-5952

john@jwcmarketing.com

REDHILL BEACON 15E 29G (ASA #3584277)

$Proﬁt: 29,087 (0.0%)

$Ranch: 116 (2.7%)

$Feeder: 246 (0.0%)

API: 179.5 (2%)

TI: 93.1 (10%)

$Proﬁt: 21,918 (1.5%)

$Ranch: 120 (1.1%)

$Feeder: 138 (8.4%) ProS: 178 (1%) HB: 104 (1%)

Visit www.RedHillFarms.net for information about our sale and breeding program.

NCBA STATEMENT ON NEW TEMPORARY RELIEF FROM THE CORPORATE TRANSPARENCY ACT

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 28, 2024)

– Today, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Bacus issued a statement following the latest court development that has once again put the Corporate Transparency Act reporting requirements temporarily on hold:

“In a new decision, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a previous ruling they issued before Christmas and has instead decided to uphold the injunction blocking the Corporate Transparency Act from taking effect. This means that cattle producers have another temporary reprieve from filing beneficial ownership information with the U.S. Treasury. These court rulings have gone back and forth and continue to add to confusion. NCBA urges all cattle producers to consult with their attorney and/or tax professional for the latest information.

“On Christmas Eve, NCBA sent a letter to Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen urging a delay in enforcing the Corporate Transparency Act. NCBA is also continuing to urge Congress to pass legislation that will permanently protect cattle farmers and ranchers from this burdensome mandate.”

Background

On Dec. 3, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily halted enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act. The U.S. government appealed the ruling and on Dec. 23, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit overturned the injunction. After that ruling, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced that the deadline for beneficial ownership report filing was Jan. 13, 2025. On Dec. 26, the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed their previous decision, and the Corporate Transparency Act is once again temporarily on hold. FinCEN has suspended enforcement and will accept voluntary reports.

NCBA RESPONDS TO DIETARY GUIDELINES REPORT AND REITERATES ROLE OF BEEF IN A HEALTHY DIET

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 10, 2024)

– Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) reiterated the important role of beef in a healthy diet and responded to the questionable advice published in the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s Scientific Report. Despite a wealth of high-quality scientific evidence that beef has an important role to play in a healthy diet, the committee is advising the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that federal nutrition guidelines include a reduction in red meat consumption.

“Most Americans today already eat beef within the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended levels for a healthy diet. This reduction is a solution in search of a problem,” said NCBA President and Wyoming rancher Mark Eisele. “Public health advice should be based on the totality of scientific evidence. The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee ignored robust and rigorous scientific evidence about beef’s essential nutrients and the foundational, positive role it plays in health as a preferred protein food in a variety of healthy diets for all Americans.”

Obesity and chronic disease are critical health issues in our nation and eating beef is a solution. With a single, 3-ounce serving of lean beef, Americans receive half of their daily protein needs, as well as 10 essential nutrients like iron and B vitamins—all in less than 170 calories. NCBA will continue working hard to ensure the wealth of evidence in support of beef’s positive role in health is available to the future secretaries and considered in the final guidelines over the coming months.

“Cutting back on beef isn’t going to

Make America Healthy Again. There’s irrefutable evidence about the valuable role of beef and its nutrients in promoting health,” said NCBA Executive Director of Nutrition Science and Registered Dietitian Dr. Shalene McNeill. “We’ve had 40 years of Dietary Guidelines, and during that time, beef consumption has decreased, yet Americans suffer more from obesity and chronic disease than ever before. Advising Americans to cut back on beef takes us even further in the wrong direction, putting our most vulnerable populations like women, children, teens and the aging at risk. This advice detracts from the real and most basic challenges we face with eating healthfully. Nutrition guidance should encourage Americans to have the flexibility to choose nutrient dense foods and dietary patterns they enjoy within calorie goals.”

Background

Every five years, the federal government formulates the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a foundational document on nutrition that helps inform federal nutrition policies and programs like school lunches.

Now that the Advisory Committee has completed its report, the agencies will evaluate the committee’s recommendations and translate that information into the final guidelines. The report is expected to post to the Federal Register tomorrow, and will be open for a 60-day comment period.

Lean beef is a proven healthy choice in a balanced diet. Beef provides essential nutrients and protein with fewer calories than non-meat alternatives. Additionally, research shows that beef is more effective in promoting muscle health than soybased options. Beef is compatible with heart health, plays an important role in managing weight, and supports the nutritional needs of at-risk populations including adolescents, pregnant women and older adults.

We understand the importance of cattle built to increase profit margins. Whether you’re looking for calving ease, increased pounds at weaning, carcass merit, or females to take you to the next level - we have something for you! We know first hand the results WHEN PHENOTYPE COMBINES WITH GENOTYPE AND COMMON SENSE!

Sale averages of bulls sold from 2019-2024.

A. $2,500-$4,000 [43%]

B. $4,001-$6,000 [36%]

C. $6,001-$10,000 [18%]

D. $10,000+ [3%]

SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2025 / 12:00 PM EDT Bluegrass Stockyards Regional Marketplace / Lexington, KY

& Genetic Opportunities!

seedstock producer, Rocking P Livestock, KY [Category C]

Sold to seedstock producer, Trennepohl Farms, IN [Category D]

Pettit Reflects On Year As KCA President

For Jeff Pettit, the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association’s outgoing president, the past year has flown by as he has represented Kentucky cattlemen on international, national and statewide stages and through a significant milestone for the association.

Pettit of Webster County was part of an American delegation of the U.S. Meat Export Federation that toured South Korea and Japan, two countries that import the majority of their food.

“I gained a lot of perspective during that week in South Korea and Japan,” he said. “It was a good opportunity to focus on the consumer-side of beef production and learn about other countries’ perception of beef.”

The trip was his first time overseas. He encourages other producers to learn about international markets and visit them if they ever get a chance.

“Opportunities like this are a good chance for producers to get out of their production mindset and gain perspective about the consumption side of the industry and how blessed we are to be able to produce high

Katie Pratt Kentucky Cattlemen's Association

quality beef,” Pettit said.

Pettit also presided over the groundbreaking for the Kentucky Livestock Innovation Center. Soon to be located on the University of Kentucky’s C. Oran Little Research Farm in Woodford County, the center will be uniquely positioned to elevate Kentucky livestock production and state’s agriculture industry.

“For a number of years, the Kentucky Livestock Innovation Center was something we had been hoping for, and I’m so glad we were able to position to ourselves to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity the Kentucky legislature has given us,” he said. “I really think it is going to make Kentucky the go-to place for livestock production solutions in the eastern U.S.”

Pettit said he also enjoyed being involved in the day-to-day conversations of the association and providing input and insight on important association decisions.

“Whether it was EIDs, cattle handling, regulations, the building or

the cattle market, the conversation changed every day and there was always something new,” Pettit said. “Our association does a good job of making sure that people understand the facts of challenging, and sometimes, controversial subjects that can evoke a lot of emotions. That is one of the reasons that we are as strong of an association as we are.”

Pettit represented the association at a number of county meetings, field days, Farm to Fork events and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s meetings and conferences.

He encourages other producers to get involved in leadership roles within the association.

“We need more people who are willing to engage and get involved,” he said. “It takes all of us pulling in the same direction to advance the association and industry.”

Pettit is also thankful for the people who have stepped up, supported and encouraged him and helped make his year as president possible.

WHITE FARM BULL & COMMERCIAL FEMALE SALE

Saturday, March 22 • 1pm

White Farm • 3664 Military Pike • Lexington

40 Bulls: Angus, Sim-Angus and Red Angus

40 First-calf heifers (most will have calf at side)

2024 was another successful year of the Profit Thru Performance Feeder Calf Sale

10th year for sales

2,500 head of feeder calves marketed through the June and December 2024 sales

Interested in participating in future sales?

Contact Tim White 859-509-5401 or Amy White 859-227-2552, whitefarm4@twc.com

Kentucky Agricultural Development Board Approves More Than

$7.8 Million For Projects

Across The Commonwealth

Kentucky Beef Network Among Funded Projects

FRANKFORT (Dec. 20, 2024) – The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board approved $7,823,767 for agricultural diversification and rural development projects across the Commonwealth at its monthly board meeting.

"By creating new opportunities for agricultural producers across the state, we are building a stronger economy," said Commissioner of Agriculture and Kentucky Agricultural Development Board Chair Jonathan Shell. "The projects approved by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board are key steps toward opening those pathways and securing a better future for Kentucky."

County and State Funded Projects

• Cowan Community Action Group, Inc. was approved up to $251,000 in state and Letcher County funds to build a farmers' market pavilion. For more information, contact Valerie Horn at valerie@ cowancommunitycenter.com.

• Hopkins County Farm Bureau was approved up to $2,200 in Hopkins County funds to purchase grain rescue equipment for local EMS to utilize in case of a grain entrapment accident. For more information, contact Dr. Terry Brown at terryebrown@bellsouth. net.

• Kentucky Beef Network, LLC was approved up to $2,316,516 in state funds to continue to provide programs to cattle producers that will enhance their net returns through increased marketing opportunities, data management, education and comprehensive farm management systems. For more information, contact Becky Thompson at bthompson@ kycattle.org.

• Kentucky Dairy Development Council, Inc. was approved up to $1,291,560 in state funds to continue educating, representing, and promoting Kentucky's

dairy producers and industry. For more information, contact Freeman Brundige at fhbrundige@gmail.com.

• Kentucky Department of Agriculture was approved up to $3,189,000 in state funds to fund the Kentucky Proud Program. For more information, contact Jay Hall at Jay.Hall@ky.gov.

• Spencer County Fiscal Court was approved up to $250,000 in state funds and $50,000 in Spencer County funds for the construction of a farmers' market. For more information, contact Judge Scott Travis at scotttravis@spencercountyky.gov.

• University of Kentucky Research Foundation was approved up to $44,823 in state funds to update the Beef Systems Analyzer software. For more information, contact Kim Carter at OSPA@uky.edu.

• Woodford County Board of Education was approved up to $40,000 in Woodford County funds to construct a new livestock education barn. For more information, contact Danny Adkins at danny.adkins@woodford. kyschools.us.

County Programs

County Agricultural Incentive Program (CAIP)

CAIP provides Kentucky agricultural producers with costshare assistance on practices to allow them to improve and diversify their current farm operations. CAIP covers a wide variety of agricultural enterprises in its 11 investment areas, including, but not limited to, beef and dairy cattle; farm infrastructure, fencing, and water enhancement; equine; forage; goats and sheep; horticulture; poultry; swine; bees and honey; timber and technology, as well as energy efficiency and production; marketing; and valueadded production.

Six CAIPs were approved by the board in the following counties totaling $361,668:

• Adair ($14,939)*

• Crittenden ($30,000)

• Harlan ($89,727)

• Jessamine ($100,000)*

• Leslie ($52,002)

• Taylor ($75,000)*

Deceased Farm Animal Removal (DAR)

The Deceased Farm Animal Removal Program serves as a measure to facilitate the coordination of environmentally sound and cost-effective disposal of deceased livestock for Kentucky producers.

One DAR was approved by the board in the following county totaling $5,000.

• Oldham County ($5,000)

Shared-Use Equipment Program

The Shared-Use Equipment Program assists broad-based community organizations with the purchase of farm equipment. The equipment purchased is made available for producer use in a specific county on a leased basis.

One Shared-Use Equipment program was approved by the board totaling $17,000:

• Rockcastle County ($17,000)

Youth Agricultural Incentives Program (YAIP)

YAIP encourages youth to engage in and explore agricultural opportunities.

One YAIP was approved by the board in the following county totaling $5,000.

• Harlan ($5,000)

All application periods and deadlines for CAIP and YAIP will be advertised locally.

*Existing programs receiving additional funding.

Four Questions the 2025 Cattle Market Will Need to Answer

Kenny Burdine University of Kentucky

Trends are always difficult to ascertain coming out of holiday periods as many markets are closed and volumes tend to be pretty light, but cattle prices have started 2025 very strong. While questions exist on the demand side, tight cattle supplies will remain the primary driver in the new year and should continue to support prices. And as always, weather will have a significant impact on feed and forage availably and cattle marketing patterns. As I write the first Cattle Market Notes Weekly article of the year, I wanted to discuss four questions that I think will be important for the 2025 cattle market to answer.

Will we start to see significant heifer retention? – This question has been circulating for the better part of the last two years. There are a lot of reasons why retention has been delayed including weather, production costs and interest rates. But market conditions should be very favorable again, and I do think heifer

retention could be seen in 2025 if weather cooperates. When heifer retention does pick up, it will further tighten supplies of cattle as those females are held out of the marketing system. This will be the first stage of growing this cowherd, which is currently at a 60+ year low.

Can slaughter weights keep increasing? – Most analysts are forecasting beef production to be lower in 2025. These forecasts are based on continued decreases in cattle numbers and the potential for decreased female harvest in response to high prices. In truth, I could have written this exact same thing last year. But with cattle supplies tight, beef prices high and feed prices relatively low, cattle were fed longer and taken to higher weights. This increase in pounds largely offset the decrease in female slaughter and resulted in steady beef production levels for 2024. I will readily admit that I don’t know how much further weights can be pushed, if at all, but those same factors are largely at play again this year. So, I will be watching harvest weight trends very closely. Will we see greater than expected growth in pork and poultry production? – Holding everything else constant, lower feed prices increase returns across all livestock species and lead to greater production levels. And production levels of competing meats do impact beef and cattle prices. Recent increases in pork production have been driven almost entirely by productivity, rather than increases in breeding inventory, and increases in broiler production have been running around the long run trend rate. I just point this out because production increases can occur much faster in the hog sector than the cattle sector, and faster still in the poultry sector. While there aren’t many indications of expansion in other species currently, this was a factor in 2015, and I think it bears watching in 2025. It is important to remember that beef supplies are not the only factor that impacts beef prices. All proteins compete in the meat case.

What will be the impact of any changes in trade policy? – Trade has been a major topic of discussion recently and I doubt that will change in 2025. Beef exports have been lower in recent years due to tight domestic supplies and high prices, but the U.S. still exported the equivalent of roughly 11% of production last year. In the past, retaliatory tariffs have impacted beef and cattle prices, so it bears watching going forward. It is also important to remember that the nature of beef trade very much depends on the trading partner. For example, we export a lot of beef to Mexico and Canada, but we are also a significant import market for those two countries. And while trade discussions typically focus on beef, a significant number of live cattle enter the U.S. from Mexico and Canada each year. Conversely, over half of U.S. beef exports go to Japan, South Korea and China, but those are almost exclusively export markets. The uniqueness of each of these trading relationships makes discussion of trade impacts very complex and something that will be interesting to follow this year.

Selling: 44 fall yearling bulls and 29 fall pairs, 3-in-1s, including ALL of our five-year-old donors and production cows.

FOUR FLUSH BROTHERS ALSO

First-Generation Backgrounder

Katie Pratt Kentucky Cattlemen's Association

COLUMBIA, KY− From the time he got his first 10 bottle calves at 11 years old, Grayson Blankenship knew he wanted to be a cattle producer. The 24-year-old, first generation beef cattle farmer credits his mentors mixed with a strong work ethic and a little bit of stubbornness to helping him start living his dream.

Blankenship is a full-time backgrounder, running B&E Cattle Company in Adair County. In January 2024, he purchased a 176-acre farm. By the end October 2024, he sold his first lot load of calves off the farm, had a second group nearing their sell date and another load of cattle scheduled to arrive at the farm.

“As a young producer, I knew I needed to turn my money over fast, which is one of the reasons why I started backgrounding,” Blankenship said. “It’s fun to see them grow, and I enjoy buying and selling cattle.”

While not cattle farmers, Blankenship comes from a family with roots in Kentucky agriculture. His grandfather Elmer Eggar, ran a dairy in neighboring Russell County for a number of years before selling the dairy purchasing 30 acres. His grandfather and dad also grew tobacco until the buyout.

Blankenship has been working toward owning a farm for some time. As a teenager, he started a square bale hay business. At 16, he started

buying feeder cattle, and by 19 he was selling load lots. He was doing this at his grandfather’s farm in a dry lot situation and feeding hay yearround. During COVID, he increased his production and sold three load lots at a time.

“My bank wanted the higher stocking rates on the dry lot so they could have proof that I was going to be profitable before they would loan me money to purchase the farm,” he said. “It was a stepping stone for me to get to where I am today.”

Making improvements

The farm Blankenship purchased was a dairy operation up until 2006, and he has worked to make it suitable for beef cattle production. He built pens in the farm’s free stall barn. He uses this barn as the receiving area when calves first come onto the farm. He has also installed feeding areas on each of the fields that also do double duty as catch pens.

Blankenship who also works on stock cars in his spare time was able to build a loading platform for his animals from the confinement barn.

Mentors

He said having the right mentors has been invaluable to him. Jeff Dalton, a large order buyer in Russell County, helped Blankenship get his start as a backgrounder and taught him the type of cattle to look for at the stockyards.

He has also relied on other mentors including Dr. Jacob Fees, his vet; the Day and Day Feed Mill crew, Micah Thomas with Purina and his extension agent Nick Roy.

“They told me it was possible to succeed as a young cattle producer when few others did, and they have provided me with invaluable advice along the way,” Blankenship said. Reducing risk

Many of the calves that Blankenship purchases are considered high-risk, with about half not being weaned, thin and not preconditioned. To help mitigate risk and protect his bottom line, he carries Livestock Risk Protection insurance to lock in a minimum purchase price for his animals.

He has also reduced risk by keeping newly arrived cattle away from his herd and in a controlled confined environment in the free stall barn. Once calves arrive on his farm, they stay in the barn for 21 days. Upon arrival, the calves are weighed, receive three vaccines, are castrated if they aren’t already, implanted and BVD-PI tested. The current groups of calves are also in a study with Roy to determine the effectiveness of

CowManager ear tags in detecting sickness in the herd. In the barn, the calves are given a feed mixture and mineral designed to reduce stress and increase appetite.

“I like keeping them in the barn for 21 days because I can control their environment,” he said. “It keeps them out of the heat in the summertime and off wet ground and out of the mud during other times of the year, which reduces the chances of them getting sick and gives them time to acclimate to each other and the farm.”

After 21 days, the cattle are moved to pasture. They then rotate amongst the farm’s four fields and his grandfather’s farm, which has been converted back to pasture, until they are sold to an order buyer. Blankenship said ideally, he will purchase calves at around 400 pounds and keep them until they weigh about 800 pounds.

Backgrounder wants

As a backgrounder, Blankenship buys mainly from stockyards around

the area, but will also sometimes travel to other stockyards. At times, he will purchase cattle from other backgrounders.

When purchasing cattle, he looks for ones that were weaned prior to coming to the stockyards.

“It is less stressful on the calves if they are weaned at home compared to getting weaned at the stockyard where it’s a strange environment,” he said.

He also likes cattle that are preconditioned and BVD-PI tested. He also looks for big frames, which can help them gain more weight. He also interested in purchasing groups of cattle.

“It is easier to buy groups of cattle to help prevent disease and reduce health risks because they come from the same place rather than a bunch of single and doubles that have been comingled together,” he said.

Docility is also important to him.

“I like calm cattle since I am by

myself here most of the time,” he said. “Once the calves arrive at the farm, I will pick a group and spend time just sitting with them so they get acclimated to me.”

While it is not easy for young farmers to get into agriculture, Blankenship is proving it is not impossible.

“Find mentors that are doing things on the scale that you aspire to and listen to them,” Blankenship said. “Also, don’t be afraid to try something new, and it really helps if you are able to do a lot of the farm repairs and improvements yourself.”

Future plans

In the next year, he hopes to move between 900 and 1,200 calves through his farm. One day, he hopes to grow his operation even further.

“I want to be big enough to stay busy but not so busy that the quality of my cattle goes down because I can’t give them the attention they need,” he said.

Adapting Your Biosecurity Plan to Your Operation

Julia Herman DVM, MS, DACVPM Beef Cattle Specialist Veterinarian, NCBA, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff

Biosecurity in the cattle industry has experienced emerging challenges in recent months. Influenza A (H5N1) virus has been found in dairy herds in at least 12 states and has changed animal movement across the country. Another threat is the Asian longhorned tick, which has expanded its reach in the United States. With all of these risks, cattle producers are challenged along with other livestock industries to improve biosecurity practices to protect their animals and workers.

As discussed in the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program, funded by the Beef Checkoff, the goal of biosecurity is to protect animals from disease by minimizing the movement of biological organisms, such as viruses, bacteria or parasites, within or onto an operation. This, in turn, promotes animal health and minimizes the time and labor resources required to treat a sick animal. In animal production, producers and veterinarians also should understand the importance of minimizing zoonotic disease transmission, which spreads from animals to people (or vice versa).

Daily biosecurity practices include some of the most important steps to protecting the cattle herd. BQA has partnered with the USDA-funded Secure Beef Supply (SBS) Plan to develop resources for cattle producers on how to properly prepare for daily cattle diseases. The BQA Daily Biosecurity Plan for Disease Prevention template offers an introductory, stepwise biosecurity plan for identifying biosecurity risks on cattle operations. Producers can customize plans to their own operation, allowing flexibility for producers and their resource team to evaluate what management practices work best for their situation. Working with the herd veterinarian provides unique opportunities for evaluating current practices and collaborating on steps for improvement.

This plan is a precursor to the Secure Beef Supply (SBS) Plan, an enhanced biosecurity plan which will be necessary during a potential foreign animal disease outbreak such as with Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). The SBS plan and training materials have more amplified biosecurity steps protecting against FMD, which is the most contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hooved animals (such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and wildlife). While FMD is not a public health risk, its effects on our economy, trade and way of life would be tremendous if this disease were to enter the U.S. or North America. On the SBS site, producers can learn more about FMD, what it looks like in affected animals, and find tools and design concepts to incorporate into their facilities and their business plans.

Content sections for both the daily and enhanced biosecurity plans are the same for consistency between plans, allowing producers and veterinarians to build up to more stringent biosecurity steps that will be necessary for the SBS plan. As seen in Table 1, biosecurity plans

are comprehensive and cover many aspects of the cattle operation. Working with your herd veterinarian to evaluate each section and discuss options should be at least an annual meeting. Some examples include:

• Training: Training for onboarding purposes or for continuing education is important to animal and human health and safety. Each operation is responsible for developing customized trainings and documenting training dates for each employee. At a minimum, understanding how biosecurity is implemented on the operation, reviewing the plan,\ and walking through the labeled premises map should be completed with each employee. Additional training for the operation may be required. They should be offered in the employee’s preferred language.

• Animal movement: As seen with guidance on moving dairy cattle from H5N1 diagnosed herds, animal movement records are incredibly important to trace where exposed or sick animals have traveled. Individual animal identification plays a key role in recording animal health and production parameters, in addition to disease outbreak investigation. Incoming breeding animals should be quarantined prior to entering the herd to prevent disease transmission. If unable to quarantine, such as in a feedlot, stocker or calf raiser facility, daily observation of animals should be conducted so clinical signs of illness can be quickly identified and a veterinarian called to check. In the event of a disease outbreak and animal movement is limited, contingency plans for feed, water and space should be in place ahead of the interrupted movement.

• Rodent control, wildlife and other animal control: Many non-resident animals can act as a fomite and carry different diseases onto the operation. Plans for discouraging rodent or other animal movement should be discussed. Note that lethal mitigation may not be allowed for certain wildlife species, including migratory birds and endangered species, so caution should be used in choosing control measures. Protecting feed and water sources from wildlife is critical to preventing disease transmission. Discouraging nesting sites near feed and water sources is one technique. Dogs, cats and other pets can also be fomites and should not be allowed to roam between operations.

• Labeled premises map: This aerial map of the operation, including all animal areas (dry lots, pastures, buildings, feed, manure storage, carcass disposal/pick-up) is important for training and emergency situations. A premises identification number (PIN) is a nationally unique alphanumeric code assigned by USDA to a physical location where livestock are raised, fed or held. Producers may have

Table 1. Content Sections Included in BQA Daily Biosecurity Plan for Disease Prevention and Secure Beef Supply Enhanced Biosecurity Plan

a PIN already if they test for regulatory diseases like tuberculosis or brucellosis. The PIN and related info allows animal health officials to locate livestock quickly and precisely in high-risk areas due to a disaster or a contagious animal disease, like FMD. This map can

also be used in the operation’s emergency action plan. A video and handouts on building a premises map or learning more about getting a PIN are available at www.bqa.org/resources/biosecurity-resources.

Biosecurity is one thing that the producer has the most control over. Biosecurity can be adapted based on risk assessments for an operation. These aspects overlap with many aspects of the herd health plan, including nutrition, minimizing stress with good stockmanship and vaccination programs. These topics are instrumental in employee education for guidelines to focus on every day. Identifying abnormal illness or clinical signs in cattle is important and notifying a veterinarian early in the process helps with outbreaks and treatment. All producers will start their biosecurity plans at different levels, so emphasizing foundational biosecurity principles will be advantageous during development of the plan.

Cattle producers in all sectors should strive for continuous improvement in biosecurity planning including record keeping and annual reassessment of their practices. For more information, to check your BQA certification status and view downloadable preparation documents, visit the BQA website at www.bqa.org or the Secure Beef Supply Plan website at securebeef.org. The greatest contribution of the beef (and livestock) industry to disease preparedness will include proactive preparation through biosecurity planning. Collaboration among all levels of the supply chain will be vital as we continue to protect the integrity of our cattle and livestock industries.

Genetic Source BULL & FEMALES Sale

Chapman Land and Cattle & Woolfolk Farms

Hay Contest Summary: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Chris Teutsch UK Research and Education Center at Princeton

Last fall, we analyzed 1,127 hay samples as part of the Eastern, Central, and South-Central Kentucky hay contests. A summary of the results are in Table 1. Here are some highlights:

• Crude protein (4.6 to 26.7%) and total digestible nutrients (39 to 76%) varied widely

• 3% of the hay samples contained less than 50% TDN

• 1.4% of the hay samples contained less than 8% crude protein

• 283 samples or 25% contained enough energy to meet the requirements of a beef cow at peak lactation

• 777 samples or 69% would meet the protein requirements of a beef cow at peak lactation

• 1,111 samples or 99% contained enough protein to meet the needs of a dry pregnant cow

• 1,091 samples or 97% contained enough energy to meet the requirements of a dry pregnant cow

Almost all the samples in the 2024 contests met the energy and protein requirements of a dry beef cow in mid-gestation. This is where the good news stops. A higher percentage of hay samples required supplementation to meet the energy needs of a lactating beef cow (75% in 2024 versus 41% in 2023). This was most likely related to weather. Wet weather patterns delayed first cuttings, resulting in a more mature plant. There are two take-home messages. First, it is important to test this year’s hay to make sure that we are meeting the energy requirements of fall-calving cows, and second, we need to be laser focused on harvesting next year’s hay cop at the correct maturity stage.

So, what don’t these results tell us? Since there is still wide variation

in both crude protein and energy for the hay samples in this dataset, the average or median of the results CANNOT be used to make recommendations on what or how much to supplement. To make this type of recommendation, you will need to sample individual hay lots (one cutting from one field) that you will be feeding (see AGR-257: Hay Sampling Strategies for Getting a Good Sample). Once you have those results, then you can work with your local extension agent, nutritionist or veterinarian to develop a supplementation strategy. You can also use the UK Beef Cow Forage Supplementation Tool, which is available at https://foragesupplement-tool.ca.uky.edu/.

UK Beef Cow Forage Supplementation Tool: An Example

For this example, we will use the “median” crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and total digestible nutrients (TDN-ADF) for the 844 hay samples that require supplementation and assume an as fed dry matter of 88%. The averages for this sample set were 11.6, 61 and 56% for CP, NDF and TDN, respectively. When we compare these average values to the nutrient requirements of a lactating brood cow (Table 2), it becomes apparent that this hay will require energy supplementation. The question then is what type of supplement and how much? The online UK Beef Cow Forage Supplement Tool allows you to enter the results from your forage test and gives you a range of supplement options and how much of each supplement to feed to meet the cow’s nutritional requirements at a given production stage (Table 3).

When we enter the average values for crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and total digestible nutrients for the sample set, the application indicates that this hay would need

to be supplemented with either 4 lbs. corn, 4 lbs. of soybean hulls, 4 lbs. of corn gluten feed, or 3.7 lbs. of distillers dried grain with solubles on a daily basis (Table 4). When selecting a supplemental feed, it is important to consider local availability, storage, how it will be fed, how much can be safely fed and, of course, its cost (Table 5)

The cost of supplementing “average” hay from 2024 hay contests for a 150-day hay feeding period (late November to late March) ranged between $48 and $85/cow with average supplementation cost of $75/cow. A livestock producer with 100 brood cows would spend approximately $4,800 to $7,500 on supplementation. If only there were a way to reduce this cost!

When it comes to designing a supplementation program for a given hay lot, one of the parameters that is hardest to estimate is dry matter intake (DMI) or how much of the hay is actually being consumed. One approach is using neutral detergent fiber (NDF) to estimate DMI using the following formula DMI as % of body weight = 120/NDF. This is a very crude estimate of DMI. Unfortunately, it is often the only estimate that we have. A better estimate uses fiber digestibility to estimate DMI. While more accurate, it requires more laboratory analyses and a much more complex formula. A comparison of these two methods is in Table 1. From a practical standpoint, weighing a few bales and watching how long it takes your animals to consume them can give you an idea on actual DMI. This method requires that you estimate feeding losses which can range from 10 to 20%, depending on the quality of the hay and how it is being fed.

It is important to realize that both hay testing and the UK Beef Cow Forage Supplement Tool are NOT perfect, and the results are based on

Measure of total mineral content. Used as an indicator of soil contamination.

Digestible fraction of NDF expressed as percentage of Neutral Detergent Fiber.

Estimate of energy. Calculated using ADF. Used to balance rations. Total

Estimate of energy. Calculated using SUMMATIVE equation. Based on actual fiber digestibility.

Relative comparison of forage quality to alfalfa harvested at full bloom. RFQ is a better ranking tool for grass than RFV.

Estimate of how much of given forage can be consumed. Based on neutral detergent fiber.

Estimate of how much of given forage can be consumed. Based on ACTUAL fiber digestibility.

Table 1. Summary of 2024 Hay Contest forage quality results. Samples (n=1,127) 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.

Table 2. Nutritional requirements of various livestock classes. Adapted from Southern Forages, Fifth Edition.

a 1,250-lb. brood cow. As cow weight increases, so will hay consumption and supplementation rates. These tools are designed to get you in the ballpark and let you know if there is going to be a real problem with the hay that you are feeding. The true test is how your cows perform on a given hay lot. Observing body condition is an important for evaluating hay quality. 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 test 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 on livestock 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 find 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 and reduce your winterfeeding costs. Below is a short list of things that you can implement to improve your farm’s hay quality.

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 10-1010. These fertilizers commonly over apply phosphorus and under apply

Apply nitrogen early to promote rapid spring growth. Applying 80 lbs. N/A in mid-to-late March will promote early growth in hay meadows, resulting in higher first harvest yields with improved crude protein values. Recent research at the University of Kentucky has shown that fall nitrogen fertilization promotes hay growth in the spring. In fact, 80 lbs. N/A applied in the fall was equivalent to more than 100 lbs. N/A applied in the spring.

Harvest at the boot stage. The single most important factor impacting forage quality is stage of maturity at harvest. Hayfields should be mowed as soon as the grass reaches the late boot-stage. The boot stage occurs when the sheath of the flag leaf swells just prior to the emergence of the seed head. By making the first cutting in a timely manner, we will have time to make a leafy second cutting just prior to summer.

Mow early in day. Some studies have shown that sugars are the highest in late afternoon, making this the optimal time of day to cut. However, in a high rainfall environment like Kentucky, maximizing curing time is the highest priority. Therefore, mow hayfields in mid-to-late morning after the dew has dried.

Use mower-conditioner.

potash.

the stems allows moisture to escape at a faster rate. This shortens curing time and improves your chances of avoiding rain. Conditioning is especially important for first-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 fires.

Store dry hay under cover and off the ground. Protecting hay from weathering 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 off the ground can greatly reduce deterioration.

Consider using baleage. The 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. This facilitates harvesting hay at the correct stage of growth, the No. 1 factor impacting quality. To learn

Table 3. Steps for utilizing UK Beef Cow Forage Supplement Tool found at http://forage-supplement-tool.ca.uky.edu

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.

Scan QR code to open UK Beef Cow Forage Supplementation Tool

more about baleage, see AGR-235 Baleage: Frequently Asked Questions. It is available online at https:// publications.ca.uky.edu/files/ AGR235.pdf or by contacting your local extension office.

If you need help with hay sampling or interpreting your hay testing results, contact your local extension agent. Forage testing is available from several commercial labs and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. KDA offers 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 certified for accuracy and precision by the National Forage Testing Association. A list of certified labs can be found at https://tinyurl.com/5n8uj8xm.

Table 4. Results from the UK Beef Cow Forage Supplement Tool for the “average” of the 844 hay samples that required supplementation from the 2024 hay contests.

Table 5. Supplementation costs for various commodities and hay feeding periods. These costs do NOT include storage, labor and equipment costs.

FENCING TIP

Grounding system. For an electric fencing to work properly, current from the fence must travel though the animal into the ground and back to the energizer. The grounding system works as an “antenna” to collect this current and complete the circuit. Most of the problems associated with low voltage are caused by a poorly constructed grounding system. Grounding systems should have

a minimum of three galvanized grounding rods, 10 ft. apart, 6 ft. in the ground, all connected with a single galvanized wire running from the energizer. For very large energizers or very dry conditions, more grounding rods may be needed.

FORAGE MANAGEMENT TIPS

• Continue grazing stockpiled tall fescue.

• Supplement hay according to hay test results.

• Feed hay on your poorest pastures to improve soil fertility and organic matter.

• Soil test and apply any needed lime and fertilizer.

• Service and calibrate seeders and no-till drills.

• Begin frost seeding 6-8 lbs./A of red clover and 1-2 lbs./A ladino white clover on closely grazed pastures.

• On low fertility pastures, consider adding 1015 lbs./A of annual lespedeza to the above recommendation.

• Consider applying 4050 lbs. N/A in mid-tolate February on some pastures to stimulate early growth.

The Top 10 New Year's Resolutions for Cow-Calf Producers

Michelle Arnold DVM (Ruminant Extension Veterinarian, UKVDL)

The Top 10 New Year's Resolutions, first published in January 2022, serves as a good reminder of the management practices that almost always need fine-tuning in cow-calf operations. If you want to improve health and prevent as many problems as possible, try to incorporate one or more of the following resolutions, updated for 2025.

In 2025, I resolve to…

1. Improve the water the cattle drink: Water is exceptionally important, relatively inexpensive and readily available, but it is often the most ignored nutrient. Water consumption varies depending on age, breed, stage of pregnancy or lactation, and outdoor temperature and humidity, but it can reach as high as 25-30 gallons per day during hot weather. Water-related health problems are seldom due to what is in the water but rather the decrease in water intake because of the poor quality, bad taste and offensive odor. Decreased consumption is just as harmful as not having enough water available. When cattle do not drink enough, feed intake and milk production drop, heat stress worsens and overall immunity suffers. If cattle are allowed to stand in their water sources such as in ponds, fecal and urine contamination will decrease water quality and certain diseases (for example, leptospirosis) can easily spread through contaminated water. If the water quality is good but the tanks are dirty, the message is the same-clean the tanks to improve water intake.

2. Know how much mineral my cattle consume: Having good quality trace mineral out for cattle is only half the battle; knowing it is being consumed at the expected rate is equally important. Check the mineral feeders regularly. Always keep trace mineral in front of the cattle but also keep track of the number of bags you feed over a 1–2-week periods. Check the mineral label for expected consumption,

typically 3-4 oz. per head per day. Next question-how many head of cattle have access to the mineral? If the cows have calves that also eat minerals, they must be included because calves consume roughly half the amount allotted to an adult cow. Then do the math! If I have 20 cows that should be consuming 4 oz. per head per day (80 oz. daily) and a 50-pound bag is equal to 800 oz., then a bag of mineral should last roughly 10 days.

If cattle are consuming too much mineral, try moving the feeder farther from the water source or mixing in loose salt to slow consumption. However, mineral feeders should not be allowed to stand empty or cattle will overeat salt or mineral when it is offered again, which can be deadly. If cattle are not consuming enough mineral, make sure to provide adequate access for cows and calves. For example, have one mineral feeder per 15 cow-calf pairs. Do not offer additional loose salt, salt blocks or alternate sources of salt because it will reduce trace mineral intake. Trace minerals, especially copper and selenium, are often found to be far below acceptable levels in Kentucky cattle without daily supplementation. The absence of these vital nutrients is a major factor in disease development. The keys to using a free-choice trace mineral product are to ensure cattle have access to mineral 100% of the time, use a palatable, quality product and make sure they are consuming it at the expected level.

3. Know my hay quality and feed it out according to my animals’ need: Forage testing takes the guesswork out of meeting the nutrient requirements in cattle. Once the forage quality is known, a supplemental feed can be chosen to meet deficiencies if needed, especially for cows in early lactation and for young, growing cattle with high energy needs (see UK Beef Cow Forage Supplement Tool on page 30). Nutritional requirements are influenced by body size, production/

pregnancy status, level of milk production, growth rate, as well as environmental conditions.

If hay quality is poor, for example if cut very ripe (late stage of maturity), rained on while curing, and/or baled with enough moisture to support mold growth, supplementing cattle with adequate energy and protein sources will likely be required to meet their basic metabolic needs until grass if available again. Many cows and calves presented for necropsy (an animal “autopsy”) in late winter reveal a complete absence of fat and death is due to starvation. It is often difficult for producers to realize that cattle can starve while consuming all the hay they can eat – especially if the forage has crude protein levels in the 3-4% range, and TDN (energy) is <40% – as is common in some late-cut, overmature, rained-on hay. Many producers purchase “protein tubs” varying from 16-30% protein to make up for any potential protein deficiencies but fail to address the severe lack of energy in the diet. Both are critical components.

Keep cows from losing weight, especially in late pregnancy and early lactation. Learn to body condition score cows so you will know where on the cow to look for signs of early weight loss. Inadequate nutrition severely affects the developing immune system of the fetus in a pregnant cow. A weak cow may experience dystocia (a slow, difficult birth) resulting in lack of oxygen to the calf during delivery, leading to a dead or weak calf. Calves born to deficient dams have less “brown fat”, so they are less able to generate body heat and are slower to stand and nurse. Poor colostrum quality and quantity from protein and energy-deficient dams will not support calf vitality, survival and performance. Thin cows will be the last ones to rebreed.

4. Have a daylight relationship with my veterinarian: Work with a

veterinarian during regular business hours to establish a valid veterinaryclient-patient relationship (VCPR). Cattle herds are unique entities with different risks for disease on every farm so working routinely with a veterinarian is your best bet to improve herd health. Examples include asking your vet to pregnancy check the cows, to vaccinate and deworm the cattle, to perform breeding soundness exams on the bulls, or to design a vaccination program for your cattle and then purchase the vaccines from the vet. Large animal veterinarians can make a lot more money in much more comfortable places doing small animal practice (dogs and cats) so appreciate these individuals for the services they provide. Don’t wait until “the sky is falling” to give them a call.

5. Think twice before delivering an antibiotic to an animal that appears to be sick: Antibiotics are effective against bacterial infections, period. Disease may be due to viruses, parasites, metabolic disorders, cancer and many other causes, none of which respond to antibiotic treatment. Giving an antibiotic when it is not needed only leads to antibiotic resistance and treatment failure when you need it the most. See point No. 4-a good physical exam by a veterinarian goes a long way when it comes to selection of the right treatment regimen. At minimum, check the sick animal’s temperature before initiating antibiotic therapy; if the animal does not have a fever of 104°F or above, put the antibiotics away.

6. Improve my understanding of biosecurity and figure out where I am failing: Purchasing bulls, cows or calves and bringing them home to the farm is likely the single most dangerous time for introduction of new diseases into a herd. Even show animals returning to the farm from events should be isolated to prevent introduction of disease when they reenter the herd. Any newly purchased animals should be isolated either off the farm or in a well-segregated area for at least two weeks (3-4 weeks is better) and observed for any signs of illness. During the period

of isolation, a veterinarian should be consulted to appropriately test and vaccinate new arrivals. The best practice is to purchase animals from herds of known health status that will provide a vaccination and health history. The introduction of an animal with an untreatable disease such as Johne’s or a BVD persistently infected (PI) animal could have devastating, expensive, long-term effects on the health of the cow-calf herd. Understand the risks and make decisions accordingly.

7. Be better prepared to handle labor and delivery problems: Checking on cows and, more importantly, on heifers close to calving allows early detection of calving difficulty and intervention if needed. If a cow or heifer is in active labor for an hour and making no progress, calving intervention is indicated. Assist or call for assistance with calving as early as possible, especially with heifers. Make sure calves start nursing after calving, keeping in mind that calves should stand within 30 minutes of delivery and nurse within 30 minutes of standing. If in doubt that the calf will be able to stand and nurse within an hour, make sure the calf is warm and then feed a good quality colostrum (from the dam or replacer), at least 1-2 quarts, within an hour of birth and again before 6 hours old. Familiarize yourself with how to use an esophageal feeder; an excellent video “How to Feed Newborn Calves (esophageal feeding)” is available on the Beef Cattle Research Council website at https:// www.beefresearch.ca/blog/imagevideo-library/#calving along with many other educational videos.

8. Improve my forage base: If you graze cattle, think of yourself as a grass farmer because you sell pounds of calf produced by a cow that eats grass and makes milk. The UK Forages website, http://forages.ca.uky.edu/, is full of easy-to-find, useful information to make pastures more productive. On the website, sign up for the monthly UK Forage Newsletter that is full of timely tips to improve pastures and forages. Check out their instructional videos at https://www.youtube. com/c/KYForages.

9. Keep better records in a standardized fashion: It is hard to make well-informed decisions without information. At the very least, every animal should have a readable ID tag and calving dates should be recorded. Other parameters such as calf birth and weaning weights, sex and dam information help differentiate the poor performing cows from the great ones. Vaccination records should include date administered, vaccine name, lot and serial numbers and expiration dates at a minimum. Computerized records are preferred but one of the pitfalls to any computerized record keeping system is what is known as a “free text field,” where the producer types in a piece of information in a provided space. For example, a calf may develop scours and the producer wants to record the calf ID, the disease, date it began and any treatments. However, “scours” has multiple names and may be typed in as “diarrhea”, “loose stool” or “enteric disease.” Later, when it is time to search the records for how many calves had scours, those calves with diarrhea but with disease names other than “scours” will be missed. Other problems such as misspelled words, too many pieces of information in the same field and vague information make analysis of free text nearly impossible.

10. Find a trusted source for information and stop believing everything on Dr. Google or see posted on social media: This is true in much more than beef cattle production. There is plenty of misinformation available and discernment is becoming a lost art. Veterinarians, extension agents, and university extension specialists, among others, can help answer or point you in the right direction when it comes to questions about the health and care of cattle. Just ask!

Remember the old phrase, often attributed to Albert Einstein, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Adopt a few new practices this new year and see what happens in your cattle herd. Hope you have a prosperous 2025.

Washington-Marion County Cattlemen Provide Hurricane Relief

Jacob Settles Kentucky Beef Network Field Associate

In the dark morning hours of Saturday, Dec.14, after final instructions and a group prayer, 38 trucks and trailers loaded with farm supplies from Washington and Marion counties pulled away from Marion County Soccer Complex in Lebanon to make the trip to the flood-ravaged mountains of western North Carolina. The trip was weeks in planning after cattlemen Anthony Thompson,

Washington County, and Charles Clark, Marion County, wanted to help those farmers that were in such dire need. After talking with the local cattlemen’s leadership, the two counties joined to create a relief effort. The effort was first presented to the cattlemen of Washington County at their annual meeting with 200 members present. Two weeks later on Nov. 21, the effort was presented at

Marion County’s annual meeting with another 200 members present. From that point forward, a small relief effort turned into something that could only be defined as a Godsend for those farmers in North Carolina.

Staging days for the relief effort were on Thursday, Dec.12, and Friday, Dec. 13, where producers brought supplies and hay to be transported from their trailers onto the trucks and trailers

that would make the 300-mile trip to Canton, North Carolina. It was a long couple days of trying to make sure the right size bales were on the right size trailers and they were not overloaded with weight. A great big thank you to Chris Sapp and Nutrien of Lebanon for the use of a skid steer the two days of staging. Also, a great big thank you to Blandford Mills of Springfield and T&H Feed and Seed in Lebanon for the constant communication and making it easy for producers to donate supplies through the weeks leading up to the trip. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Sam Hutchins of the Nelson County Cattlemen’s Association for hearing about the consolidated event and rounding up supplies and donations throughout Nelson County as well.

A total of 138 individuals donated 569 bales of hay, 9 tons of feed, 370 wood posts, 390 steel posts, 6,600 ft. of woven wire, 25,000 ft. of barbed wire, 10 tons of wheat seed, and numerous other supplies along with over $18,000 in cash.

Truckers, cattlemen and their copilots pulled away at 6:00 a.m. Dec. 14 with a state police escort to the Tennessee line. At that point, Tennessee state troopers took over with the escort to the North Carolina state line. The first relief trucks pulled into West North Carolina Regional Livestock Center shortly after 2:00 p.m. Many desperate North Carolina farmers were there ready to pick up supplies. Canton, North Carolina was our final destination, a town one could only see because of the top of road signs during the flooding. We knew the need was great but didn’t know the full extent until we saw the devastation first hand. They were completely devastated in all aspects of life and continue to be hit by heavy rains, mudslides and unstable ground.

It is impossible to mention and say thank you to all the individuals that were involved! Needless to say, I am proud of my community! Simply put, people loving people. Matthew 25:40 “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me.”

SATURDAY, MARCH 1

8:00 Youth Judging Contest

10:00-12:00 Kentucky Junior Heifer Check-In

11:00-12:00 KUIP Market Animal Validation

12:00-2:00 Junior Heifer Check-In 4:30 Kentucky Junior Heifer Show

2:00-5:00 Steer and Market Heifer Check-In

SUNDAY, MARCH 2

8:00 Junior Heifer Show 8:00 Junior Steer Show TRADE

Breed Show Sale Sale Manager

Nominees Sought for 2025 Kentucky Leopold Conservation Award

WINNER WILL RECEIVE $10,000 PRIZE FOR CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 14, 2025)

– Commissioner of Agriculture

Jonathan Shell invites Kentuckians to nominate a farmer or forester for the 2025 Kentucky Leopold Conservation Award.

“This award honors those farmers who go above and beyond to showcase conservation practices,” Commissioner Shell said. “Farming is the backbone of our state, and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is honored to work with the Sand County Foundation to present the Leopold Conservation Award to a Kentucky farm family who shows true devotion to the management of our natural resources.”

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes landowners who inspire others with their dedication to land, water and wildlife habitat management on private working land. In his influential 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” Leopold called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.

Sand County Foundation, the nation’s leading voice for conservation of private land, presents the Leopold Conservation Award to agricultural landowners in 28 states actively committed to land ethic. In Kentucky, the $10,000 award is presented with the Kentucky Agricultural Council and Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts.

Nominations may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may nominate themselves. The application can be found at sandcountyfoundation.org/ uploads/2025-CFN-Kentucky.pdf.

The application deadline date is March 31. Application materials must be sent electronically to KentuckyLCA@ sandcountyfoundation.org.

The first Kentucky Leopold

Conservation Award was presented to Sherwood Acres Farm of LaGrange in 2013. The 2024 recipients of the award were Mike and Tammy Wilson, who operate Whispering Hills Farm in Anderson County.

The Kentucky Leopold Conservation Award is made possible through the support and partnership of American Farmland Trust, Kentucky Agricultural Council, Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts, Sand County Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation,

AgriBusiness Association of Kentucky, Farm Credit Mid-America, Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association, Kentucky Corn Growers Association, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky Pork Producers, Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board, Kentucky Tree Farm Committee, Kentucky Woodland Owner’s Association, and University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

For more information on the award, visit leopoldconservationaward.org.

Mike Wilson, who won the 2024 Kentucky Leopold Conservation Award with his wife Tammy, and his Anderson County farm were featured in the April 2024 issue of Cow Country.

67th kentucky national hereford show

Economic Situation & Outlook

University of Kentucky

2024 Situation

U.S. agriculture experienced another challenging year in 2024. After achieving record net farm income levels in 2021 and 2022 on the heels of strong commodity prices, exceptional crop yields, stable/ declining input prices, and large government payments, U.S. net farm income fell 19.4% in 2023 and is expected to fall an additional 4.1% in 2024 according to the latest USDA estimates.

The downward trend in the U.S. farm economy this past year has slowed as growing livestock receipts (projected up 8.4% in 2024) have helped offset significantly lower crop receipts (projected down 9.2% in 2024).

Grain prices slumped in 2024 in response to large global crops and ample carryover inventories. Alternatively, beef prices are benefiting from the smallest cattle inventory in more than 60 years. The livestock sector is also being supported by higher dairy, poultry and hog prices/receipts in 2024.

Although U.S. net farm income has been declining, the current structure of the farm bill has not provided additional support as direct government payments have declined from $45.6 billion in 2020 (comprised primarily of ad hoc disaster, pandemic, and trade assistance payments) to averaging $11.4 billion over the past two years (primarily disaster and conservation funds).

Following record high export levels in 2022, the U.S. ag export value fell 11% in 2023, but has been relatively flat so far in 2024 through the first ten months. U.S. corn, beef and pork have experienced export value gains in 2024, poultry sales are relatively flat compared to last year, but soybeans exports have fallen significantly. China emerged as the largest U.S. ag export market hitting a record high $38 billion of ag purchases from the

United States in 2022. However, U.S. ag trade to China has been trending downward the past two years (off 24% in 2023 and down another 19% through the first 10 months of 2024) as this important ag/food importing nation is purchasing more ag/food products from South America while simultaneously attempting to boost domestic ag production. As a result, China has slipped from the top spot in 2022 to being the United States’ third largest export buyer with Canada and Mexico regaining their former status as our leading two export customers. Since the passage of the U.S.-MexicoCanda (Trade) Agreement (USMCA) in January 2020, U.S. ag exports to these two top markets have increased by nearly 50%. Alternatively, U.S. ag exports to China have declined by nearly 25% since the two-year Phase One trade deal between the two nations ended in 2021.

In addition to falling prices, government payments and exports, net farm income has also been plagued in recent years by input price inflation. While labor, animal replacement and interest costs have continued to increase, U.S. farmers have benefitted from lower feed, fertilizer and chemical expenses as they are coming off relatively high levels.

While the U.S. farm economy is trending lower, the farm balance sheet has remained relatively strong in response to strong asset values. Despite falling income and relatively high interest rates, farmland values have continued to increase in certain areas, although at a notable slower pace. Development opportunities, outside investors/buyers and limited farmland for sale are driving the market -- not anticipated future farm income streams. Over the past five years farm debt has increased 5.8%, while average farmland values have increased by 7.5% nationally. Despite relatively strong balance sheets, shrinking working capital, along with

liquidity and cash flow challenges are major concerns among a growing number of farmers in meeting shortterm debt obligations. Following a tighter monetary policy by the Federal Reserve to battle inflation in 2022 and 2023, interest rates on farm operating and real estate purchases soared above 8% for the first time in nearly 20 years. Despite recent reductions in interest rates by the Fed, farm interest rates have generally remained in the 8 to 9% range.

Similar to the national scene, the Kentucky farm economy has been challenged by the downturn in the overall ag economy. However, the diversity of our ag sector has enabled Kentucky agriculture to weather the storm much better than other many other states that are primarily dependent on row crop income

Certainly, depressed grain prices initiated a blow to Kentucky grain farmers in 2024 with mixed outcomes on grain yields across the state depending on rainfall amounts received during the growing season. Cattle prices have been the major bright spot for Kentucky agriculture in 2024, but marketing quantities have constrained additional growth in cattle income. Poultry and dairy producers have benefitted from a rebound in prices and lower feed costs. The equine market has remained relatively strong, while tobacco sales and the number of farms growing the crop continue to shrink.

Despite slumping grain prices and weather-related challenges this past growing season, agricultural economists at the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment are forecasting that Kentucky ag cash receipts may have actually increased in 2024 to near record high levels. While Kentucky crop receipts are expected to fall by 12.6% in 2024, livestock receipts are projected to increase by 16.8%.

Consequently, Kentucky’s 2024 estimated ag cash receipts of $8.3 billion may challenge a similar record high level achieved in 2022. Official state ag cash receipts will be released by USDA in September 2025. Keep in mind that these data represent gross cash sales, and thus do not reflect a large and growing sale of value-added ag/food products and agritourism dollars along with forestry receipts. Kentucky net farm income averaged $1.7 billion from 2015-2020, and more than doubled to $3.5 billion in 2021-2022, before slipping to $2.7 billion in 2023. Even with anticipated higher cash receipts, net farm income for Kentucky farmers will likely follow national trends by declining in 2024 in response to higher input costs, limited government payments and lower valued crop inventories. Nevertheless, Kentucky net farm income should hover around $2.5 billion in 2024, much lower than the 2021/2022 record levels, but still above the preCovid years, even after adjusting for inflation.

2025 Outlook

Kentucky farmers, especially grain farmers, will enter 2025 on a very concerning note. Grain prices are not expected to rebound, unless there is a significant global weather event depleting excess supplies. Cash remains tight and rental rates are slow to adjust to changing market conditions. Fortunately for Kentucky agriculture, current national cattle inventories will allow cattle prices to remain relatively high in 2025 as the industry awaits any signs of expansion.

While feed and fuel prices may remain at favorable levels, labor and animal replacement costs will likely remain relatively high. Interest rates

Source: KY Ag Stats/NASS and UK Estimates for 2024 (12/5/2024)

could slide modestly, but interest expenses may still increase with higher rates of borrowing in response to depleted cash levels.

Markets entering 2025 remain cautious depending on a lot of heightened regulatory and farm/ trade policy uncertainty as farmers and other ag businesses attempt to navigate the potential outcomes evolving from a change in the White House and Congress.

Will our trade policy lead to a large increase in tariffs and if so, how will our competitors/customers respond?

What about a farm bill – will one be passed? If so, what will be the structure of the farm safety net?

What about changes in U.S. energy and immigration policies? How much, if any, will the Federal Reserve lower interest rates, amidst expected lower, but continuing stubborn inflation which could be reignited in a potential trade war? How will this impact the value of the U.S. dollar and exports?

Will land values and balance sheets remain relatively strong?

Will China, Mexico and Canada remain strong export markets for U.S. agriculture. Can the U.S. further diversify its export base?

What about outcomes for ag markets from ongoing geopolitical events Ukraine/Russia and Middle East, and perhaps others that evolve?

Source: ERS/USDA

Beef Overview & Outlook

University of Kentucky

2024 Overview

The beef cattle sector entered 2024 with beef cow inventory at a 63year low. Tight supplies drove cattle markets during the year with calf and feeder cattle prices $30-$50 per cwt higher than 2023. Beef production was essentially unchanged from last year as cheaper feed led to longer feeding periods and higher finished weights. An increase was also seen in live cattle imports. Feeder cattle prices did pull back sharply from summer to early fall but increased counter-seasonally as we moved through fall and into winter as winter wheat grazing prospects improved. In late November, cattle markets moved higher again after New World Screwworm was found in Southern Mexico, leading to bans on the importation of live cattle originating from there.

2025 Outlook

Despite the strong calf markets, there is little indication that herd expansion has begun. A large number of factors are at play here including higher production costs, weather challenges, strong cull cow prices, and high interest rates. The beef cow herd will be smaller in 2025 than it was in 2024, which means calf supply will be even tighter. If weather cooperates and heifer retention does begin in 2025, this will only further tighten calf supplies. While there are always factors that can negatively impact markets (geopolitical concerns, inflation, etc.), the supply fundamentals are very encouraging for the next couple of years. Beef cattle producers should consider risk management strategies to protect themselves from downside risk but should also consider these markets as opportunities to invest in their operations to get where they want to be long term. For some farms, this may mean herd expansion. But for others this could mean investment in genetics, facilities, grazing systems or other things to improve efficiency and ability to add value to their cattle.

Allison Charolais

Charolais Breeder Since 1962

Charolais Breeder Since 1962 • Bulls Available out of HCR Answer 2042 and SPIRIT 4007. calving ease and growth. both purebred and commercial breeders. and two-year-olds available. heifers to calve in fall available.

Charolais Breeder Since 1962 • Bulls Available

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

Ø Bred for calving ease and growth.

Ø Bulls for both purebred and commercial breeders.

Ø Yearlings and two-year-olds available.

Ø Bred heifers to calve in fall available.

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

Owner

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

David Carter, Farm Manager 502-706-0075

Source: USDA-AMS, author calculations

Kentucky Auction Prices, 550 lb. M/L #1-2 Steers ($ per cwt)

Kentucky Auction Prices, 850 Ib M/L #1-2 Steers ($ per cwt)

Seedstock Plus Spring Sale Dates!

North Missouri Bull Sale

February 22, 2025

Kingsville Livestock, Kingsville, MO

Selling 125 BLACK Balancer & Gelbvieh Bulls! All 18 months old!

Arkansas Bull Sale

March 1, 2025

Hope Livestock, Hope, AR

Selling 75 Angus, Brangus, Balancer & Gelbvieh Bulls! Red & Black! 2 yr olds & 18 months!

Red Reward Bull & Female Sale

March 8, 2025

Wheeler Livestock, Osceola, MO

Selling 50 RED Balancer & Gelbvieh Bulls & RED females! Registered & Commercial!

South Missouri Bull & Female Sale

March 22, 2025

Joplin Regional Stockyards, Carthage, MO

Selling 125 BLACK Balancer & Gelbvieh Bulls! 18 months & yearlings! Also BLACK females! Registered & Commercial!

• Guaranteed Sight-Unseen Purchases!

• Free Trucking on every bull! No fine print!

• The best disposition & soundness sort!

• Extensive Data & Genomic EPDs!

• All Bulls Are Semen & Trich Tested!

• Videos of sale bulls the week before the sale! www. dvauction.com or www.seedstockplus.com

29th Annual Smithland Angus Bull & Female Sale

Friday, March 7, 2025 • 6:30pm cst

Russell Springs Stockyard - Russell Springs, KY

50 Performance Angus Bulls (40 Fall Yearlings, 10 Spring Yearlings)

25 Fall Bred Heifers (10 Commercial, 15 Registered)

15 Open Registered Heifers

Sons of Connealy Craftsman, Deer Valley Growth Fund, Yon Top Cut, Architect, Myers Fair N Square, and GAR Ashland 10G

Smithland Angus Farm Henry Bryan, Melissa, Bryanna & Blane Smith 4437 East Hwy 80 Russell Springs, KY 42642 (606) 271-7520 • bmsmith@duo-county.com

Not all “Angus” bulls are REGISTERED Angus bulls. One

45 REGISTERED ANGUS BULLS:

Corn Production Down, Soybean Production Up In 2024, USDA Reports

CORN STOCKS

DOWN, SOYBEAN STOCKS UP FROM YEAR EARLIER, WINTER WHEAT SEEDINGS UP FOR 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 10, 2025

– Corn production declined, while soybean production increased from last year, according to the 2024 Crop Production Annual Summary released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

U.S. corn growers produced 14.9 billion bushels in 2024, down 3% from 2023. Corn yield in the United States is estimated at 179.3 bushels per acre, 2.0 bushels above 2023 and a record high. Area harvested for grain, at 82.9 million acres in 2024, is down 4% from 2023.

Soybean production for 2024 totaled 4.37 billion bushels, up 5% from 2023. The average soybean yield is estimated at 50.7 bushels per acre,

0.1 bushel above 2023, and 1.0 bushel below the Nov. 1 forecast.

For 2024, all cotton production is up 19% from 2023, at 14.4 million 480-pound bales. The U.S. yield is estimated at 836 pounds per acre, down 63 pounds from last year’s yield. Harvested area, at 8.27 million acres, is up 28% from 2023.

Also released today were the Winter Wheat and Canola Seedings and Grain Stocks reports. The Winter Wheat and Canola Seedings report provides the first indicator of this year’s winter wheat acreage. Planted area for harvest in 2025 is estimated at 34.1 million acres, up 2% from 2024.

In the Grain Stocks report, corn

stored as of Dec. 1, 2024, was estimated to be down 1% from Dec. 1, 2023. Soybean stocks were up 3% from a year earlier. Corn stored in all positions totaled 12.1 billion bushels, while soybeans totaled 3.10 billion bushels. All wheat stocks were up 10% from a year earlier. All wheat stored in all positions on Dec. 1, 2024, totaled 1.57 billion bushels.

The 2024 Crop Production Annual Summary contains year-end acreage, yield and production estimates for grains and hay; oilseeds; cotton, tobacco and sugar; dry beans, peas and lentils; and potatoes and miscellaneous crops.

The monthly Crop Production report is available online at nass.usda.gov/ Publications/.

MEMBERSHIP

2024-25 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

* MEMBERSHIP YEAR 10/1/24– 9/30/25

NAME SPOUSE NAME FARM NAME

*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

Louisville Area ................$20 (Jefferson, & Spencer) Magoffin .........................$20 Menifee ..........................$25

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

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

Highlands .......................$20 (Boyd, Johnson, Lawrence, & Martin) Hopkins ..........................$35 Laurel.............................$35

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

IF YOU WOULD ALSO LIKE TO JOIN THE NATIONAL CATTLEMEN’S BEEF ASSOCIATION The NCBA is now a State Marketing Partner with the KCA. You can pay your dues to both organizations with one check, at the same time.

Alex Scott MS, RD, LD • Southeast Regional Director of Nutrition

Misunderstood Fat Profile of Beef

Our bodies need cholesterol to build healthy cells, but high levels of cholesterol can increase our risk for heart disease. Recommendations to improve cholesterol levels include increasing activity levels, consuming adequate fiber and reducing saturated fat content. Beef is often identified as a high source of saturated fat, however 10% or less of saturated fat and total fat in the American diet comes from beef.1 More than half of beef’s fatty acids are monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) – the same heart-healthy fat found in olive and avocado oils. Pairing lean beef with fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables and utilizing healthful cooking methods allows us to include beef in the rotation a few times per week without negatively affecting our cholesterol levels.

More than 36 cuts of beef are lean as defined by the USDA. To qualify as lean, one 3.5-ounce serving of beef must have less than 95 mg of cholesterol, less than 10 g of total fat, and less than 4.5 g of saturated fat.

The only nutritional differences between the various beef choices relate to the fatty acid content and profile of grain-finished beef versus grass-finished beef.2 In general, grassfinished beef tends to be leaner than grain-finished beef. However, with its higher monounsaturated fat content, the fatty acid profile of grain-finished beef may be more conducive to better health outcomes. Regardless of which option you choose, you will be getting a high-quality, nutrient rich product.

Heart Healthy Diet Patterns

Eating for a healthy heart and enjoying one of your favorite foods don’t have to be at odds with one another! Recent research shows that eating lean beef as part of heart healthy dietary patterns can help

Fatty Acid Content Comparison6

Grain and Grass-Finished Beef grams/100 grams raw beef

Grain-Finished ⃣

Grass-Finished ⃣

Total Fatty AcidsA

Grain-finished - 3.89 grams

Grass-finished - 2.06 grams

A. The total fatty acids do not equal the total fat value because the fat value may include some non-fatty acid material, such as glycerol, phospholipids and sterols. B. minus stearic acid

maintain normal cholesterol levels.3,4

The Mediterranean Diet is one of the most popular eating patterns and is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts/seeds, olive oil and lean meats. While it’s often recommended that followers of the Mediterranean diet limit red meat, studies reveal that red meat consumption in many Mediterranean countries is comparable to, or even higher than, that in the United States.5 Recent research shows that a Mediterraneanstyle eating pattern that includes lean, unprocessed red meat can support heart health. The study demonstrates that following a Mediterranean-style eating pattern that includes up to 18 ounces of cooked, fresh lean beef and pork per week – along with poultry and fish – is just as effective at improving certain heart disease risk factors (e.g., blood pressure, total and

1. Zanovec M, et al. Lean beef contributes significant amounts of key nutrients to the diets of US adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 19992004. Nutr Res 2010;30:375-81.

2. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Legacy Release, April 2018. Available at: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb

3. O’Connor LE, et al. A Mediterranean-style eating pattern with lean, unprocessed red meat has cardiometabolic benefits for adults who are overweight or obese in a randomized, crossover, controlled feeding trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2018, nqy075. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/ advance-article/doi/10.1093/ajcn/nqy075/5036105

LDL cholesterol) as the same pattern limiting red meat.3

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet is currently the gold standard heart-healthy diet recognized and recommended by health professionals to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. It is rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber and lowfat dairy. Research was recently conducted to assess the effect of including 4-5.5 ounces of lean beef, even daily, as part of a DASH-like diet and active lifestyle on heart health. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the results showed significant reductions in total and LDL “bad” cholesterol. The overall findings demonstrated improvements in heart-health risk factors are as effective as those from the DASH and other highly referenced heart-healthy diets.4

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

5. Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015. Available at https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015-scientificreport/PDFs/Scientific-Report-of-the-2015-DietaryGuidelines-Advisory-Committee.pdf

6. Van Elswyk ME, McNeill SH. Impact of grass/forage feeding versus grain finishing on beef nutrients and sensory quality: the U.S.experience. Meat Sci. 2014 Jan;96(1):535-40.

Tips for Including Lean Beef in a Heart Healthy Diet

With so much conflicting information out there, it’s easy to feel unsure about whether beef can be part of a heart-healthy diet. However, research shows that lean beef, when enjoyed in the right way, can be a delicious and nutritious addition to balanced meals. Here are some simple tips to help you include beef in a heart-healthy diet:

• Choose lean beef at the meat counter by looking for beef cuts with “round” or “loin” in the name (i.e., Sirloin, Tenderloin, Top Round)

• Choose lean ground beef by looking for “lean” or “extra lean” – if choosing 90% lean or lower, strain after browning to further reduce fat.

• Keep portion size top of mind. A sensible and satisfying 3-ounce serving of cooked lean beef is about the size of a deck of cards.

• Prepare and cook lean beef in healthy ways – broiling, roasting, poaching or grilling. Trim away any visible fat.

Heart Healthy Recipe Collection

Enjoying lean beef in a heart-healthy lifestyle is easier than you think with these recipes featuring lean beef, fresh fruit and vegetables, and whole grains. These Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. recipes are all certified by the American Heart Association®.

Recommended Portion Size of Beef

The recommended portion size of beef is 3 ounces. That’s about the same size as a deck of cards, however you can also use the palm of your hand to estimate the correct portion size of beef, chicken, fish and other meats.

• Add additional flavor to food without salt. Opt for enhancing flavor with onion, garlic, herbs, spices, citrus and vinegars. Scan here to visit kybeef.com and find these and other American Heart Association® certified heart-healthy beef recipes Heart-Check certification does not apply to information unless expressly stated.

Indian Beef Flank Steak & Rice

Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet Primavera

Spicy Korean Beef & Cucumber

Confetti Beef Taco Salad

KBN 13: Driving Innovation, Education, and Growth in Kentucky’s Beef Industry

Becky Thompson Director, Kentucky Beef Network

In December, the Kentucky Beef Network was awarded a twoyear grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, totaling $2,316,516 in state funds. In partnership with the University of Kentucky, the Kentucky Beef Network continues to strengthen the state’s beef industry by providing producers with the tools to enhance cattle productivity and efficiency. Through ongoing collaboration on educational programs, onfarm demonstrations, and grassroots networking across rural Kentucky, we are fostering long-term sustainability and economic growth within the state's agricultural communities.

Throughout fall 2024, KBN staff, alongside our partners from the UK Extension team, met multiple times with the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board (KADB) recipient review committee and Kentucky’s Office of Agricultural Policy (KOAP) staff to review our proposed application and budget for the KBN 13 grant. I sincerely appreciate the time the committee members and staff dedicated to reviewing our application and engaging with our updates, allowing them to better understand the impact of our work for Kentucky farmers.

Evolution of KBN/UK Educational Programs

The KBN grant proposal for 2025–2026 reflects a significant evolution in programming. This progression is based on valuable insights gathered from the online Beef Extension Forum, the 2019 Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association Industry Long-Range Plan and a comprehensive survey conducted during summer 2024. These initiatives captured essential feedback from Kentucky producers, ensuring our programs and services meet the evolving needs of the state’s beef industry. Below are summaries of several new programs set to launch in 2025.

Herds & Hands: Cattle Management

Herds & Hands: Cattle Management is an educational program that provides youth and adults with hands-on experience and training in cattle management. Through classroom instruction, on-farm field days and expert guidance, participants develop skills in herd management, animal care and nutrition. The program also includes a mini-grant initiative to support agricultural education teachers and extension agents in creating interactive learning opportunities.

Smart Agriculture Solutions Program

The Smart Agriculture Solutions Program introduces cattle producers to cutting-edge technologies designed to improve cattle management, animal welfare and production efficiency. Participants will gain hands-on experience with innovative tools such as drones for aerial surveillance, remote watering systems, real-time monitoring cameras and virtual fencing for controlled grazing.

993-1074

Kentucky Cattle Marketing Hub

The Kentucky Cattle Marketing Hub aims to connect Kentucky cattle producers with local value-added marketing opportunities for their feeder calves and heifers, tailored to fit their production management practices. Additionally, the hub will enhance the visibility of both new and existing value-added sales within local markets.

Program Features:

• Centralized Market Listing: A user-friendly website showcasing all value-added sale opportunities within Kentucky markets.

• Educational Workshops: Training on Livestock Risk Protection, enterprise budgets and more.

• Market Analysis: Producers can access reports from recent sales.

• Expanded Market Reach: Active promotion to out-of-state buyers through newsletters and social media to increase awareness of Kentucky’s value-added sales and the livestock markets hosting them.

Kentucky Beef Cattle Assessment Program (KBCAP)

KBCAP helps Kentucky beef producers improve management practices and decision-making through on-farm demonstrations and data-driven insights. Key components include:

• Market Assessment: Analyzing market trends to identify factors that impact cattle value and help producers optimize management practices.

• Fescue Monitoring: Collecting pasture samples to address fescue toxicosis and improve grazing strategies.

• Calf Growth with Implants: Demonstrating the benefits of implants to increase weight gain and encourage adoption statewide.

• Emerging Issues: Providing resources and education to address challenges like market changes, feed costs and natural disasters.

KY Beef Cattle Startup Program

The KY Beef Cattle Startup Program is designed to help new, beginning or returning farmers successfully launch their cattle operations. The program offers five in-person sessions combining classroom and on-farm instruction, along with chute-side Beef Quality & Care Assurance (BQCA) training. Sessions will cover introduction to the beef industry, nutrition, reproduction, forages and building a beef business.

This is a highlight of some of the new programs being offered for a complete list of programs and program launch dates please visit www.kybeefnetwork.com or watch our Facebook page @ kybeefnetwork.

397-5151 shroutron@aol.com

805-0724

Ron

KENTUCKY BEEF NETWORK

Eden Shale Update

Dan Miller Industry Coordinator, Kentucky Beef Network

January 7, 2025

7:30 AM I spent the first 45 minutes of the day trying to get the door of my truck open. A quarter-inch of ice has the cracks of the door filled in tight and the plastic door handle does not stand a chance of prying it open. It’s a slow process in the winter.

9:17 AM I’m still 25 miles away from the farm and the road conditions have deteriorated quickly. Owen County received about 8 inches of snow but hardly any ice. This section of roadway apparently was plowed early in the storm and hasn’t received any attention since. It’s a slow process in the winter.

10:33 AM I arrive at the farm to find Greg getting the cows in the barn. They have found the weak fence and helped themselves to the hay in the hoop barns. They will now get sorted into two groups and moved to the two hay self-feeders at the back of the farm. But first, we have to do the morning chores.

11:45 AM We finished busting up ice so all the groups have water. All cattle are accounted for and doing well in the cold, snowy conditions. Inventory shows we will need to feed seven rolls of hay today. That will come later after we sort cows and move heifers out of the paddocks. We decide to eat an early lunch while we are near the house before we go to the far side of the farm to move the heifers (This turned out the be a wise choice).

12:34 PM We head to the paddocks where 31 of our first- and second-calf heifers have been grazing stockpiled fescue. We need to gather them and move them to the heifer maternity barn where they will start eating hay and calve in about 45 days. At first, we do not see any animals. Once located, a quick count shows we are seven head short. We find the last seven head in the absolute farthest paddock from where they need to go. All 22 paddock gates will need

to be closed. The seven head have decided they like their spot down out of the weather and do not want to leave their paddock. Greg and I trek down the steep paddock and walk them up onto the lane. This takes at least a half hour of stomping and sliding on the steep snow-covered ground in wet, heavy Carhartt gear. We decided we have had our cardio for the day, but the heifers are on the alley and can start their mile trek to the maternity pasture.

2:41 P.M. The heifers have made their way to a water pen that was left open, and they will need pushed out of it and one more gate opened so they can get to the maternity barn. With the gates switched, we head out of the pasture when suddenly there is a bang from under the front of the truck. We are unsure of what has broken, but there is no longer any 4-wheel drive to pull us along, and we are stuck. We abandon the farm truck and hike back to the house in heavy Carhartt gear. More cardio. We fetch the tractor and pull the truck

to the house. It’s not much help in 2-wheel drive in the deep snow. We will finish our day using the tractor. It’s a slow process in the winter.

4:10 PM The cows in the barn still need sorting and moved to their hay feeding barns. Greg gets them sorted, and I move the first group back the farm lane to the smaller self hay feeder. Greg brings the second group to the large bale feeder. We still have to fix the weak spot in the fence so everything stays where they should.

5:45 PM It has gotten dark, and we still need to feed three bales to the calves. Luckily all the lights on the tractor work! But sharing the tractor cab with a roll of barbed wire, an ice chopping axe and a manure fork slow the process of getting in and out to get gates and cut string.

6:25 PM I take off all the wet, heavy Carhartt clothes, throw them in the back seat, and begin the slick two-hour drive home. We have accomplished the day’s chores, and all the cows are fed and comfortable. But it’s a slow process in the winter!

Photo by Isabella Cole

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REMITTING THE CHECKOFF ASSESSMENT?

BUYER

Generally the Buyer is responsible for collecting the Beef Checkoff assessment from the Seller

SELLER

However, both the Buyer and the Seller are responsible for seeing that the Checkoff is collected and paid. or pays $2 to

QUALIFIED STATE BEEF COUNCIL

Cattlemen’s Beef Board invests in national Checkoff programs, while Kentucky Beef Council invests in state programs.

If you are a producer from one of these seven states - Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island - you will remit directly to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. If you have any questions regarding who is responsible for remitting the Checkoff assessment or how to remit payment, please contact your State Beef Council or the Cattlemen’s Beef Board at (303) 867-6304.

3 Exceptions to Beef Checkoff Collection: 1. Non-producer status: If a person (or company) owns cattle for 10 days or less, purchases the cattle to facilitate the transfer of ownership to a third party, and certifies that any Checkoff dollars due from the previous owner have been collected, then that person qualifies as a “Non-Producer” and the Checkoff assessment is not due when qualified cattle are resold. 2. Organic Exemption: In the 2002 Farm Bill, Congress created a process exemptiing organic producers from paying Checkoff program assessments. 3. Pre-Payment: Producers can also choose to “prepay” the Checkoff assessment when shipping cattle out of state for feeding and still retain ownership on the cattle. This allows the producer to direct half of the $1-per-head national Checkoff assessment to the beef council in the state where the cattle were raised, rather than the state where the cattle will be fed. Note: To claim any of these exemptions, the person selling the cattle must provide the proper ‘document’ to show that the Checkoff assessment is not due at the time of sale. Thus, the rule of thumb for all cattle sales is that the person paying the producer should collect either a “Dollar or a Document.”

LIVESTOCK MARKET - When cattle are sold through a livestock market or video market, the Market collects and remits the Beef Checkoff assessment.

CATTLE DEALER/ORDER BUYER - When cattle are sold to a Cattle Dealer or Order Buyer, the Dealer/Order Buyer collects and remits the Beef Checkoff assessment.

ANOTHER PRODUCER - Both the Buyer and the Seller are responsible for making sure that the Beef Checkoff assessment is collected and remitted. For clarity and consistency, we encourage the Seller to take on this compliance responsibility.

VEAL GROWER - When dairy calves are sold to a Veal Grower, both the Buyer and the Seller are responsible for making sure that the Beef Checkoff assessment is collected and remitted. For clarity and consistency, we encourage the Seller to take on this compliance responsibility.

CATTLE SHOWS AND FAIRS - When producers sell their animals at fairs or cattle shows (4H/FFA shows, Purebred cattle shows, etc.), the Organization that runs the sale collects and remits the Beef Checkoff assessment.

FEEDLOT - When cattle are sold directy to a feedlot, the Feedlot collects and remits the Beef Checkoff assessment.

PACKING PLANT - When cattle are sold to a packing plant, the Packing Plant collects and remits the Beef Checkoff assessment.

DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER BEEF SALES - When producers market their cattle as beef, the Producer is responsible for remitting the Beef Checkoff assessment.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of

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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

SIMMENTAL

KEVIN AND RACHEL BARRON

Crestwood, Ky

(502) 905-5851

rkbarron812@gmail.com

SWAIN SELECT SIMMENTAL 12113 Green Valley Dr. Louisville, KY 40243

swainselect.com swainselect@gmail.com facebook.com/swainselectsimmental

Fred & Phyllis: 502-599-4560 Chi & Angie: 502-287-2116

JUDY AND RONDAL DAWSON

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

JEROD METZGER • 270-779-6260

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

Chris Allen 859-351-4486

callenuky@hotmail.com

Dr. Henry Allen 859-229-0755

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.

BRET AND LAURA JACKSON 859.533.3718 or 859.707.7200

BRET & LAURA JACKSON Paris, Kentucky (859) 533-3718 (859) 707-7200

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

BURTON & SONS ANGUS

Joe D. or Karen Burton

ANGUS

BOYD BEEF CATTLE 6077 Helena Road Mayslick, KY

Secretary/Treasurer:

THE BUSINESS BREED

BRANCH VIEW ANGUS

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

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.

FALL CREEK ANGUS

448 Corder Farm Road

Monticello, KY 42633

Ronnie Corder (606) 348-6588

HILL VIEW FARMS

Jimmy Gilles

5160 Lee Rudy Road

Owensboro, KY 42301 (270) 929-5370 jcgilles86@gmail.com

OLD BARK FARM

370 Ferrill Hill, Buffalo, KY 42716

Kenley Conner (502) 905-7825

Registered Angus Cattle

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

TWIN CREEK FARM

HILL VIEW FARMS

Shawn, Melissa, Devin & Dylan Gibson (270) 337-3072 or (270) 692-5304 Dennis & Emily 270/337-2128 or 270/402-4338

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

42301 (270) 929-5370 jcgilles86@gmail.com

James S. & LuAnn Coffey, Donald & Donna Coffey

Annual Production Sale- 2nd Saturday in April

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

COFFEY ANGUS FARMS

BURKS CATTLE CO. 531 Rick Rd. Park City, KY 42160

661 Hopewell Road Liberty, KY 42539

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

Matt Coffey: (270) 799-6288

Dewey Coffey: (606) 706-2699

BURTON & SONS ANGUS

Genetics for Maximum Profitability since 1984

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.

GREAT MEADOWS ANGUS ASSOCIATION

COFFEY ANGUS FARMS

661 Hopewell Road Liberty, KY 42539

Dale Brown, President 292 Pea Ridge Road Stamping Ground, KY 40439 859-940-8437 www.greatmeadowsangus.com

Matt Coffey: (270) 799-6288

Dewey Coffey: (606) 706-2699

Genetics for Maximum Profitability since 1984

DAVIS BEND FARMS

LYNN CREEK FARMS

2315 Davis Bend Road Canmer, KY 42722

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

timmothyljeffries@gmail.com www.davisbendfarms.com Tim: (270) 528-6605 • Leslie: (270) 528-6435

FALL CREEK ANGUS

APS ANGUS

448 Corder Farm Road Monticello, KY 42633

Ronnie Corder (606) 348-6588

4040 Taylorsville Rd Taylorsville, KY 40071

Gordon Schubert

502-477-2637 • 502-548-8440

HAMILTON ANGUS FARMS

Anne Patton Schubert

502-477-2663 • 502-548-2359

Eddie Hamilton 2142 Stilesville Road Science Hill, KY 42553 edjohami@aol.com (606) 271-1286 Bulls and Females for Sale

TRIPLE D ANGUS

Nathaniel & Darla Denham

HERITAGE FARM

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

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

PLEASANT HILL FARMS

Gil, Mary, Corbin, Caroline, and Catherine Cowles 500 Rockfield Richpond Road Rockfield, KY 42274 (270) 843-9021 • Fax (270) 843-9005

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

BURKS CATTLE CO. 531 Rick Rd. Park City, KY 42160

JOHNSON FARMS ANGUS

Angus Bulls & Females Slaughters, KY

Keith: (270) 635-0723

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

Reese: (270) 635-1137

LYNN CREEK FARMS

DUTCH CREEK ANGUS FORAGE GENETICS

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

Doug and Susan Schlosnagle (502) 706-0008 DutchCreekAngus.om

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

HERITAGE FARM

Tom McGinnis

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

FOUR KINGS ANGUS

250 Bright Leaf Dr. • Harrodsburg, KY 40330

Cary & Kim King Carymking@yahoo.com • fourkingsangus.com

Jacob

Owner-Operator (859) 583-7134 jacob.tamme@gmail.com www.tammevalley.com

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

MT. MORIAH ANGUS FARMS

OLD BARK FARM

370 Ferrill Hill, Buffalo, KY 42716

Kenley Conner (502) 905-7825

Registered Angus Cattle

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

Nathaniel(Bub), Sarah, (606) 423-2457 • (606) tripledangus.com

TWIN CREEK FARM Shawn, Melissa, Devin (270) 337-3072 or (270) Dennis & Emily 270/337-2128 or 270/402-4338

SMITHLAND ANGUS FARM

4437 East Hwy 80 Russell Springs, KY 42642

4040 Taylorsville Rd Taylorsville, KY 40071 Gordon Schubert 502-477-2637 • 502-548-8440 Anne Patton Schubert 502-477-2663 • 502-548-2359

Henry Bryan, Melissa, Bryanna and Blane Smith 606-271-7520 bmsmith@duo-county.com

WHITE FARM

Tim and Amy White 3664 Military Pike Lexington, KY 40513

Home: (859)223-0326

Tim: (859) 509-5401 Amy (859)227-2552 whitefarm4@twc.com

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

President: Anne Patton Schubert

Vice President: Tom McGinnis

Shayna Gibson

PLEASANT HILL FARMS Gil, Mary, Corbin, Caroline, 500 Rockfield Richpond Rockfield, KY 42274 (270)

Fax (270)

SMITHLAND ANGUS FARM 5202 East Hwy 80, Russell Charles “Bud” & Pam Smith:

TAMME VALLEY FARM

Tamme,

Manager

TRIPLE D ANGUS Nathaniel & Darla Denham

KENTUCKY ANGUS NEWS

Shayna Gibson, Secretary/Treasurer

www.kentuckyangus.org • kyangusassociation@gmail.com • @kyangusassoc • @kyangusassoc • @kyangusassociation

Kentucky Angus Association 2025 Membership Application

DUES ARE $35

Make check payable to KJAA and remit form and payment to:

Shayna Gibson,1535 Fallen Timber Road, New Castle, KY 40050

Membership due by March 15th 2025 in order to be recorded in the KAA Directory!

Kentucky junior Angus Association 2025 Membership Application

Make check payable to KJAA and remit form and payment to:

Shayna Gibson,1535 Fallen Timber Road, New Castle, KY 40050

Membership due by March 15th 2025 in order to be recorded in the KAA Directory!

Offering 28 lots including show heifer prospects, bred and open heifers, cow calf pairs, bulls and PGS Cattle Sale broadcasted on DV Auctions. For questions or to request a

KENTUCKY GELBVIEH ASSOCIATION

AA LAND & CATTLE

KENTUCKY GELBVIEH

Joe Piles, President............................................................................................................................(502) 507-3845

Registered Gelbvieh & Balancers

Cynthiana, KY

LARRY CLARK & SONS LLC

Johnnie Moore, Vice President...........................................................................................................(270) 670-7814

Luke Arthur (859) 298-8323

Registered Gelbvieh Cattle

106 Clark Houk Road • Greensburg, KY 42743

Pat Tilghman, Secretary/Treasurer.......................................................................................................(270) 670-8449

luke.arthur93@gmail.com

Bulls • Show Prospects • Embryos

Bulls sell with GE EPD’s • Show Prospects

BAR

IV LIVESTOCK

Larry Clark, Owner & Operator (270) 299-5167 • (270) 405-6848

Lpclarkandsons@msn.com

Barry, Beth & Ben Racke • Brad Racke • 7416 Tippenhauer Rd. • Cold Spring, KY 41076

BAR IV LIVESTOCK

Barry, Beth & Ben Racke • Brad Racke

CLIFFORD FARMS

Phone (859) 635-3832 • Barry cell (859) 991-1992 • Brad cell (859) 393-3677 • Ben cell (859) 393-3730 Fax (859) 635-3832 • bar4@twc.com

7416 Tippenhauer Rd. • Cold Spring, KY 41076

Phone (859) 635-3832 • Barry cell (859) 991-1992

Brad cell (859) 393-3677 • Ben cell (859) 393-3730 Fax (859) 635-3832 • bar4@twc.com

BRAY’S GELBVIEH CATTLE

BEE LICK GELBVIEHS

Niles & Betty K Bray • 1568 Bray Ridge Road Bedford, KY 40006 • (502) 255-3584

Eddie Reynolds 277 Old Bee Lick Rd. Crab Orchard, KY 40419

3459 KY HWY 1284E

Cynthiana, KY 41031

Since 1937 (859) 234-6956

BRIAN W. DYER, DVM

Owner/Manager

GELBVIEH/BALANCERS

2050 Glasgow Road Burkesville, KY 42717

CD FARMS

606-379-2281(H) 606-305-1972(C)

Bulls & Females for sale

Clayton & Debbie Cash 1214 Ottawa School Road • Brodhead, KY 40409 (606)-308-3247 • (606)-758-8994

Brian, Lauren, Kristen Barry, Emily & Julia (270) 864-5909

Gelbvieh-Balancer Bulls & Heifers For Sale by Private Treaty

Registered Gelbvieh Cattle

BRIAN W. DYER, DVM

GELBVIEH/BALANCERS

Brad Burke 989 Metcalf Mill Road • Ewing KY 41039 (H) 606-267-5609 • (C)

Owner/Manager

2050 Glasgow Road • Burkesville, KY 42717

CD FARMS

Brian, Lauren, Kristen Barry, Emily & Julia • (270) 864-5909

Clayton & Debbie Cash 1214 Ottawa School Road Brodhead, KY 40409 (606)-308-3247 • (606)-758-8994

PLEASANT MEADOWS FARM

Gelbvieh-Balancer Bulls & Heifers For Sale by Private Treaty

KILBOURNE GELBVIEH

East Bernstadt, KY 606-843-6583 cell 606-309-4662

Gary & Pat Tilghman • Carrie & Daryl Derossett Family • Lindsey & Garland Gilliam Family 690 Lick Branch Road Glasgow, KY 42141 270.646.7024 • pleasantmeadowsfarm@hotmail.com

Registered Gelbvieh & Angus cattle for sale

UPCOMING EVENTS

R&D OWEN FARMS

Saturday May 15

Kentucky Junior Gelbvieh Show & Learning Clinic

Black Replacement Heifers & Bulls Available Embryo transplant & AI sired calves

MOCKINGBIRD HILL FARMS

Registered Gelbvieh Cattle

Shane Wells 10172 Provo Rd. Rochester, KY H: 270-934-2198 C: 270-791-8196 swells@logantele.com

GELBVIEH & BALANCERS PO Box 781 • Eddyville, KY 42038 (270) 601-6830 • rdowenfarms.com • sales@rdowenfarms.com

McIntosh Brothers Farm • 3348 Frankfort Road • Georgetown 10AM Learning Clinic • 12:30PM Show

Call William McIntosh for more information. (502) 867-3132

AA LAND & CATTLE

DONE WRIGHT CATTLE FARMS

LARRY CLARK & SONS LLC

Registered Gelbvieh & Balancers Cynthiana, KY Luke Arthur (859) 298-8323

Friday May 28 - May 30

AGJA Eastern Regional Junior Show “Run for the Roses”

Casey Wright, Owner 2665 Poplar Corner Road • Lebanon, Kentucky 40033 270-692-7496 * donewrightcattle@hotmail.com

luke.arthur93@gmail.com

Cattle for sale at all times.

Burley Fields Livestock Center • 709 Oil Fields Road • Horse Cave

Bulls • Show Prospects • Embryos

Call Carrie Derossett for more information. (270) 404-0828

Bulls sell with GE EPD’s • Show Prospects

S&S GELBVIEH

Entry and room information available at www.gelbvieh.org (Juniors/Regional Shows/AGJA Eastern Regional)

BAR IV LIVESTOCK

Registered Gelbvieh Cattle 106 Clark Houk Road • Greensburg, KY 42743

Larry Clark, Owner & Operator (270) 299-5167 • (270) 405-6848

Lpclarkandsons@msn.com

PLEASANT MEADOWS FARM

Gary & Pat Tilghman

Lindsey Tilghman Jones Family

BREEDING RED & BLACK POLLED GELBVIEH SINCE 1982

Barry, Beth & Ben Racke • Brad Racke

7416 Tippenhauer Rd. • Cold Spring, KY 41076

FARMS 3459 KY HWY 1284E Cynthiana, KY 41031 Since 1937 (859) 234-6956 BEE LICK GELBVIEHS Eddie Reynolds

David, Jerri & Jon David: 162 Hastings Ln • Fredonia, KY 42411 (270) 556-4259

Carrie & Daryl Derossett Family 690 Lick Branch Road Glasgow, KY 42141 270.646.7024 • pleasantmeadowsfarm@hotmail.

Arthur & Joyce Slaughter 19068 Marion Rd • Fredonia, KY 42411 (270)545-3455

Phone (859) 635-3832 • Barry cell (859) 991-1992 Brad cell (859) 393-3677 • Ben cell (859) 393-3730 Fax (859) 635-3832 • bar4@twc.com

FULL CIRCLE FARMS REGISTERED GELBVIEH CATTLE

Brad Burke: 989 Metcalfe Mill Rd, Ewing, KY 41039 (H) 606-267-5609 (C) 606-782-1367 gbb789@windstream.net

(859) 991-1992 Brad cell (859) 393-3677

KENTUCKY GELBVIEH ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING

(859) 635-3832 • bar4@twc.com

Saturday, January 25, 2025 • Nelson County Extension Office • 317 S. Third Street Bardstown, Kentucky 40004 • 11:30 am eastern time • Lunch will be served

Kentucky Hereford Association

Toby & Debby Dulworth 2492 S. Kirkman Road LaCenter, KY 42056 (270) 224-2993 • dogwood@brtc.net Herefords that thrive on forages. www.dogwoodherefords.com

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) 945-9277 (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

12 miles West of Elizabethtown

Shannon, Kerry, Emily, Will & Ellie Morgan 13095 Scottsville Rd, Alvaton, Kentucky 42122

www.morganandmorganpolledherefords.com

Shannon: (270) 320-2389

Kentucky Hereford Association

Kentucky Beef Expo National Hereford Show & Sale and Junior Show

Kentucky Beef Expo Schedule

Friday March 1st - Hereford Show - 1pm

Louisville, KY - February 28- March 2, 2025

WELLS

FARM

Polled Herefords

439 Flatwoods Frozen Camp Rd, Corbin KY 40701

Bobby & Brenda Wells (606) 344-0417

Toby & Debby Dulworth 2492 S. Kirkman Road LaCenter, KY 42056 (270) 224-2993

wells_farm@yahoo.com

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

dogwood@brtc.net

Herefords that thrive on forages. www.dogwoodherefords.com

6077 Helena Road

Mayslick, KY 41055

Saturday March 2nd - Hereford Sale - 1pm

Sunday March 3rd - Open Junior Show - 8am

WELLS FARM Polled Herefords 439 Flatwoods Frozen Camp Rd, Corbin KY 40701

KHA OFFICERS

NJB Limited

Dale Stith 5239 Old Sardis Pike Mays Lick, KY 41055 dalestith@yahoo.com (918) 760-1550

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

President: Chris Hopper 606-584-7842

Secretary/ Treasurer: Melinda Watson 859-625-8660 melindawatson8660@gmail.com

Melinda

NJB Limited

• 859-625-8660 melindawatson8660@gmail.com

Dale Stith 5239 Old Sardis Pike Mays Lick, KY 41055 dalestith@yahoo.com (918) 760-1550 HEREFORDS

Codee

Versailles, rockridgeherefords@gmail.com www.rockridgeherefords.com

MPH Farms

Charlie Boyd II 606-584-5194

Mayslick, KY 41055

Charlie Boyd II 606-584-5194

Annual Bull Sale second

Registered Polled Herefords

Saturday in March Hereford and Angus Bulls

Annual Bull Sale second Saturday in March Hereford and Angus Bulls

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

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

Chambliss

Hereford Farms

Brad, Carla, Clay & Clint Chambliss 1101 Driftwood Lane

Brad, Carla, Clay & Clint Chambliss 1101 Driftwood Lane Elizabethtown, KY 42701

Elizabethtown, KY 42701

Home (270) 982-3905

Cell (270) 668-7126 fax 270-735-9922

www.chamblissherefordfarms.com

Home (270) 982-3905 Cell (270) 668-7126 fax 270-735-9922 www.chamblissherefordfarms.com

WOLF FARM

Registered Polled Herefords Bulls & Females for sale

WCN Polled Herefords

Since 1961

Bill Norris 2220 Celina Road

Burkesville, KY 42717

Tim & Peggy Wolf 12939 Peach Grove Road Alexandria, KY 41001 Home: 859-635-0899 Cell: 859-991-3484

Phone (270) 433-7256

Cell (270) 433-1525

“Every calf needs a white face”

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”

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

BECKLEY HEREFORDS

Registered Polled Herefords Bulls & Females for sale

Tim & Peggy Wolf

12939 Peach Grove Road

L. Wayne Beckley • 1420 Fitchburg Rd. Ravenna, KY 40472 • 606-723-3021 Cell: 859-779-0962

Alexandria, KY 41001

Home: 859-635-0899

Cell: 859-991-3484

L.W. Beckley D.V.M 284 Pyrse Lane • Irvine, KY 40336 Cell: 859-779-1419 • Clinic: 606-726-0000 www.beckleyherefords.com

Danny Miller jmspolledherefords.com

270-465-6984

270-566-2694

K3 CATTLE REGISTERED HEREFORDS KYLE BUSH K3CATTLE@YAHOO.COM 859-588-4531

K3 CATTLE REGISTERED HEREFORDS

KYLE BUSH K3CATTLE@YAHOO.COM 859-588-4531

198 HICKS PIKE CYNTHIANA, KY 41031

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

Ben, Jane, Shelby and Lincoln

Tony 992

Brandenburg, tstaples@bbtel.com

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”

BECKLEY HEREFORDS

Windy Hills Farm

Jackie D. Perkins II 367 Mt. Pisgah Rd. Bremen, KY 42325 (270) 543-3586

Breeding to produce good cows since 1981

PILE

Registered HANSELL 12045 Cecilia, 12 miles

Tucker Stock Farms

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

“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

WATSON LAND & CATTLE

Matt, Melinda, Harlee, & Wyatt Watson 6196 Mount Sterling Rd Flemingsburg, Kentucky melindawatson8660@gmail.com - 606-748-1600 Melinda - 859-625-8660

CATTLE

“Breeding Polled Herefords for over 58 Years” Breeding cattle for sale at all times.

“Registered Angus and Polled Herefords”

1999 Walnut Hill Rd.

Lexington, KY 40515 (859) 271-9086

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

cell (859)533-3790 Tucker and

“Bulls always for Sale”

Donald

WILLIS

Donald

Danny

WILLIS

Danny

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 XI Sat. Sept. 20, 2025 1 Pm ct. • United Producers, Bowling Green,KY • LIMOUSIN FULLBLOOD, PUREBREED, LIMFLEX. • For info. Call Stephen Haynes 270-799-8685 or 270-799-8684

REGISTERED BLACK SIMMENTAL BULLS

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

BREEDING AGE HEREFORD BULLS FOR SALE AT ALL TIMES Over 60 years of Line 1 Hereford Genetics. Groups of open and bred heifers available for sale at all times. Chambliss Hereford Farms. 270-668-7126

RED ANGUS, SIMANGUS, CHAROLAIS, ANGUS FOR SALE Red Hill Farms, Lafayette, TN, 615-666-3098 • Bart, Sarah and Ty Jones

Gordon and Susan Jones, 270-991-2663

Visit us online - www.RedHillFarms.net

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

Feb Hot Deals:

Farmco feeders wagons-Tmr

TMR mixers- parts in stock

Tubs- rims/ tires- knives- planetary fluids

S B 200 Artex manure spreader- $39,000

Meyer and Cloverdale TMR mixers in stock

Zero down $$$$ for 11 months

Kubota 90 skid loader

Esch 12 ft drill $47,500

Meyer 4618- super clean $26,500

NH 100 TL- cab loader- 2wd-$28,000

JD 567- string -$19,995

New Holland BR 7060-string - $11,995

Farmco feeders- in stock

JD 5420- 4wd canopy- loader $26,500

JD 6715- 2wd canopy- 16 PS- $$$$

CALL CHARLIE FOR A HOT DEAL TODAY!!!! 859-608-9745

REGISTERED ANGUS BULLS 2 years in February • Semen checked, birth weights and EPDS • Calving Ease & Growth, BQA Metropolis, IL, 618-638-7693, www. bremerbrothers.com

Keep Them Fit!

Les Anderson University of Kentucky, Beef Extension Specialist

While reading some industry information, I was reminded about an article Roy Burris wrote for Cow Country News a few years ago. The focus of his article was to treat your herd bulls like an athlete; keep them fit and in great working shape. As always, it was a super article and is still relevant. Recently, more research has been done on bull fitness and fertility that is quite interesting.

We have known for years that overconditioning bulls is detrimental to their fertility. When bulls are over fed and their body condition scores get excessive (> 7), fat begins to build up in the scrotum and in the spermatic cord. Fat is an excellent insulator and this buildup of fat in the neck of the scrotum leads to an increase in scrotal temperature. For optimum sperm production, the testis needs to be about two degrees cooler than body temperature and this buildup of fat, especially in the neck of the testis (around the spermatic cord), can lead to abnormal sperm development. When these fatter bulls are subjected to a breeding soundness exam, they are more likely to fail due to an increase in abnormalities with sperm morphology and motility. More work from Pedro Fontes at the University of Georgia also indicated that bulls with more backfat were more likely have defects in the development of sperm and to fail a breeding soundness exam.

Fontes has completed some fascinating work extending our knowledge on the impact of bull condition on fertility. He recently used IVF to exam the ability of sperm from moderately- and over-conditioned bulls to fertilize an oocyte resulting in the proper development of an embryo. His research demonstrated that if an oocyte was fertilized by an overconditioned bull the resulting embryo was less likely to continue to develop. His work suggests that bull diet and condition can negatively

impact the ability of an embryo to grow and may lead to increases in early embryonic mortality. His studies examined both mature and young, developing bulls, and the results did not vary. Interestingly, in this work sperm morphology and motility were similar between overconditioned bulls and moderatelyconditioned bulls, suggesting the reduced embryonic survival may run deeper than simple changes in sperm development. Truly fascinating work.

Over-conditioning not only impacts sperm production, but it also reduces the bull’s interest in breeding cows. Research from Australia indicated that over-conditioned bulls also have lower libido, and their serving capacity was significantly lower than moderately-conditioned bulls.

Research from Canada clinched the nail on the head. The goal of this research was to identify factors associated with the male that impacts pregnancy in pasture situations. Considerable data on the bulls was collected including scrotal circumference, a wide variety of sperm traits and back fat thickness. These 277 bulls of British and Continental breeds were turned out with over 9,000 cows and pregnancy was assessed after the end of a 70-day breeding season. Of all the measurements taken, back fat thickness of the bull had the highest significant correlation with failure to breed. Basically, fatter bulls got fewer cows pregnant.

So, as Roy Burris advised years ago, keep your bulls fit and think of them like athletes. Also, we are entering bull buying season, so find bulls that not only meet your herds genetic needs but also are in proper body condition. If a bull’s BCS exceeds 6, check to see if his scrotum looks blocky and full of fat and avoid purchasing him. Once you get your bull home, manage his diet and exercise to keep him in a BCS of 5-6. The pregnancy rate of your herd may depend on it!

Spring-Calving Cow Herd

Get ready for calving season this month!

• Have calving equipment, supplies and labor ready for the spring calving season. Some supplies which may be needed are: ear tags and applicator (put numbers on ear tags now), tattoo pliers and ink, record book, scales for calf weights, iodine for calves' navels and colostrum supplement. Calving equipment and facilities should be ready and clean.

• Evaluate the overall condition of the cow herd. Cows losing weight now are more likely to have weak or dead calves. These cows will likely have a poor source of colostrum milk for the newborn calf. If necessary, feed cows to keep them in good body condition. Cows need to calve in a BCS of 5, at a minimum, to expect them to rebreed in a timely fashion. Calve you heifers a little heavier, BCS of 6.

• Heifers may begin head-start calving in early February. Move them to a clean, accessible pasture, away from the cow herd and near facilities so that calving assistance can be given. Cows may start calving later this month. Signs of calving are relaxation of pelvic ligaments, enlargement and swelling of the vulva and enlargement of the udder. Expect calving difficulty if (1) calf's head and two feet are not visible, (2) only the calf's tail is visible, and (3) the cow has been in labor for 1.5 hours. Be sure calf is being presented normally before using calf puller. Recognize situations that are beyond your capability and seek professional help as early as possible. Calves that aren’t breathing should receive assistance. Try sticking a straw in nostril to stimulate a reflex or try alternate pressure and release on rib cage. Commercial respirators are also available. Calves should consume colostrum within 30 minutes of birth to achieve good immunity.

• Record birthdate, cow I.D., and birthweight immediately (use your Beef IRM calendar). Identify calf with ear tag and/or tattoo. Registered calves should be weighed in the first 24 hours. Male calves in commercial herds should be castrated and implanted as soon as possible.

• Separate cows that calve away from dry cows and increase their feed. Increase feed after calving to 25-27 pounds of high quality hay. Concentrate (3-4 lb. for mature cows and about 8 lb. for first-calf heifers) may be needed if you are feeding lower quality hay. Supplementation may have a beneficial effect on date and rate of conception. It’s important time to feed a beef cow after calving. Thin cows don't come into heat very soon after calving. We must have cows in good condition if we plan to breed them early in the season for best pregnancy rates,

especially on high-endophyte tall fescue pastures.

• Sub-zero weather can mean death for newborn calves. During extremely cold spells, bring the cow(s) into a sheltered area as calving approaches to protect the calf. Be prepared to warm-up and feed newborn, chilled calves. Calving in mud can also cause problems.

• Watch for scours in newborn calves. Consult your veterinarian for diagnosis, cause and treatment. Avoid muddy feeding areas so that cows' udders won't become contaminated and spread scours. Don't confine cows to muddy lots.

• Replacement heifers should be gaining adequately to reach target breeding weights by May 1. Be sure that their feeding program is adequate for early breeding.

• Start looking for herd sire replacements, if needed.

Fall-Calving Herd

• Breeding season should end this month – maybe Valentine’s Day. Remove bulls and confine them so that they regain condition. Be careful not to over feed. Bulls need to be kept at a BCS of 5-6.

• Consider creep feed or creep grazing (wheat, etc.) to supply extra nutrition to fall-born calves which may have to depend solely on their dam’s milk supply for growth. They are not getting much except their dam’s milk now (i.e. there is nothing to graze). February/March is the worst time of the year for fall-born calves.

• Provide windbreaks or clean shelter for calves.

General

• Increase feed as temperature drops. When temperature falls below 15 degrees F, cattle need access to windbreaks. For each 10 degree drop below 15 degrees, add 3 pounds of hay, 2 pounds of corn, or 6 pounds of silage to their rations.

• Provide water at all times. Watch for frozen pond hazards. If cattle are watering in a pond, be sure to keep ice “chopped” to keep cattle from walking on the ice and, possibly, breaking through. Keep automatic waterers working.

• You should be feeding a mineral supplement with adequate magnesium to prevent grass tetany (~ 15% Mg) now. The Hi-mag UK Beef IRM mineral can be used now.

• Control lice. Watch for signs such as rubbing.

• Begin pasture renovation. You can overseed clover on frozen or snowcovered pastures.

Herefords are known as the efficiency experts for a reason. Herefords boost pregnancy rates by 7% and add $30 per head in feedyard profitability in a crossbreeding system. And Hereford genetics bring unrivaled hybrid vigor, longevity and disposition.

Add pounds and dollars to your calf crop!

• Son of the ST Genetics sire, Poss Winchester. Dam maintains a calving interval of 5/368 with progeny ratios of WW 4/109, YW 4/112, IMF 4/124, RE 4/100.

• Moderate BW with explosive growth: top 4% WW, 2% YW. 3569 checked all the performance boxes with ratios of WW 124, YW 127, IMF 144, RE 102, ADG 128.

BV Commerce 3591 |Reg# 20907366

• Son of the ST Genetics sire, Connealy Commerce. Dam maintains a calving interval of 3/366 with progeny ratios of WW 2/119, YW 2/113, RE 2/111.

• Sleep all night calving ease with top 15% WW, 20% YW.

2 20

• Son of the ST Genetics sire, KCF Bennett Exponential.

• Double digit CE with top 10% WW and 15% YW.

• Pathfinder dam maintains a calving interval of 6/372 with progeny ratios of WW 5/109, YW 5/103, IMF 13/103, RE 13/102.

Craftsman 3592 |Reg# 20907169

• Son of the ST Genetics sire, Connealy Craftsman.

• Moderate BW with top of breed growth: top 1% WW and 2% YW. Solid set of indexes: 2% $W, 15% $C, 20% $B, $G, 30% $F.

• 1595 posted an 898 WW with a dominate set of performance ratios: WW 131, YW 124, IMF 113, RE 104. BV