Dr. Les Anderson: Beef Bash 2021

Beef Bash 2021

Dr. Les Anderson Beef Extension Professor, University of Kentucky

The UK Beef IRM team is proud to host Beef Bash again at the University of Kentucky C. Oran Little Research Center in Woodford County on October 14. This event, which is co-hosted by UK and the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association, combines social, educational and industry interaction and should have something for everyone who is interested in beef and the Kentucky beef industry. The staging area will be under the big tent near the Intensive Research Building this year. We will have live cattle demonstrations, research presentations, commercial and educational exhibits. You will have opportunities to take various tours that will be available, or you can simply sit on a bale of straw and visit with university or industry leaders, commercial representatives, or your fellow cattle producers. Much of the leadership of the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association and the University of Kentucky will be present. The Kentucky Beef Council will also be participating in educational events. We will have keynote speakers for the noon program which will include Dr. Nancy Cox, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Mr. Brian Lacefield, head of the Kentucky’s Office of Agricultural Policy (KOAP), and Mr. Dave Maples of the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association. Lunch will be available and will include beef grilled by the Woodford County Cattlemen’s Association. Most of the UK beef, forage specialists and researchers, along with specialists from other disciplines, will be there to participate in the program and to visit with you. We will be updating information from time to time but here is a general description of what you can see and do: Cattle. We manage approximately 150 cows and will be nearly calved out by midOctober. Most of the cows are commercial Angus cows with some Hereford and Simmental influence. All females are subjected to two rounds of fixed-timed AI and are raised on the farm under a strict herd health program. We’ll have several cattle exhibits to illustrate various management practices. Mr. Kirk Vanzant (UK Beef Farm Manager), Dr. Darrh Bullock, and I are happy to discuss the breeding and management programs with you. Commercial exhibits. A large tent in the staging area will house about 30 commercial exhibits and serve as the focal point of all activities. You can visit with various company representatives as you please and make plans for purchasing products for weaning calves or wintering the cow herd. Information on many new products will be available. Take your time and visit a while. These folks contribute the funds that allow us to pay the expenses for this event which include renting buses and tents and giving a pair of gloves to everyone that registers. Educational opportunities. Most of the faculty involved with the beef industry will be available and sharing some insights with attendees. Topics include Livestock Risk Protection, Pasture-Finishing Beef, Using Distillery Feed Products, Cooling Off Hot Pastures With Clover, Impact of Disposition on Growth, Pasture Weed Control, Current Health Issues, Estimating Drying Rates of Forage for Hay and Baleage, Using Sorghum Sudangass to Rotate to Novel Endophyte Tall Fescue, Ruminant Nutrition Current Research and Overview, Feeding Values of Hemp, Fescue Toxicosis and Forms of Selenium: Who Cares?, Selenium and Female Reproductive Function, Off-Grid Solar Demo, Cattle-drone Interactions, Winter Feeding and Efficiency, UKARC Breeding Programs, Hay and Supplement Calculator, and a tour of the entire LRC Farm. As you can tell, the topics cover a wide variety of topics which might relate to you and your cattle operation. Social: Our main goal with Beef Bash is fellowship. Visit with the leadership of the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association and the University of Kentucky. The Dean and Associate Deans of the UK College of Agriculture are planning to attend and look forward to visiting with you. Bring any prospective agriculture students, especially those interested in Animal and Food Sciences with you. The beef Extension specialists and researchers will, of course, be available to visit and answer questions. KCA will be represented with leaders from across the state. Come and visit with other cattlemen from across the state and be a part of making KCA the voice for all Kentucky cattle producers. Research Results. One key to Beef Bash is that our clientele gets to learn about the research conducted at the LRC to improve the beef herds of Kentucky and beyond. This is a key opportunity to interact with our researchers and ask questions pertaining to their research. Our beef nutrition researchers are the best in the world and Beef Bash is an excellent opportunity to get a taste of the work that is being done here in Kentucky. Cutting-edge research abounds at the LRC, and we are excited to share these findings and the direction of this work with you. USDA-ARS. Faculty working with the USDA-ARS will also attend to discuss their research and its application to the Kentucky beef industry. This group is expanding its impact in Kentucky and has considerably exciting news to share with those attending. We hope to see you at the LRC in Woodford County. You are important to us and the beef industry. Make plans now to spend some time with folks who are interested in the same things that you are – improving our position in the beef industry. Mark October 14 on your calendar and bring a neighbor. Consider this my personal invitation to help make this the biggest “bash” ever.

Spring Calving Herds

• Schedule a pregnancy examination of cows if not done previously.

Winter feeding costs can be minimized by eliminating open cows prior to winterfeeding. Pregnancy status (pregnant versus open) can be determined using palpation, transrectal ultrasonography, or blood sampling. Stage of pregnancy can only be determined by palpation or ultrasonography (performed by your veterinarian). • Evaluate the body condition of your cows and improve their condition prior to winter. It takes about 75 pounds to increase body condition a full score. • If you have already done a preweaning working, revaccinate (booster) calves as needed. Treat calves for internal and external parasites.

If you vaccinate calves yourself, be sure to store, handle and administer vaccines properly. • Wean calves before cows lose body condition. • Obtain weaning weights of your calves and remember weaning is the time to do your first round of culling and selecting breeding stock.

You can eliminate obviously inferior calves, especially those with wild or nervous dispositions. Consider the number of heifers that you will need to save for your cow herd. Bulls that are old, unsound, roguish, etc. can be culled now. It is not too early to begin thinking about replacements.

Fall-Calving Herds

• The calving season should be in full swing for fall-calving cows.

Check cows frequently. Identify calves and commercial males should be castrated and implanted. • Put fall-calving cows on accumulated pasture before the breeding season. Be sure to save some grass in the breeding pastures. • It is time to get everything ready for the fall-breeding season, too.

Line-up semen, supplies, etc. now and get your bulls ready to go (don’t forget their breeding soundness evaluation). • Obtain yearling measurements (weight, hip height, scrotal circumference, etc.) on replacement animals - especially for registered ones. • Contact your herd veterinarian and schedule pelvic area examinations and reproductive tract scores for your potential replacements. Use pelvic area to identify larger heifers with smaller than normal pelvic areas so you can remove them from the breeding pool. Reproductive tract scores can be used to identify immature heifers for culling. Typically, heifers with a reproductive tract score less than 3 have limited ability to conceive early in the breeding season.

Stockers

• If you are purchasing weaned/stressed calves, have your receiving/ feeding program in place. Feed a stress ration which contains at least 13% protein and is fairly energy dense. • Manage to keep newly weaned and/or purchased calves healthy.

Calves should be penned in a small lot with adequate feed, water and shade to reduce stress. Careful handling and comfortable, uncrowded conditions can decrease stress. • When newly weaned calves are purchased in the fall, sickness and death loss can be a big problem. Work with your veterinarian on a health and receiving program. Consider purchasing CPH-45 feeder calves that are preweaned, vaccinated, bunk-adjusted and treated for

parasites. • Watch calves closely for a few weeks after their arrival. Calves will normally break (get sick) 5-7 days after arrival but they can break up to 14 days after they arrive. Have a treatment program ready for any health problems. Early recognition of sick cattle improves their chance of recovery. Watch for drooped ears, hollow appearance, reluctance to rise, stiff gait, coughing and dull or sunken eyes. A good “receiving” program is essential to profitability.

General Reminders

• Avoid prussic acid poisoning that can happen when frost ruptures the plant cells in sorghums, sorghum-sudan hybrids, sudangrass and johnsongrass releasing prussic (hydrocyanic) acid. Fields can be grazed after the plants have dried up after a frost. New growth that occurs in stalk fields is potentially dangerous whether frosted or not. • Take soil samples for soil analysis to determine pasture fertility needs.

Apply phosphate, potash and lime accordingly. • Test hay quality and make inventory of hay supplies and needs. Adjust now - buy feed before you run out in the winter. • Do not harvest or graze alfalfa now in order for it to replenish root reserves. • Remove fly-control eartags from all animals, dispose of according to instructions on package. Treat for grubs/lice.

“Today’s Challenges, Tomorrow’s Opportunities”

Kentucky Beef Conference

October 18, 2021

Sponsors

Bluegrass Stockyards Burkmann Nutrition Central KY Ag Credit Elanco Farm Credit Mid America KY Cattlemen’s Association KY Farm Bureau Federation Paris Stockyards Stockyards Bank & Trust United Producers Washington Co Stockyards

Zoom Webinar 7:00pm Registration Link:

https://forms.gle/ MqDQSR8DoKFLXBpa9

Once registration is complete, you will be emailed the zoom link. 7:00—Welcome & Sponsor Recognition

Adam Probst, Woodford County Agent, Ag & Natural Resources

Beef Outlook & Marketing Strategies

Patrick Linnell, Cattle-FAX Analyst

7:45—Extension Remarks

Dr. Laura Stephenson, UK Extension Director

7:50—Price Discovery & Placement Weight Considerations

Kenny Burdine, UK Beef Economic Extension Specialist

8:20—Shooting the Bull with Kentucky Cattle Farmers 9:00—Adjourn

Contact your local County Extension Office for more information.