Cow Country News December 2018 by The Kentucky Cattlemen's Association

KCA CONVENTION WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT? PAGE 40

MANAGING LIVESTOCK IN WINTER

FIND TIPS PAGE 51

WINTER WATERING OF LIVESTOCK DETAILS ON PAGE 63

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COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

11/2/18 12:19 AM

SELLING 80 REGISTERED LIMOUSIN & LIM-FLEX LOTS Fall Pairs • Spring Bred Females • Open Heifers • Bulls

FRIDAY, DEC. 14

3:00 PM Cattle Available for Viewing

SALE MANAGEMENT: Kiley McKinna • 402-350-3447 mcmarketingsales@aol.com Randy Ratliff • 615-350-2735 randy@rrmktg.com

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NOON Complimentary Lunch 1:00 PM Eastern Select Sale

Auctioneer:

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Sale Consultants:

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Accommodations:

Holiday Inn Express • 859-432-8151 Mount Sterling, KY

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

TABLE OF CONTENTS COLUMNISTS 7

Bobby Foree: President’s Thoughts

Ryan Quarles: Working Hard For You Every Day

For the one with everything...

10 Dave Maples: The Divide Between Urban and Rural America 12

Baxter Black: Cowboy Mentality

20 Chris Teutsch: Planned Grazing Requires a Plan!!!

Practical: It’s an asset for day-to-day operations.

Long lasting for 2. Versatile: permanent fences; easy to

26 Dr. Michelle Arnold: When to Intervene in Delivery of a Calf

move for temporary fences.

27 Dr. Michelle Arnold: The Esophageal Feeder - A Life-Saving Tool

5 Reasons to Buy Your Rancher a Stafix Charger:

Remote can turn 3. Convenient: charger on/off from anywhere

For Calves 70 Dr. Roy Burris: 1981 - A Year to Remember!

along the fence line. It’s not just 4. Effective: a shocking gift—low

FEATURE STORIES 15

Dept. of Labor Rulemaking on H-2A Visa Program

Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation Announces Partnership with Alltech as New Sponsor of the Leadership Development Program

Heart of America Grazing Conference Comes to Indiana

U.S. Beef Exports Remain Solid; Pork Exports Still Facing Headwinds

State Beef Council Representatives Explore 2019 Beef Checkoff Efforts at Federation Event

Why Develop Breeding Stock on Grass?

Stung by Trade Wars

Activists Allowed to Expand Attack on Beef Checkoff

USDA Announces 2019 Ag Outlook Forum

impedance technology delivers a consistent shock every time. It’s easier to check 5. Easy: and maintain, and every time they look at it, they’ll think of you! Learn more: www.stafix.com 800.874.8494

FEATURE

34 DNA Technology for the Commerical Cow-Calf Producer UK OFFERS INFORMATION ON 36 UK Program Teaches Kids Cooking, Nutrition and Much More 38 Understanding Ag Tax Exemptions TICKS & ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME 40-45 KCA Convention Update

Rubber-Belted Louvers Angled, louvered blinds prevent animals from seeing humans in their flight zone, without hindering the operator’s sight

Katie 46 Pratt When to Start Feeding Hay?

COLUMBIA, KY for - Alpha-gal allergic reaction to a protein,” said Dr. 51 Tips Managingsyndrome, Livestock in an Winter an allergic reaction also known as the Wes Sublett, an allergist who presented 59 Estate and Farm Transition Planning for Agricultural Producers “red-meat allergy” that some people at the meeting. “Another difference is, 63 afterWinter Watering of Livestock with most food allergies, the reaction is develop a tick bite, is a life-changing diagnosis. Mackie Jo Pennington of immediate for the patient. With alphaAdair County knows that to be too true. gal, the reaction is delayed, typically 14 County News “Since I was diagnosed in 2014, I have three to six hours after ingestion.” 22-24recipes Economic Policy Update researched and support&options The lone star tick is found throughout

52-53 Membership every day,” Pennington said. “I eat pretty Kentucky and most of the eastern United much a54-55 vegan diet now.” Kentucky Beef CouncilStates. It is prevalent in south-central Kentucky and in the Green River area. It is one56-57 reason attended why Pennington Kentucky Beef Network an alpha-gal educational meeting held at It gets its name from the iconic white spot found on the female’s back. The tick 65 County Kentucky Angus Association News the Adair office of the University needs three blood meals for survival of Kentucky Cooperative 67 News Releases during its lifetime. Individuals Extension Service. 67 Market Report who spend a lot of time “Once diagnosed, outdoors in tick-prone 68 Calendar of Events many individuals areas, such as tall Advertisers Index have 68 contacted grass and forests our office are at an increased 69 looking Classifieds for additional risk for tick bites. information “Really the best about alpha-gal 4 C O W Cway O U Nto T Rkeep Y • from DECEMBER and tick bite getting alphaprevention,” gal is to reduce said Nick Roy, your exposure Adair County to ticks,” said Lee agriculture and

Hydraulic Neck Extender Bars Control the animal’s head in 3 ways giving the operator more control and better neck access 26” Rear Walk Through Doors Squeezes along the chute sides Smooth Action Drop Pan Can easily be removed Quick Release Side Exit Front or Rear Pivot Equal, Low Pressure Headdoors Reduce animal stress and injury

2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

New Sale Date!

The Best Red Angus Females from R.A. Brown’s Elite Cooperator Herds

OAK HOLLOW

Private Treaty

DATA DRIVEN MATERNAL SELECTION Oak Hollow takes an approach to the cow calf sector that no one else is willing to use. We use data driven selection with an emphasis on commercial cow-calf sector profitability. There have been minimal advancements in the selection tools for developing maternal sire lines regardless of breed. This is largely due to the unwillingness of most seedstock producers to collect maternal cow herd data necessary to create accurate maternal EPDs. Oak Hollow has collected data for maternal traits for nearly 40 years and was one of the first seedstock producers to enroll in MaternalPlus for whole herd reporting. Our commitment to creating sound bulls that leave profitable, durable commercial females is second to none. By putting maternal selection criteria first with every breeding decision we have been able to increase heifer fertility and demand consistent 365-day calving intervals while weaning highly marketable calves.

Commercial Females

Spring calving Oak Hollow commercial females are available. They range from open and bred heifers to middle of the herd 3-5 year old cows. Contact us today to reserve your set of replacements

Are You Ready For Fall Breeding Season? We have a good selection of service ready bulls available for fall breeding. They range from yearling to mature herd sires able to handle large groups of cows. Contact us today to find the bull your cow herd needs.

Kenneth D. Lowe (270) 202-7186 - Joe K. Lowe II (270) 202-4399 www.OakHollowAngus.com - Smiths Grove, KEntucky COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

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KENTUCKY CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION 2018 LEADERSHIP KCA REGIONAL DIRECTORS: REGION 1

Daniel Hayden, Vice President*(270) 570-2815 Bobby Bell................................(270) 547-8547 Gary Woodall...........................(270) 725-0819 Ricky Haynes..................................................... Keith Johnson..........................(270) 635-0723 Wayne Johnson.......................(270) 726-7896 John Walpole..........................(270) 542-7534 Martin Hayden........................(270) 281-4076 JJ Tucker.................................(270) 257-8548 Dennis Wilson.........................(270) 952-1714 Caleb Jenkin...........................(270) 952-0767

REGION 2

Joe Lowe, Vice President*.......(270) 202-4399 Craig Thompson......................(270) 590-5174 Mark Thomas...........................(270) 723-6175 Joe Stults..................................(270) 735-3229 Joe Mike Moore........................(270) 670-7493 Frank Rowland........................(270) 646-0882 Reva Richardson.....................(270) 735-2959 Steve Webb..............................(270) 646-8277 Dr. Kenneth Green..................(270) 879-0229 Richie Thompson....................(270) 617-2710 Kirk Cecil.................................(270) 692-7698 Hunter Galloway....................(270) 745-5972 Donald Reynolds.....................(270) 528-5239 Gerry Bowman........................(270) 427-6922 Adam Estes..............................(270) 528-3904

KCA 2018 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OFFICERS: PRESIDENT

Bobby Foree 2440 Eminence Road Eminence, KY 40019 (502) 845-4947

PRESIDENT ELECT Tim White 3660 Military Pike Lexington KY 40513 (859) 223-0326

TREASURER

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

PAST PRESIDENT Chuck Crutcher 4364 Berrytown Rd. Rineyville, KY 40162 (270) 877-0239

VICE PRESIDENT Steve Dunning 8200 Antioch Road Hopkinsville, KY 42240 (270) 498-8180

KCA PROGRAM CHAIRMAN Chris Cooper 2140 Tates Creek Rd. Richmond, KY 40475

(859) 200-7711

KBC CHAIRMAN

Andy Bishop 6135 High Grove Road Cox’s Creek, KY 40013 (502) 275-6177

REGION 3

Jon Bednarski, Vice President*...(502) 649-8706 Danny Cooper..........................(606) 782-4809 Nathan Lawson.......................(502) 836-3879 Dallas McCutchen...................(502) 255-7020

KBN CHAIRMAN

Cary King 250 Bright Leaf Drive Harrodsburg, KY 40330 (859) 734-2173

Jere Caldwell† - Boyle Smith T. Powell† - Lincoln Larry Lovell - Union John Masters† - Mason Seldon Hail† - Laurel Bob Vickery† - Wayne Glenn Mackie - Bourbon Dale Lovell - Muhlenberg Steve Henshaw† - Union Jerry Fraim - Grayson Glen Massengale† - Wayne Dell King - Christian Kenneth Lowe - Warren Dr. J.L.Cole - Monroe Harvey Mitchell - Mercer Jim Naive† - Spencer Shelby Hughes - Logan Hoppy Lovell - Barren

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Charles Miller - Jessamine Larry Clay - Perry Jack Kimbrough† - Shelby Mark Williams - Crittenden Paul Napier - Lincoln Eddie Young - Washington Greg Ritter† - Barren Don Pemberton - Christian Billy Glenn Turpin - Madison Scotty Parsons - Christian Corinne Kephart - Shelby Greg Robey - Mercer Mike Bach - Bath Don Reynolds - Hart Steve Downs - Marion Gary Woodall - Logan David Lemaster - Clark Chuck Crutcher - Hardin

COW COUNTRY •

Jeremy Jones*.........................(859) 749-2233 Mickey Staton..........................(606) 674-2195 David Lemaster.......................(859) 749-0258 Ron Ray...................................(859) 825-8516 Bo Tate....................................(859) 661-2325 Larry Swetnam........................(859) 293-5600 Jason Sandefur.......................(859) 987-0336 Danielle Harmon....................(606) 748-8059 Ronnie Lowe...........................(606) 782-5058 Clay Wills.................................(859) 749-8248 Jason Crowe............................(859) 582-0761

REGION 5

Gary Ford, Vice President*......(270) 402-2194 Steve Devine............................(859) 583-7824 Steve Downs...........................(270) 865-2611 Brent Woodrum......................(859) 397-1078 Ian Thomas..............................(859) 613-2453 Anne Bays................................(615) 478-8450 Larry Parman..........................(606) 878-7516 Greg Robey...............................(859) 734-0067 Eddie Young.............................(859) 262-5682 Adam Chunglo.........................(859) 613-2985 Brenda Williams......................(606) 669-2909 Tommy Glasscock....................(270) 692-4336 * Denotes member of Executive committee

176 PASADENA DRIVE • LEXINGTON, KY 40503 PHONE: (859) 278-0899 • FAX: (859) 260-2060 WWW.KYCATTLE.ORG • INFO@KYCATTLE.ORG

†(Deceased) 6

REGION 4

VOLUME 31 • ISSUE 12

KCA’S PAST PRESIDENTS: 1972-73 1974-77 1978-79 1980-82 1983-85 1986-87 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

John Ellegood.........................(502) 532-7573 Kevin Perkins..........................(502) 269-7189 Larry Bryant............................(502) 845-4615 Wanda Hawkins......................(502) 321-5602 Jerry Oak.................................(502) 255-7502 Phillip Douglas.........................(502) 845-4620 Lincoln Clifford........................(859) 954-0102

Executive Vice President Dave Maples

KBC Director of Product Development Katelyn Hawkins

Staff Accountant Kelly Tucker

Membership Coordinator Nikki Whitaker

Director of Kentucky Beef Network Becky Thompson

Communications Manager Jacob Redway

KBN Industry Coordinator Dan Miller

Publication Coordinator Carey Brown

KBC Director of Consumer Affairs Kiah Twisselman

Graphic Designer Todd Brown

KBC Director of Education Niki Ellis

National Advertising Sales, Livestock Advertising Network, Debby Nichols (859) 321-8770, Bernie Scheer (859) 421-5783, Cathy Campbell (609) 581-7644

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

DECEMBER

2018

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PRESIDENT’S THOUGHTS BOBBY FOREE Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association President What can I say, except the meetings continue! Just after the elections, Dave, Nikki Whitaker, and I met at the Kentucky Farm Bureau headquarters in Louisville for a legislative issues update. Present were Senate Ag. Committee Chair Paul Hornback, House Ag. Committee Chair Richard Heath, the KFB executive committee, and other commodity group leaders from around Kentucky. Also present were representatives from the offices of Sen. McConnell, Sen. Paul, Congressman Guthrie, and Congressman Yarmuth. Topics of discussion centered around agricultural issues of importance in our upcoming 2019 legislative session, as well as prominent agricultural concerns to be addressed on a federal level as Congress winds down the year. One of the more interesting topics in that KFB legislative meeting was how current laws prohibit cattle producers from freely protecting their livestock when attacked by American White-tipped Black Vultures. We were informed that sub-permits to kill Black Vultures can still be obtained through the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation (i.e., contact Joe Cain at 502-495-7738); but all agreed the current application process is both too cumbersome and too limited in the number of “takes” allowed. At the present time, the black vulture continues to be protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, making it unlawful to destroy the vulture without either a USFWS depredation permit or a depredation sub-permit through Farm Bureau. KFB’s Joe Cain indicated, however, that a population study is currently being conducted which will hopefully allow for issuance of a greater number of depredation permits in the future. Several other issues discussed during that legislative meeting included a prefiled “meat labeling” bill (i.e., to address fake-meat sales), the need for broadband internet infrastructure in rural areas, timely passage of the Farm Bill (with hemp legalization legislation within said bill), health care associations, state sales tax issues, and many more. Sen. Hornback and Rep. Heath predicted that comprehensive tax reform will be on the agenda in Frankfort in January, which debate will place our agricultural exemptions on the table (making them COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

subject to attack, but yet hopefully expanded). I also travelled to Bracken County in early November for their monthly Cattlemen’s Association meeting. A highlight for me was recognizing Howard Baker, now a retired Bracken County Ag. Agent, who began his career as a 4-H agent in my home county. I will never forget how Mr. Baker patiently helped me select my first 4-H show heifer when I was 9 years old. The Bracken County meeting was one of the best planned I have attended, with over 150 in attendance. As usual, I learned something very useful to put into practice on our farm. Jim Fields, representing meeting sponsor Hinton Mills, told how one can use various oils to seal the lids on Ritchey Livestock Fountains (instead of water which freezes). President Danny Cooper, Donnie Bowles, County Agent David Appleman, KBN Facilitator Jeff Stephens, and many others are to be commended for their efforts in growing the Bracken County membership from 20 members three years ago to over 200 members today!

heifer mates weighing 612 lbs. bringing $160.25/cwt. The committee member was disappointed, however, because their 7-month olds last year averaged 50 pounds heavier at 712 pounds. All were white or tan in color, from Red Angus dams, and sired by high-marbling Charolais bulls. For my legal issue this month, I mention our Kentucky Supreme Court’s latest dog-bite case decided this past February. The Plaintiff in the case had been squirrel hunting with her boyfriend when she decided to go home early. As she cut across a wooded area on the back of a farm (i.e., not trespassing, but using a path by permission of the owner), she was attacked by the land owner’s dogs. The court held that KRS 258.235(4) made the dog owner strictly liable for the girl’s injuries. Said statute reads, “Any owner whose dog is found to have caused damage to a person, livestock, or other property shall be responsible for

Back on our farm, we continue to background all weaned steers until they reach mid-to-heavy eight-weights before they are sold. Preferably, we sell load lots, minimizing commission charges and maximizing the per pound selling price. We grind our home-grown ear corn daily, mixing soybean meal and dried distillers grains to obtain an 1113% crude protein ration. Target gain is 1.8 to 2.0 pounds per head per day. We still have plenty of stockpiled grazing for all cows, and hope to have a short winter hay-feeding period. While cow prices have fallen dramatically, it appears there may be an opportunity to make money backgrounding feeders that were purchased this fall at reduced prices. I recently returned from a conference in New Orleans where I serve with several prominent cattle producers (i.e., a past NCBA president, two state cattlemen’s association Executive Vice-Presidents, and an NCBA committee member) on a national agricultural council. I was impressed to learn that the NCBA committee member (from South Dakota) recently sold their early-April-born crossbred steers at auction on November 1st weighing 662 lbs. for $1.73/lb., with

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

that damage.” But the Court went on to remand the case for the jury to consider the girl’s comparative negligence, as required by KRS 411.182(2), which statute I mentioned last month. Interestingly, the Kentucky Supreme Court stated in the fore-mentioned case that the General Assembly’s “historical emphasis [of dog bite laws] has been on the agrarian interest in the protection of farm animals.” That interest is shown in subsection (2) of KRS 258.235 which reads, “Any livestock owner or his agent, without liability, may kill any dog trespassing on that owner’s property and observed in the act of pursuing or wounding his livestock.” Finally, if you have not done so, not only renew your KCA membership, but become involved! As Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

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COMMISSIONER’S CORNER

WORKING HARD FOR YOU EVERY DAY RYAN QUARLES Commissioner of Agriculture Over the course of 2018, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) stayed focused on our mission to help Kentucky farmers and agribusinesses succeed and prosper. In this space, I’d like to talk about just a few of the things the KDA does for Kentuckians every day and what we can expect in 2019. The Office of the State Veterinarian in the KDA works with Kentucky’s recently upgraded, state-of-the-art veterinary diagnostic laboratories, the federal government, and private veterinary practitioners to protect your herds from foreign animal diseases and eradicate

outbreaks when they occur. The KDA’s marketing office administers Kentucky Proud, one of the most successful state marketing programs in the nation with more than 7,000 members, and works tirelessly to help you find new markets for your products. Our forage testing program tests your forages for nutritional value to help you manage the rations you feed to your animals. Our Shows and Fairs Division provides financial aid to local agricultural fairs and sponsors more than 100 livestock shows and sales in Kentucky. KDA staff help conduct livestock shows across the

Commonwealth, including the North American International Livestock Exposition, the Kentucky State Fair, and the Kentucky Farm Bureau Beef Expo. Looking ahead to 2019, the Trump Administration continues to work on trade negotiations with China with the goal of achieving an agreement that will create a level playing field for American exporters. China reopened its borders to U.S. beef in 2017, which cushioned the blow of unfair Chinese tariffs on soybeans and other farm products, and we are hopeful that the two sides can make a deal soon. As second vice president

of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, I will have the privilege of watching out for your interests on this and other agricultural issues at the federal level. As we prepare to usher in a new year with new challenges, please join me in taking some time in the coming weeks to enjoy the company of friends and loved ones, perhaps over a meal of Kentucky Proud foods produced by your friends and neighbors close to home. On behalf of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

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COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

with the Lexington/Fayette county vote coming in early but as the rural vote started coming in Barr began to inch closer. In the end Barr won with a 51-48 margin and won 16 of the 18 counties in the district the only two counties that he did not win was Fayette and Franklin counties.

FROM DAVE’S DESK

THE DIVIDE BETWEEN URBAN AND RURAL AMERICA DAVE MAPLES Executive Vice President It is hard to realize that I am working on the December issue of Cow Country News. It just feels like I was working on the January issue. I guess as the old saying goes “time flies when you are having fun”. It is fun, well most of the time, working for KCA. The organization has a great deal going for it. The leadership of the organization is constantly challenging the status quo so that keeps the staff on our toes. It is such a pleasure to get to work with such wonderful people, both our producers and the staff. The phrase “urban/rural divide” has been

used many times over the past couple of years. With the mid-term election past us I have heard the term over and over. Living in the sixth congressional district the race that touched many of us was the Andy Barr and Amy McGrath contest. There was so much money spent on that race you literally could not watch a T.V. show without seeing multiple commercials. Sometimes the entire commercial break was a series of Barr and McGrath ads. As I watched the election results that night, McGrath jumped out to a big lead

When we review the national map for the U.S. House of Representatives the Democrat party won the House with about a 30 seat majority but when you look at a map the rural areas of our country by far voted republican and the urban areas voted for the democratic candidates. Nationally as well as locally, the comments of the rural urban/divide exist. I travel the commonwealth of Kentucky weekly and most of my travel is to county meetings in rural areas of the state. I like to get to the meeting early so often I make a short tour of the county if I have time. I had never thought about it until I heard the President of Western Kentucky University speak at the WKU Agriculture Alumni luncheon and he made the comment that one county in the WKU service area just lost its last grocery store. As I think about it I know of several

counties without a grocery store and many with few to not any industry. But these counties do have agriculture and that would include cattle. I made the trip to the University of Nebraska with Kentucky students for a beef industry leadership program that KBC annually sponsors. This year the group visited Kansas State as well as The University of Nebraska. The drive from K-State to Lincoln was a reality check for me. There are no people in the rural midwest. It was explained to me that they have migrated to the urban areas. The urban/rural divide is there but we need both to survive. Agriculture needs a customer and the urban areas need the food that the rural communities grow. As I listen and know what is going on in the agriculture community we are not in a good place now. There is really not a bright spot with any crop or livestock enterprise. People involved in agriculture are a sturdy group and have been through many hard times. I hope as we approach the New Year it will be better next year. That was what my dad always would tell me.

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ALBANY

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LEXINGTON

MAYSVILLE

BLUE RIBBON BRED HEIFER SALE Thursday, December 6, 2018 6:30 PM 300+ BRED HEIFERS FROM 5 CONSIGNORS For more information, contact Jim Akers 859-361-4221 or Jeremy Shryock 859-967-6479. Look for our booth at the KCA Convention! January 17-19, 2019 Owensboro Convention Center

STOCKYARDS Est. 1946

Internet Sale Friday, January 18, 2018 4:00 PM

CPH SCHEDULE Richmond Tuesday December 11 5:30 PM

Lexington Wednesday December 12 5:30 PM

Lexington Wednesday January 16 5:30 PM

bgstockyards.com EAST—MT. STERLING COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

RICHMOND

SOUTH—STANFORD

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COMMENTARY

COWBOY MENTALITY BAXTER BLACK, DVM On the Edge of Common Sense I ran into Randy in the airport. He was draggin’ his right hind leg like an escaped convict tryin’ to cover his tracks. I could see it had taken him a while to pull his pant leg on over the swollen knee. He side-slid to a stop to visit for a minute. “So.” I asked stupidly, “Hurt yourself?” Randy is a rodeo announcer. A good one, I might add. I’ve seen him work. But this injury could certainly not be worked related, I thought to myself. Rodeo announcers are a little higher up the food chain than those of us who actually get within striking distance of large herbivores. They sit in their ivory towers above the dust and flailing hooves, inciting the fans and titillating the timers. Occasionally stooping to act as straight man to the barrel man’s jokes but above it all, maintaining their dignity.

Ringmaster of all they survey. He gave me a raised eyebrow, realized that I was not smart enough to have asked the question facetiously, and explained. In an effort to ‘keep up with the competition’ he had taken to announcing rodeos ahorseback. ‘Say no more,’ I thought. Riding a strange horse furnished by the stock contractor into the center of the arena surrounded by thousands of foot stompin’, whistlin’, avid rodeo fans, reins in one hand, microphone in the other, with flags flyin’, banners flappin’ and music blarrin’...the outcome is almost predictable. His story included all of that and concluded with a wild bucking exit where he bailed out with the grace of a sand bag fallin’ off the back of a runaway stage coach.

What makes people do things like that says something about the cowboy mentality. This mentality is best characterized by that old joke where the guy holds his hand in front of his face and bets his friend that he can’t ‘hit my hand before I move it.’ I once had to wear a neck brace for several weeks. Not in public, of course. Maybe I wouldn’t have been so reluctant to wear it if I didn’t have to respond to the question...”So, did you hurt your neck?” What did I tell them? No. It’s just decorative. A cosmetic article of clothing designed to offset my bad posture and enhance my fine facial features. Or maybe...my wife gave it to me on our anniversary...or, I wrenched it saving a school bus load of children from a burning building.

If I had been forced to explain, I would have to have said I was riding down the trail with an amigo whose horse was jiggin’ and tossin his head. So I told this amigo that he didn’t have to put up with that kind of unsavory equine behavior. When he throws his head, I said, conk him between the ears. ‘Whattya mean?’ asked my amigo. So I demonstrated by leaning out of the saddle and whacking his horse on the poll with a 32 oz mug I’d got at the GIT AND GO. The mug broke, his horse stampeded and when I straightened up, I couldn’t move my neck. See what I mean? Randy’s story isn’t that preposterous after all. Just part of the cowboy way. Here, bet you can’t hit my hand before I move it. www.baxterblack.com

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DECEMBER

2018

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COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

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Alltech.com

AlltechNaturally

@Alltech

COUNTY NEWS MEADE COUNTY

TWIN LAKES

Submitted by Taylor Hobbes

Submitted by Steve Peddicord

The Meade County Cattlemen’s Association is excited to share the success of a recent event they had. On October 13, the Cattlemen’s partnered with Stull’s Country Store. Stull’s is located in Payneville, KY. The store has been open since 1972 and it has been a place for community members and travelers to stop by. The store is currently ran by Maury Stull and has been since 2006 when she bought the store from her parents, who originally owned the store since 1972. At the event the Cattlemen’s provided t-shirts to be given away. The Cattlemen’s Association was very happy to partner with Stull’s for this event and be apart of the community.

The Twin Lakes Cattle Assn. in cooperation with the Clinton County Youth Service Center has collected over 100 winter coats, jackets, and sweatshirts to be distributed to the needy this winter. Association members joined together to support this very much needed

community project to keep local adults and children warm this winter. The coats were collected over a 3 week period and brought to the local Extension office. From here, Tonya Thrasher, Coordinator for the local center will see that the coats are distributed to those in need.

Pictured (left to right) Jim (Mud) Delk Secretary, Tonya Thrasher Youth Service Center Coordinator, and Steve Peddicord, President.

BARREN COUNTY Submitted by James W. Bailey The Barren County Cattlemen’s meeting was held Thursday evening, October 18th, at the Barren County High School Trojan Academy. During the meeting Brad Carter representing Burkmann Feeds presented a program entitled Tightening Your Calving Window. Pictured from left to right is; Nolan Dubree, John Reed, Brad Carter, and Tim Shirley, all representing Burkmann Feeds, Stan Buchanan representing B & B Fencing Company, and Don Wilson, Treasurer of the Barren County Cattlemen’s Association. A delicious steak dinner was served which was sponsored by BURKMANN FEEDS AND B & B FENCING COMPANY.

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DECEMBER

2018

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DEPT. OF LABOR RULEMAKING ON H-2A VISA PROGRAM WASHINGTON, D.C., November 8, 2018 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today praised proposed rulemaking by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), which could help farmers advertise job openings to domestic workers as required under the H-2A visa program. The DOL rulemaking would require that employers seeking to hire temporary workers post the employment opportunities online, rather than in expensive newspapers advertisements

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

reaching a limited audience. This is an early step in H-2A regulatory reforms as promised in May in a joint statement of the Secretaries of Agriculture, Labor, State, and Homeland Security. Secretary Perdue issued the following statement: “When I travel around the country, one of the biggest concerns farmers raise is the shortage of legal farm labor. Our farmers and ranchers are the

most productive in the world, and they want to obey immigration law. Where American workers are not available, farmers turn to the H-2A program that is overly bureaucratic and cost prohibitive. Using regulations like this is one way to modernize H-2A to reach more American workers, while providing relief to farmers from one of the high costs of the program. It’s good to see the federal government using 21st Century technology, rather than being limited to placing notices in

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

the want ads. “H-2A reforms can chip around the edges of the labor shortage problem, but it will take action from Congress to address it fully. I applaud Secretary Acosta and urge members of Congress to redouble their efforts to help our farmers find the workers they need to continue to feed, fuel, and clothe the United States and the world.”

FEATURE

KENTUCKY CATTLEMEN’S FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH ALLTECH AS NEW SPONSOR OF THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Nikki Whitaker

The Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation is pleased to announce a new partnership with Alltech as the corporate sponsor of the Leadership Development Program, starting with the incoming summer 2019 class. Initiated in 1992 under the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation, the Leadership Development Program has helped leaders in the beef industry become more aware of all segments of the industry, make informed decisions on agricultural policy and public issues, and represent the beef industry to the public by becoming active at the local, state, and national levels. Alltech will sponsor the two year program which consists of four, three day sessions in-state and two, four day sessions out of state. “This partnership is a great opportunity for both parties,” said Leadership Program Chair, Jacob Settles. “Alltech gets the opportunity to showcase their products to the Kentucky beef farmers that are right in their backdoor and Kentucky cattlemen receive the

opportunity to create, yet again, more connections on the global spectrum.”

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In addition to the financial support from Alltech, many of the in-state sessions will take place at Alltech locations and participants will hear from leadership within the Alltech corporation. “With our corporate office located in Nicholasville, Alltech is excited to work with leaders in their home state to support the beef industry,” said Zach Postin, Territory Sales Manager for Kentucky and Tennessee. “Alltech is the industry’s leader in innovation and we are eager to partner with KCA to offer support, training, and innovation.” Eight classes have completed the Leadership Development Program with over 200 alumni across Kentucky. Participants interested in applying for Class IX can contact the KCA office at 859-278-0899. Applications will be available to the public January 2019.

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COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

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The fencing and equipment headquar ters for stores that supply Cattle Graziers

FEATURE

HEART OF AMERICA GRAZING CONFERENCE COMES TO INDIANA JANUARY 22-23, 2019

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FERDINAND, IN – Producers interested in improving their grazing management or looking to start a grass-finished beef enterprise should consider attending the Heart of America Grazing Conference January 22 and 23 to hear from leaders in the grazing industry. The Indiana Forage Council is organizing the 2019 conference. The Heart of America Grazing Conference is an annual event that moves around the Midwest. The host site for the conference is the Ferdinand Community Center in Ferdinand, Indiana. Registration for the event will be $90 if registration is complete by December 31, 2018. Prices increase after this date. Registration information is available at www.indianaforage.org. According to Dr. Keith Johnson, “The Heart of America Grazing Conference is a great opportunity for all forage-livestock producers. This multi-state educational event brings individuals from farms, agribusinesses and education/service providers together to network with one another about how to improve grazing management systems.” Funding for the 2019 Heart of America Grazing Conference is in part from the Indiana Livestock Grant Program awarded by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

Keynote speakers include: Dr. Keith Johnson, Forage Extension Specialist, Purdue University Dr. Scott Barao, Executive Director, Jorgensen Family Foundation Dr. R.P. Cooke, owner 499 Ranch, writer Beef Producer Magazine Dr. Dennis Fennewald, Tennessee Tech University Dr. Ray Smith, Forage Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky Dr. Grant Burcham, Director, Heeke Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory Dr. Scott Flynn, Pasture and Land Management, Corteva Agrisciences Topics include: Starting a Grass-Fed Beef Operation Changing Pasture Composition through Grazing Management Grazing Technologies and Gadgets Red Clover, More than Just Nitrogen Forage Related Animal Disorders Matching Forage Resources to Livestock Stage of Production Understanding Forage Plant Growth and Rest Requirements The Ferdinand Community Center is located at 1710 Community Dr. Ferdinand, IN 47532.

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800-230-0024 / www.pasturemgmt.com COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

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FEATURE

U.S. BEEF EXPORTS REMAIN SOLID; PORK EXPORTS STILL FACING HEADWINDS U.S. beef exports remained very strong in September while pork exports continued to be impacted by retaliatory duties in China and Mexico, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Beef exports cooled from the record results posted in August, but were still significantly higher year-over-year. Pork muscle cut exports improved over last September’s volume, but were offset by sharply lower shipments of pork variety meat. September beef exports totaled 110,160 metric tons (mt), up 6 percent from a year ago, valued at $687.1 million – up 11 percent. For January through September, beef exports were just over 1 million mt, up 9 percent from a year ago, while value surged 18 percent to $6.2 billion. For beef muscle cuts only, the year-over-year

increases were even more impressive, jumping 13 percent in volume (777,740 mt) and 20 percent in value ($5.54 billion). Exports accounted for 13.7 percent of total beef production in September and 11.4 percent for muscle cuts only, up from 12.5 percent and 10.4 percent, respectively, a year ago. For the first three quarters of 2018, exports accounted for 13.5 percent of total production (up from 12.8 percent) and 11.1 percent for muscle cuts – up one full percentage point from last year. Beef export value equated to $334.63 per head of fed slaughter in September and $320.85 for January through September, each up 16 percent from a year ago. September pork export volume was down 2 percent from a year ago to 179,423 mt, while export value fell 7 percent to $470.2

million. Pork muscle cuts were 2 percent higher than a year ago at 146,542 mt, but value still declined 3 percent to $397.6 million. September variety meat exports dropped significantly in both volume (32,881 mt, down 18 percent) and value ($72.6 million, down 21 percent). For January through September, combined pork and pork variety meat exports were 1 percent above last year’s record pace at 1.81 million mt and 2 percent higher in value at $4.79 billion. For pork muscle cuts only, exports increased 6 percent from a year ago in volume (1.46 million mt), valued at just under $4 billion (up 3 percent). September exports accounted for 24.8 percent of total pork production, up from 23.6 percent a year ago. For muscle cuts only, the percentage exported was 21.8 percent – up two full percentage points from last September. For January through September, pork exports accounted for 26.1 percent of total production, down from 26.5 percent last year, but the percentage of muscle cuts exported increased from 22.1 to 22.7 percent. Export value per head slaughtered was down 1 percent from a year ago in September ($48.72) and for January through September ($52.46). “With a full quarter still to be reported,

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

beef export value records are already being surpassed in some markets and global value is on track for $8 billion by year’s end,” said USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. “Pork exports have also held up relatively well, but unfortunately the obstacles U.S. pork faces in China and Mexico are putting a lot of pressure on export value.” New value record in Korea tops beef export highlights South Korea has been the growth pacesetter for U.S. beef exports in 2018, and September was no exception. Exports to Korea were up 22 percent from a year ago in volume (19,116 mt) and were 29 percent higher in value ($143.1 million). January-September exports reached 180,495 mt, up 37 percent from a year ago, while export value soared 51 percent to $1.29 billion, already breaking last year’s full-year value record. These results included a 28 percent increase in chilled beef exports to 40,372 mt, valued at $391 million (up 38 percent). U.S. share of Korea’s total beef imports has increased sharply this year, from 44.7 to 48.7 percent, as U.S. beef underpins Korea’s growing beef consumption. September beef exports to leading market Japan were up 4 percent from a year ago in both volume (28,086 mt) and value ($172.3 million). For the first three quarters of 2018, exports to Japan were up 7 percent from a year ago in volume (252,871 mt) while value increased 10 percent to $1.59 billion. Chilled beef exports to Japan were down 1 percent to 111,908 mt, but value still climbed 7 percent to $895 million. On a value basis, the U.S. is the top supplier to Japan with

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46.8 percent of imports, up slightly from the first three quarters of 2017. But on a volume basis, U.S. beef accounted for just under 42 percent of total imports, down from 43 percent in the same period last year and trailing Australia’s 48.6 percent share. With the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) set to enter into force Dec. 30, the tariff advantage enjoyed by Australian beef will be extended to all of U.S. beef’s major competitors in Japan with another duty reduction on April 1, the start of Japan’s fiscal year. For January through September, other highlights for U.S. beef exports include: Beef exports to Taiwan were up 32 percent from a year ago in volume (43,539 mt), while value reached $403.8 million – up 36 percent and just short of last year’s annual record of $409.7 million. Chilled exports to Taiwan were up 29 percent in volume (17,523 mt) and 36 percent in value ($221 million), as the United States captured 75 percent of Taiwan’s chilled beef market – the highest market share of any Asian destination.

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Exports to Mexico were up 1 percent from a year ago in volume (177,906 mt) and 8 percent higher in value ($783.1 million). With a strong fourth quarter, exports to Mexico should top $1 billion for the first time since 2015. After slowing in the summer months, beef exports to China/Hong Kong rebounded in September (10,076 mt valued at $82 million). This pushed JanuarySeptember results 6 percent higher than a year ago in volume (89,660 mt) and 28 percent higher in value ($720.8 million). This included exports to China of 5,114 mt valued at $44.2 million. A strong performance in the Philippines and solid growth in Vietnam pushed beef exports to the ASEAN region 13 percent ahead of last year’s pace in volume (33,924 mt) and 25 percent higher in value ($186.6 million). Strong September results pushed exports to South Africa 8 percent higher year-over-year in volume (11,508 mt), while value jumped 28 percent to $11.7 million. Exports to Angola also increased significantly in both volume (2,643 mt, up 15 percent) and value ($3.6 million, up 45 percent). Exports to Africa (which do not include Egypt) were down 8 percent in volume (16,880 mt) but still increased 8 percent in value ($18.9 million).

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

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FORAGES

PLANNED GRAZING REQUIRES A PLAN!!! CHRIS D. TEUTSCH UK Research and Education Center at Princeton

chris.teutsch@uky.edu

and put it on your refrigerator where it can refresh your memory on daily basis.

Sometimes in life we find ourselves barreling forward without much of a plan. This often gives us a false sense of making progress. In reality, it is very difficult to get somewhere if you don’t know where you are going. Grazing systems are no different, without clear objectives, a knowledge of your resources, and a plan on how to use those resources to achieve those objectives, it is very difficult to make meaningful progress. The objective of this article is to help you start the process of planning and implementing an improved grazing system.

Example of a goal statement:

STEP 1: Set a Goal(s) It would be ludicrous to get into a car and just start driving without any idea of where you going. The same holds true for grazing systems. You need to answer the question “What do I want to accomplish?” There are really no wrong or right answers. You have to decide what you want out of an improved grazing system. While we tend to focus on production/economic related goals, I think it is important to consider lifestyle goals also. Here are some examples of possible goals: • Reduce hay feeding days • Increase stocking rate • Reduce the cost of producing a calf or gaining a pound of weight • Improve weaning weight • Reduce the amount of work that you need to do • Improve your herd genetics • Increase conception rates • Strengthen your sod • Spend more time with the grandkids • Protect your soil and water resources • And the list goes on… Once you decide on the goals that are important to you, it is crucial to write them down in a carefully crafted goal statement that reflects where you want to go. This will help you decide how to most effectively use the resources that you have. Once you have this statement, DO NOT file it away, but rather print it out 20

“We want to implement a rotational stocking system that will allow us to feed less hay, maintain good body condition in our cattle herd, protect our soil and water resources, and allow us time to attend our children’s extracurricular activities.” STEP 2: Inventory Resources Once you understand where you want to go, you then need to figure out how to get there. This process starts by inventorying the resources that you have to work with. This may include your soils, soil fertility, forage base, fencing, water sources and locations, cattle genetics, available labor, and so on. By inventorying your resources, you can begin to understand your limitations and what changes would have the greatest impact on overall productivity. For example, investing in improved animal genetics would be meaningless if you don’t have the forage resources that would allow those genetics to be expressed. The following list is some of the resources that are especially important in grazing systems: Soils and soil fertility. Not all soils are created equal. Deep, well drained, fertile soils have a much higher yield potential than shallow soils with a high percentage of rock fragments. You can learn more about the soils on your farm using USDA-NRCS Web Soil Survey or by visiting your local extension office or soil and water conservation district. It is important to remember that forage production even on very good soils can be severely reduced by low soil fertility. The best way to determine soil fertility levels is to get a soil test. In general, we want to maintain soil pH between 6.2 and 6.4 and phosphorus and potassium levels in the medium+ to high range. Your local extension agent can provide you with more information on soil testing and help you to interpret the results. Forage base. The type of forage species that you have on your farm can impact both forage productivity and availability during the summer and winter months. For example, a forage system based solely on cool-season grasses and legumes will have great production during the spring COW COUNTRY •

Figure 1: Cool-season grass growth curve for Western Kentucky

Proportion of Annual Growth

“A goal without a plan is just a wish”, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Lyons, France

and fall, but limited growth during the summer (Figure 1). In this case, adding a warm-season grass could greatly improve summer grazing capacity. Water resources. Access to water is often a major factor restricting the use of rotational grazing. Understanding what your existing water resources are and how they can be developed to support improved grazing management is crucial. Your best local resources for designing and installing improved watering systems is your local Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). Even if you do not want to participate in programs that would provide financial assistance to install improved watering systems, the NRCS and SWCD will provide you with technical assistance at no cost. Fencing resources. Fence in a rotational grazing system is simply a tool to manage grazing. Most farms will have some type of an established perimeter fence. One of the most cost-effective fencing practices is to install a single electrified wire 30 inches above the ground on the inside of the perimeter fence. What this does is provides you with the opportunity to subdivide large pastures into smaller ones using temporary fence posts and polywire (Figure 2). Temporary fencing is a powerful tool for improving grazing

DECEMBER

2018

management. Forage productivity. Forage productivity is sum of your soils, soil fertility, forage species, and grazing management plus rainfall. It is important to realize that as management increases in your grazing system, so will productivity. Poorly managed pasture may only yield 1-2 ton DM/A/year, while those same pastures under improved management could yield 4 or more ton DM/A/year. So, when you are planning a grazing system, plan for the both the present and the future productivity. STEP 3: Determine Forage Balance To determine your forage balance, you will need to know how much forage that you need and how much your pastures are capable of producing. To determine your forage requirements, you will need do a little simple math. For these calculations we need to know the weight and number of animals that we are feeding and their expected dry matter intake as a percent of body weight. For example, you have 100 brood cows that weigh 1200 lb/cow and four bulls that weigh 1500 lb/bull. All are eating on average 2.5% of their body weight each day. So, to determine their annual dry matter requirements you can use the following formula: DM Required Annually = 100 cows x 1200 lb/cow + 4 bulls x 1500 lb/bull) x

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to waste pasture resources due to lower utilization rates and decrease overall profitability. Stocking rates that are set too high tend to have low individual animal performance and low output per acre (Figure 2). These stocking rates tend to be unprofitable because neither the pasture nor the animals are productive. The goal in setting sustainable stocking rates is to find the “sweet spot” where animal performance is good and output per acre is optimized. In Kentucky and other transition zone states, feeding no hay is not normally the most profitable model. Our economists have found that around 60 days of hay feeding usually results in the greatest net return. However, it is important to note that the economics of hay feeding and grazing are NOT static, but rather change as the price of hay and grazing change.

2.5%/100 x 365 days = 1,149,750 lb DM Now we will calculate our forage supply. We will assume our pasture productivity is 3 ton/A or 6,000 lb DM/A. We also need to assume a seasonal utilization rate for the available forage. In most cases seasonal utilization rates range from 40 to 70% and increase as length of the grazing period decreases. In our example we have 225 acres of pasture and a seasonal utilization rate of 60%. Using the following formula, we can calculate the amount of forage available to graze. Available Forage = (6,000 lb DM/A x 60% utilization rate/100) x 225 A = 810,000 lb DM Our forage balance is calculated by subtracting the available DM from the required DM. In this case we have a deficit of 339,750 lb DM. This deficit will need to be made up with hay and supplements. Or we could improve pasture production through better management of our pasture resources. This deficit would translate into around 110 days of hay feeding.

Stocking Rate Example: 100-1200 lb cows and 4-1500 lb bulls Pastures yield 6000 lb DM/A/year Seasonal utilization rate is 60% Hay Feeding period is 60 days Grazing period is 305 days

What we have not yet taken into account is the forage distribution. In the case of cool-season pastures, more forage is produced in the spring when we are unable to utilize it and less in the summer when we really need it. Therefore, our forage deficit may be even larger, if we do not have warm-season grasses in our system.

Forage Requirements from Pasture = ((100 cows x 1200 lb/cow + 4 bulls x 1500 lb/bull) x 2.5%/100) x 305 days of grazing = 960,750 lb Pasture Required in acres = 960,750 lb / (6,000 lb DM/A x 60% utilization rate/100) = 267 A of pasture or 2.67 acres/cow

Step 4: Setting a Stocking Rate for Your Farm

In my experience, a stocking rate of 2.67 acres/cow-calf is about right if you want to have an extended grazing season. If you are on good soils with good fertility and high level of grazing management, then 2 acres/cow-calf may be sustainable.

Stocking rates that are set too low tend to have the highest production per animal, but lowest production per acre (Figure 3). These stocking rates tend

FORAGE MANAGEMENT TIPS •

Begin grazing stockpiled pastures.

•

Graze pastures with clover first.

•

Save pure stands of stockpiled tall fescue for later grazing.

•

Strip graze tall fescue, allocating only enough grass for 2-3 days.

•

Feed a little hay to extend stockpile.

•

Test hay that will be fed this winter to determine if and how much supplementation will be needed.

•

Prepare to frost-seed clover in February. Soil test, select a variety, source seed, check and calibrate spreader.

•

Make plans to attend the Forages at KCA session on January 18, 2018.

•

If you missed the KFGC Fall Grazing Conferences, watch the videos on the KYForages YouTube Channel (http://bit.ly/2ThuIpo)

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

Figure 2. Relationship between stocking rate, individual animal performance, output per unit area. Adapted from G.O. Mott. p. 606-11. Proc. 8th Int. Grassland Cong., Reading England.

If your soils are not great but have ok fertility, and your managing grazing but not intensively, then 3 acres/cow is about right. As you creep below 2 acres/ cow-calf, your hay feeding period will tend to increase and in most cost cases longer hay feeding periods are negatively related to profitability. We plan for “average” years and we don’t often have an average year. When I was at Virginia Tech, our Ag Economist use to say that an average is like having one foot

in a bucket of ice cold water and the other in a bucket of scolding hot water, on average you are comfortable, but it hurts like hell! One of the most important things to build into a grazing system is the flexibility to respond to changes. It could be a drought or a flood or changes in the market. The point is that having the ability to respond to those changes in a timely fashion can often be the difference between making a profit or not!

FEATURED EVENT

FEATURED VIDEO

American Forage and Grassland Council Annual Conference “Forages Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow” St Louis, MO, January 6-9, 2019 More information can be found at http://bit.ly/2PGxTVa

This month’s featured video is: “2018 Forage Spokesperson: Winner: Ann Bays”. It can be found on the KYForages YouTube Channel. http://bit.ly/2ThuIpo

Forages at the KCA “The Dollars and Sense of Grazing” Where: Owensboro, KY When: January 18, 2019 More information can be found at https://kycattle.org/convention.html Heart of America Grazing Conference Ferdinand, Indiana, January 22-23 More information can be found at http://bit.ly/2FqPkIV Kentucky Alfalfa & Stored Forage Conference Lexington, KY, February 21, 2019 More information can be found at http://bit.ly/2DH6nVk

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FEATURED PUBLICATION

This month’s featured publication is: “Rotational Grazing”. By Ray Smith, Garry Lacefield, Roy Burris, David Ditsch, Bob Coleman, Jeff Lehmkuhler, and Jimmy Henning. You can access it via the link below or by visiting your local extension office. http://bit.ly/2RW7Ee1

ECONOMIC & POLICY UPDATE

OCTOBER WASDE OFFERS MIXED OPTIMISM AND PESSIMISM FOR 2018-19 GRAIN PRICES Todd Davis

In the May Economic and Policy Update, my column suggested that prices for corn, soybeans, and wheat could improve if the U.S. growing season produced crops closer to trend yields and if use remained strong. The market fundamentals in May seem like the distant past given forecasts of record corn and soybean yields signaling another year with large crops. Trade uncertainty with China is providing a double-whammy for the already stressed soybean market. The current market fundamentals offer a mixed bag of optimism and pessimism. Let’s look at the price potential for corn, soybeans, and wheat for the 2018-19 marketing year. USDA projects corn planted and harvested area to be down by 1.1 and 0.9 million acres, respectively, from the 2017 crop. The surprise in the corn market is the projected record yield of 180.7 bushels/acre. If realized, the U.S. corn crop of 14.78 billion bushels could be 174 million bushels larger than last year’s crop. The smaller carryin for corn mostly offsets this increased production; however, the 2018-19 corn supply is currently projected to be a record

16.97 billion bushels (Table 1).

only 45 million bushels larger due to the smaller carry-in and reduced imports.

USDA projects total corn use to increase by 362 million bushels over 2017 with feed and industrial use leading the demand increase. Corn exports remain strong at 2.48 billion bushels and may increase further due to production problems in Europe. USDA projects corn stocks to decline by 327 million bushels to 1.8 billion bushels. This reduction in stocks is projected to increase the U.S. marketingyear average farm price to $3.50 per bushel (Table 1).

USDA also projects wheat use to increase from last year with exports leading the demand growth. Global production problems are providing an exporting opportunity for the U.S. in 2018. USDA projects wheat stocks to fall to the tightest relative surplus since 2014. Tightening stocks will support higher prices with the U.S. marketing-year average farm price projected at $5.10/bushel (Table 1). The pessimism resides in the soybean market. Planted and harvested area declined by 1 and 1.2 million acres from 2017. USDA is surprising farmers and analysts with a projected yield of 53.1 bushels/acre. If realized, the 2018 soybean yield and production would be a record. USDA projects the soybean supply to be 5.15 billion bushels, which is a 419 million bushel increase over 201718.

USDA’s projections also provide a more optimistic story for wheat than in recent memory. Wheat planted and harvested area increased by 1.8 and 2.1 million acres, respectively, from 2017. Still, the wheat seeded area is still down 7.2 million acres from the 2015 crop. This reduction in the planted area the last three years has allowed wheat stocks to decline gradually and to support higher prices. The 2018 wheat crop is projected to be 144 million bushels larger than last year’s crop, but total wheat supply is

USDA projects soybean use to be 28 million bushels less than last year with

exports driving the reduced demand. Exports are currently projected to be 69 million bushels less than last year. However, the tariff war with China has caused new supply chains to form, which creates greater uncertainty about this projection as new trading relationships are forming. USDA projects soybean ending stocks to grow to a record 885 million bushels. If realized, soybean stocks-to-use ratio will be the largest since the 1986-87 marketing-year. The U.S. marketingyear average farm price is projected at $8.60/bushel, which is down $0.73/ bushel from last year. The corn and wheat fundamentals have an optimistic story to tell of the potential for even larger exports that will reduce stocks further than projected. The soybean market fundamentals will be improved with a resolution of the trade dispute with China. Any production problem in South America will also help a beleaguered U.S. soybean market.

Table 1: Consolidated Corn, Soybean and Wheat Balance Sheets for the 2018-19 Marketing Year

Corn

Change from 2017-18

Soybeans

Change from 2017-18

Wheat

Change from 2017-18

Million Bushels Beginning Stocks

2,140

-153

438

+136

1,099

-82

Production

14,778

+174

4,690

+278

1,884

+144

Imports

+14

140

-17

Total Supply

16,968

+34

5,153

+419

3,123

+45

Domestic Use

12,680

+324

2,207

+40

1,142

+65

Exports

2,475

+37

2,060

-69

1,025

+124

Total Use

15,155

+362

4,268

-28

2,167

+60

Ending Stocks

1,813

-327

885

+447

956

-143

Days of Stocks

-9

+38

161

-42

$3.50

+0.14

$8.60

-$0.73

$5.10

+$0.38

U.S. Avg Farm Price

Source: October 2018 WASDE - USDA:WAOB The Agricultural Economics Department publishes the Economic and Policy Update towards the end of each month.  Each issue features articles written by extension personnel within the department and other experts across the country.

COW COUNTRY •

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

DECEMBER

2018

You can also view current and past issues online at https://bit.ly/2PoHsZj Co-editors: Kenny Burdine, Alison Davis, and Greg Halich

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

ECONOMIC & POLICY UPDATE

FEEDER CATTLE MARKET CONTINUES TO HOLD STEADY Kenneth Burdine $180

Figure 1: 550# Medium & Large Frame #1-2 Steers KY Auction Prices ($ per cwt)

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2010-2017

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NOV

2018

$170 $160 $150 $140 $130 $120 $110 $100

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Sometimes it’s necessary to step back and access where the market is, without getting distracted with the constant changes that are happening on a daily basis. If you had asked me this time last year, how I thought fall 2018 cattle prices would compare to fall 2017, I would have very quickly told you that I thought price levels would be lower in 2018. The primary reason for this expectation was supply. Those increased supply expectations have come to fruition, but prices have largely held near last year’s levels.

production is forecast by USDA to be up by 2.9%, 3.3%, and 2.2%, respectively, for 2018. Holding everything else constant, this is typically a recipe for lower prices. But, the market has largely absorbed these production increases. Part of the reason has been strong export levels. Despite some trade barriers that have been in place since summer, beef exports have been above 2017 levels all year. This, coupled with a relatively strong US economy, has largely supported beef prices, and in turn cattle prices.

While production forecasts have evolved throughout the year, production levels of all major meats have been moderately higher for 2018. Beef, pork, and broiler

The graph above depicts state average price levels for Medium and Large Frame 550 lb feeder steers in Kentucky

JUL

AUG

SEP

auction markets. In addition to what was mentioned previously, calf markets have also benefited from good fall forage growth, which has spread fall calf runs out more than usual. When this article was written, I just had three weeks of October prices to include, but I did go ahead and include October in the chart. You will notice about a $3 per cwt drop in prices from September to October, which puts October 2018 prices within $0.50 per cwt of October 2017. In many ways, I have actually been more surprised by how high heavy feeder cattle prices have been. A lot of large groups of 800-900 lb steers are still moving in the

DEC

$150’s and I would make an important point that applies very often in the fall. Heavy feeders moving now, are still being sold based on spring CME© Live Cattle futures prices. At the time this was written (October 23, 2018), April CME© Live Cattle futures were trading at about an $8 premium over the June contract. As we move towards the end of the year, June will become the driver of our heavy feeder cattle market, rather than April. And, unless something else fundamentally changes in the market, the current prices levels are likely to be unsustainable for heavy feeders as their expected sale price when they come off feed will be much lower.

AG TRADE UPDATE William Snell, Kenneth Burdine, Todd Davis

Trade continues to be a hot political (and economic) topic for U.S./Kentucky agriculture during fall harvest and the upcoming mid-term elections. Despite all the trade rhetoric this past year, coupled with a strengthening U.S. dollar, USDA is projecting U.S. agricultural export value to increase 3% in FY 2018 (+ $4.3 billion to $144.5 billion) on the heels of strong corn (+14%), and meat exports (beef +16%, poultry +8%, dairy +5% and pork (+3%) exports, offsetting lower

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

soybeans exports (-7%). Trade accounts for approximately 1/3 of the value of U.S/Kentucky agricultural production so trade tensions/losses are a real concern, especially in a depressed farm income/ price environment. What about the U.S. Mexico, Canada Trade Agreement? U.S. agriculture welcomed the news of the recent trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Mexico and Canada have consistently been among the top three foreign markets for U.S. agriculture. Under NAFTA, tariffs for most agricultural commodities/products were reduced to zero, which propelled U.S. ag exports to our southern and northern neighbors to increase from less than $9 billion prior to NAFTA’s passage in 1993 to nearly $40 billion in recent years. Collectively, Mexico and Canada represent the largest export market for U.S. corn,

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wheat, beef, poultry, and pork and accounts for nearly 30% of total U.S. agricultural exports. In reality, the USMCA (if ratified) will not likely result in a significant boost in U.S/Kentucky ag exports to Mexico and Canada in the short-term, but the agreement may offset the fears of these neighboring markets seeking CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

alternative suppliers amidst the trade dispute, and thus prevented an erosion of exports to this important trading region if the trade tensions had lingered. Under USMCA, most agricultural tariffs established under NAFTA will remain at zero, but the retaliatory Canadian tariffs placed on some U.S. beef products and the Mexican tariffs placed on U.S. pork (among other ag products) remain in effect. The latter is pretty significant 160

as nearly one-third of US pork exports go to Mexico. Still USMCA may be a step towards removing these retaliatory tariffs on U.S. meats and other U.S. ag products. In general, pork markets are move heavily impacted by trade barriers as a much larger share of our domestic pork production is exported than our domestic beef production. In 2017, 22% of U.S. pork production was exported, while around 11% of U.S. beef production was exported. The United States will see some additional

access to Canadian dairy markets under USMCA, but Canada’s dairy supply management system largely remains. In addition to dairy, the USMCA will bring about additional access for U.S. poultry/ eggs, and wines entering Canada. The USMCA should preserve important grains and oilseeds markets. USDAFAS data ranks Mexico and Canada as the first and third largest importer of U.S. grains and feedstuffs, respectively. Similarly, Mexico and Canada are the second and third largest importer of

oilseeds. The agreement should open the Canadian wheat market to the U.S. as the Canadian system graded U.S. milling quality wheat as feed grade in Canada. The agreement also provides sciencebased sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures to address agricultural biotechnology and gene editing to reduce SPS imposed trade barriers, which U.S. trade officials hope is a model for future trade agreements.

U.S. Ag Exports Forecast to Increase in FY 2018

140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

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Silver Stream Shelters 30’ x 70’ Double Truss Pipe & Rachet Regularly Priced: $8,200 On sale for: $5,500 (Limit 10 Sheds) 30 X 72 Single Steele Rope Tie $3995.00 *Twice as strong as single steel

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

FEATURE

WHY DEVELOP BREEDING STOCK ON GRASS? Debby Dulworth

Baby calves raised on pasture with their mothers begin learning early in life from the cows how to forage. They graze side by side with Mom as they grow, often eating from the same spot, so they develop a taste for what their mothers choose. When young calves learn to rely on a bucket, a trough, or a creep feeder, they are not as fully prepared to forage on their own. They can easily learn to be ‘picky eaters,’ and they are less likely to learn to take full advantage of the wide range of grasses, legumes, forbs, vines and browse available to them in diverse year-around grazing paddocks. All of those forages—even many of the varieties we humans might consider to be weeds-have different nutritive properties. Left to their own devices, with less human interference and daily moves to new pasture, cattle can learn to graze what is best for them, as well as to avoid those plants that might be toxic or dangerous.

In a mob-grazing situation like the one we use here to train our young stock, growing calves must compete with many other animals for a limited amount of grass, and are usually moved with the herd daily. Our breeding stock calves have all been developed while running with their mothers, in a mob of well over a hundred young cows, yearling heifers and steers, and baby calves.

fat pretty young heifers and stocky yearling bulls that bring inflated prices at auction, and but it is a good situation for doing all of the following things:

In our herd, calves generally stay with their dams for longer than the usual average 205-day period before being weaned at about eight to ten months. As they grow, they learn to forage ahead of the herd, creep-grazing the best forages, taking advantage of what their mothers have taught them.

3. weeding out the cattle that are not the best-adapted to foraging for a living; and

When they’re too big to slip under the single hotwire, they learn to compete, to hustle to find the good stuff before it’s all gone. No, mob-grazing isn’t always or reliably the best situation for producing

1. training young cattle to be good foragers in the very real world of the pasture; 2. teaching calves to adapt to difficult weather and forage situations;

and in the land that supports them • Many fewer digestive problems like scours, acidosis, founder and bloat • More adaptability to stress and bad weather conditions • Better soundness overall, from the ground up • Greater longevity, for both bulls and cows • The possibility for easier and more convenient fence-line weaning

4. producing heifers and bull calves that will grow up to be the most fertile and productive cows and herd sires over the long term.

• Bulls are ready to work without a letdown period

Even though it may seem more demanding for the breeder, the ultimate economic advantages of raising breeding stock on forages far outweigh the disadvantages:

• And yes, steers can stay home and graze until they are finished, and can bring premium prices as all-natural premium grass-finished beef.

• Heifers breed when they’re ready, not before.

• Natural fertility—both in the animals

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COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

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FEATURE

WHEN TO INTERVENE IN DELIVERY OF A CALF MICHELLE ARNOLD DVM-Ruminant Extension Veterinarian, University of Kentucky

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

Percentage of Operations by Average Number of Hours Heifers and Cows Were Normally Allowed to Labor Before Assistance was Given Heifers 40 Cows

32.0

13.1

15.9

13.1 10

2. In the case of heifers, intervene one hour after appearance of the water bag. 3. If a cow or heifer has been in Stage 1 (restless, kicking at belly, wringing tail, seeking isolation) for 2-6 hours but does not progress to active straining, intervention is indicated. Cows should progress to Stage 2 more quickly than heifers.

8.5

After the cow or heifer is checked COW COUNTRY •

6.2

7.8

9.3

11.6

1. In the case of mature cows, intervene if either the water bag or feet have been evident for 2 hours with little or no progress. Or, if the cow has pushed hard for 30 minutes but the calf has not moved, assistance is needed.

According to the NAHMS 20072008 beef study, nearly 50 percent of operations allowed cows to labor 3 or

Frequent monitoring of the calving process is important in order to identify

34.3

Calving management, including supervision and intervention, is critical to minimize or prevent calf losses. It has generally been recommended to intervene during Stage 2 (active labor) of calving when the feet of the fetus have been visible for two hours (“two feettwo hours rule”) but the cow is making no progress. However, some experts have challenged this rule because of the uncertainty or confusion of when to start the clock ticking. The onset of Stage 2 labor has multiple definitions including: 1) appearance of the amniotic sac (“water bag”) at the vulva, 2) rupture of the allantoic/amniotic sac (the water bag breaks), or 3) appearance of feet at the vulva. Numerous studies have proven that the total time allowed for Stage 2 should be 2 hours or less provided the fetus is in a normal position. A recent (2011) study demonstrated that assisting cows at 80 minutes after the appearance of the water bag clearly decreased the risk of stillbirth. The recommendation to intervene in calf delivery from the specialists at the University of Kentucky is:

vaginally, then a decision for further action such as forced extraction or caesarean section can be made with a reasonable chance of delivering a live calf.

21.2

One of the most critical factors to prevent difficult calving occurs long before the due date. Good nutrition for the pregnant female, especially adequate energy and protein in her diet, are essential for newborn vitality. A cow that loses weight in the last 1-2 months prior to calving will be slow to deliver her calf and produce colostrum of poor quality and quantity. If the calf is not strong at birth, it may be unable or unwilling to get up and suckle colostrum in a timely manner. A normal calf should be standing within 30 minutes of calving and nursing within 30 minutes of standing. Early colostrum intake (within 6 hours of birth) is essential for efficient transfer of immunoglobulins (antibodies), energy, and regulation of body temperature. Not receiving enough colostrum shortly after birth will also affect a calf’s long term health status (greater risk of disease and death) and

lifetime productivity (decreased overall average daily gain). A weak calf is at much higher risk for infections the longer it is lying down with its navel in contact with the ground, especially in wet or muddy conditions.

27.2

Perinatal Mortality (PM) is a veterinary phrase referring to death of a full-term calf shortly before, during, or within 24-48 hours after birth. This includes “stillbirth”, when a newborn calf never takes the first breath. Many genetic and non-genetic factors have been identified but dystocia (a difficult or abnormal calving) is consistently identified as the primary cause of perinatal mortality. In addition, dystocia may contribute to death of an older calf due to internal injuries sustained at birth, lack of oxygen to the brain during delivery, or failure of passive transfer of antibodies from colostrum. Dystocia rates vary among cattle populations; considerable differences exist among the cattle breeds as well as among individual herds. Maternal, fetal, environmental, and management factors influence the mortality rate during calving season. Many of these factors are beyond the control of a producer such as parity (number of calves the cow has already had), presence of twins, and abnormal fetal presentation such as a backwards or breech calf. However, many risk factors can be controlled by the farm manager to decrease the incidence of weak or stillborn calves.

more hours before assistance was given, and almost 40 percent of operations allowed heifers to labor an average of 3 or more hours. Interestingly, the same study reported calves born dead accounted for 44% of all calf death loss during the first 6 months of 2008. An additional 13% died in the first 24 hours after birth. This information highlights how critical the birthing process and early post-partum period are for calf survival.

DECEMBER

5 to 6

7 or more

Average Number Hours 2018

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FEATURE

THE ESOPHAGEAL FEEDER – A LIFE-SAVING TOOL FOR CALVES MICHELLE ARNOLD DVM-Ruminant Extension Veterinarian, University of Kentucky

“Failure of passive transfer” of immunity (also called “FPT”) occurs when a calf fails to absorb an adequate quantity and quality of immunoglobulin prior to closure of the intestine that occurs at approximately 24 hours after birth. FPT has been linked with increased calf morbidity (sickness), mortality (death), and a reduction in calf growth rate and feed efficiency. It is estimated that of the calf deaths occurring in the first 3 weeks of life, approximately a third are due to inadequate colostrum intake. Early and adequate consumption of high quality colostrum is considered the single most important management factor in determining health and survival of the neonatal calf. There are 4 key factors (the 4 Q’s) that contribute to the goal of successful passive transfer of immunity: 1. Quality: Feeding high quality colostrum with a high immunoglobulin concentration (>50 g/L of IgG) or use of a good quality powdered colostrum replacer (not a supplement); 2. Quantity: Feeding an adequate volume (4 quarts to Holsteins; 3 quarts to smaller breeds) of colostrum; 3. Quickly: Feeding colostrum promptly after birth (within 1-2 hours and by 6 hours maximum); 4. Quietly: Passing the tube too quickly may result in damage to the laryngeal area and passage into the trachea and lungs. Keeping the calf calm minimizes the risk of aspiration pneumonia. The esophageal feeder is a tool designed to deliver colostrum when a calf is unwilling or unable to nurse. The inability to nurse may be due to a variety of causes. The process of calving may result in oxygen deprivation to the brain for a prolonged period of time, bruising, and occasionally broken bones. An extended period in the birth canal can result in a swollen head and a swollen tongue that cannot suckle. Exceptionally cold weather may contribute to delayed nursing. Large teats may be COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

difficult for a calf to suckle. Regardless of the reason, colostrum delivery can be accomplished quickly and safely with an esophageal feeder if proper technique is followed. The steps involved in using an esophageal feeder are as follows: 1. Prior to tubing the calf, examine the feeder to make sure it is clean and undamaged. 2. The length of the tube and the size of the calf will dictate how far the tube should be inserted. Compare the tube length to the distance between the mouth of the calf and the point of the shoulder. This is the approximate distance the tube should be inserted. 3. The calf should be standing if possible. Place its rear end into a corner and hold its head between your knees. If the calf won’t stand, at least sit it up on its sternum (breastbone) and hold the head between your legs. 4. To insure that no fluid runs into the mouth of the calf that could be inhaled in the lungs, either kink the plastic tubing or clamp it off during passage. 5. Moisten the end of the feeder (the ball) with colostrum to make it slippery.

(or windpipe) is firm and has ridges of cartilage all along its length. The esophageal feeder tube in the throat is firm but smooth. 9. Administer the colostrum by raising the bag above the calf and allowing the fluid to flow by gravity. Never squeeze the bag to hurry the process. The calf will begin to move (and vocalize) when it feels pressure as the rumen fills. The amount of colostrum needed depends on the size of the calf. Holsteins can readily handle a gallon while smaller beef breeds need approximately 2 quarts. Do not remove the tube until the fluid has had time to empty into the rumen. 10. Again, kink the plastic tube or use a clamp before pulling the tube out in one swift motion. 11. Immediately wash the tube and feeder in hot, soapy water. Follow with a chlorine and hot water rinse in order to remove the film of fat and protein that adheres to the inside of the feeder. If not properly cleaned and disinfected, you risk inoculating bacteria directly into the intestinal tract when a calf is

most vulnerable to infections. 12. Keep the feeder in good repair-change them when they begin to show any signs of wear. Esophageal feeders come in a range of sizes and designs, depending on whether to be used in calves, yearlings or adult cows. The calf esophageal feeder generally consists of a plastic pouch or bottle which holds the colostrum with an attaching plastic or stainless steel tube and a ball or bulb on the end. In the past it was thought that feeding smaller volumes of colostrum by a nipple was best because it stimulated closure of the esophageal groove and absorption of immunoglobulins was increased if the rumen was bypassed. It is now understood that there is no difference in absorption when colostrum is administered by esophageal feeder because the colostrum quickly spills out of the rumen into the abomasum. Ultimately, 48-hour serum immunoglobulin concentrations were found to be no different in bottle-fed or tubed calves. In summary, learning to use an esophageal feeder may mean the difference in life or death to a newborn calf. Esophageal feeders can also be used to administer vital electrolytes to scouring calves if reluctant to nurse a bottle. Videos are available on U-tube that show the process https://youtu.be/ndj8O7_j6j8 or https://youtu.be/GLHOe6xInJg but your veterinarian is the best resource to teach the proper technique for passing a tube correctly and safely.

6. Stimulate the calf to open its mouth by putting pressure on the gums or pressing on the roof of the mouth with your fingers. Do not hold the nose up; keep the nose below the ears to reduce the risk of trauma to the back of the throat. 7. Gently insert the tube into the mouth over the top of the calf’s tongue. When the rounded end hits the back of the tongue where there is a ridge, the calf should swallow. Wait patiently until the calf swallows then slide the tube gently down the esophagus. 8. Prior to administering the colostrum, check that you feel the tube in the esophagus on the left side of the calf’s neck. You should feel two tube-like structures in the neck. The trachea

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

calving problems early. Since the time from appearance/rupture of the sac to appearance of the feet is variable and sometimes may not even occur, it is essential to check cows frequently to identify those experiencing extended or difficult labor. Checking cows every 3 hours is recommended to help early identification of dystocia. Realistically, checking cows at least twice daily and three times per day for heifers may be a more workable schedule. One simple way to make this task easier is to feed cows daily at dusk. A study in Iowa found that 85% of the calves were born during daylight hours when cows were fed in the evening rather than morning. In addition to length of time in labor, the quality of contractions should also be monitored as it may indicate malposition of the fetus, a twin birth, or a metabolic problem. Poor contractions are due to primary or secondary uterine inertia, which simply means her uterus is no longer working to push the calf out. Primary causes include conditions such as low blood concentrations of calcium and magnesium, old age, or preterm delivery. Secondary uterine inertia is seen with fatigue of the uterine muscles such as in a prolonged attempt to deliver a malpositioned calf or twins. When a calf is presenting correctly, you should observe two hooves facing down and a nose on top of the legs. If the nose is not visible (head turned back) or a nose with one or no hooves (leg or legs back), immediate intervention is necessary. If the calf is presenting backwards (two hooves with the pads up), pulling the calf will increase its chances of survival as these calves take a longer time to be delivered naturally. A breech birth (tail first) or uterine torsion is difficult to visually diagnose; if there are no active contractions or no visualization of the feet, she should be checked for a problem.

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Many calf losses are attributed to a delay in receiving assistance or the amount of

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difficulty and time required to remove the calf. Knowing when intervention is required and when to call for professional veterinary assistance can greatly increase the calf’s chance of survival. If you don’t know what the problem is call a veterinarian. If you know the problem but you have been unsuccessful correcting it after 30 minutes of trying, call a veterinarian. Losses can be prevented by good supervision and quick intervention when needed. Signs of reduced vitality in the neonate include peripheral edema (swelling of the head and tongue), scleral hemorrhages (bloodshot eyes), yellow staining of the hair coat, cyanosis of the mucous membranes (blue color to gums), or reduced responsiveness to stimulation. When observed, these are strong indicators that intervention is required. Early intervention is the key; not only does it increase the chance of survival for the calf, but it also greatly increases the chance for the cow to rebreed.

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COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

FEATURE

STATE BEEF COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES EXPLORE 2019 BEEF CHECKOFF EFFORTS AT FEDERATION EVENT

Paying high costs in freight, shrink and commissions when selling your livestock?

Our team can help you put more money in YOUR pocket! Representatives of beef councils in 27 states, including the Kentucky Beef Council, attended the Partnerships in Action Conference Oct. 9-11 to learn more about the national 2019 Beef Checkoff Program of Work and discuss ways those efforts could be expanded in Kentucky and across the country. Seventy-eight state staff representatives attended the event, which was held near Denver in the offices of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program. The checkoff 2019 fiscal year for the national program and for the KBC began Oct. 1. Attending from the KBC were Alison Smith, Kiah Twisselman, Katelyn Hawkins and Niki Ellis. Among PIA items of discussion were elements of the “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” brand and web site, including the “Rethink the Ranch” effort to celebrate and highlight the people who raise beef and bring it to market. New technology to help deliver beef nutrition information, culinary inspiration and recipes to consumers and promotions on social media platforms and in other places consumers and influencers are plentiful were also topics of interest. “We always come away from these COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

conferences with great ideas for making our Beef Checkoff Program broader and more efficient,” according to Kiah Twisselman, KBC Director of Consumer Affairs. “In addition, we’re able to share the unique programs we’re conducting in our state with other state councils, and gain ideas and inspiration for new programs in Kentucky from those states. It’s a way for us to start the national fiscal year on the same page and with fresh, reinforced energy.” The PIA is checkoff-funded and coordinated by the Federation of State Beef Councils, which is supported by, and provides support to, the Kentucky Beef Council and other state beef councils. The Federation was established in 1963 by grassroots producers around the country as a more concerted and focused effort to conduct national beef research and promotion programs. The KBC was established in 1976. The Federation of State Beef Councils is a division of NCBA, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program. The mandatory $1-per-head national Beef Checkoff Program was created by an act of congress in 1985 and is administered by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, with oversight provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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FEATURE

STUNG BY TRADE WARS Humeyra Pamuk, Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. soybean farmer Mike Schlosser does not expect President Donald Trump’s trade war with China, the single biggest headwind to his business, to end any time soon. But he is among many in farm country who expect at least some good news this year - in the form of a new Farm Bill. Congress comes back on Tuesday for the lame-duck session after Democrats in last week’s mid-term elections gained control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Lawmakers have said passing the critical piece of agricultural legislation is their highest priority. That would provide some comfort to farmers who for the past several months have been crushed by the loss of export markets due to the trade wars and are keen for a legislative backstop if the trade disputes linger. “It’s our safety net,” Schlosser, of North Dakota, said. “We could use all the help we can to eliminate any uncertainty in times like this,” he said. The Farm Bill provides funding for an array of programs important to farmers, including crop subsidies, rural development programs and support accessing export markets. The latest bill, passed in 2014, expired on Sept. 30 after talks over its replacement broke down. At issue was a bitter partisan debate over a provision in the draft of the new bill that would have imposed stricter work requirements for recipients of food stamps. The Republican-led House of Representatives passed an $867 billion bill in June with the tougher requirements, over the objections of Democrats. The Senate, meanwhile, passed its own bipartisan version that excluded them. With Democrats in control of the House, the deadlock could be resolved, several senior lawmakers said last week, even as Trump reiterated his desire for stricter work requirements in the bill. Agricultural

committee

staffers

had

continued negotiating throughout the Congressional recess to iron out differences on the bill, though a final agreement was unlikely to be produced before Thanksgiving, one staffer said. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley said on Tuesday he was not holding his breath for a breakthrough. “I have not heard anything positive coming out of the talks between the House and Senate,” he said in a conference call. Curt Mether, a corn and soybean farmer from Iowa, said he hoped Trump would back down. “I think President Trump will be willing to step down on the work requirements issue in the end as he understands the House will be Democrat-controlled,” he said. He noted a new Farm Bill could help farmers survive the ongoing trade dispute, which has driven China, traditionally the biggest buyer of U.S. agriculture exports, out of the market. “Some of our export programs are funded through the Farm Bill. While we are negotiating with China, it is really important that we get all the trade we can with other countries,” he said. Bob Hemesath, an Iowa corn and hog farmer, agreed. “I’m hopeful... Amid the trade tariffs, without a Farm Bill, we would not have access to market development programs, and these are crucial,” he said. Dairy farmers, whose trade with Mexico and Canada was hit by tariffs over the summer and have yet to recover despite a new North American trade deal, have also called on lawmakers to settle the deal on the Farm Bill. “Given the sustained low prices dairy farmers have faced, coupled with uncertainty in agricultural trade policy, it is more important than ever that Congress quickly enact the 2018 Farm Bill before adjourning for the year,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.

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FEATURE

ACTIVISTS ALLOWED TO EXPAND ATTACK ON BEEF CHECKOFF DENVER (Nov. 6, 2018) – The announcement that R-CALF will be allowed to expand its activist-funded crusade against state beef councils is a disappointment to countless beef producers and NCBA members across America. The phony allegations being perpetuated by R-CALF and its activist legal partners are without merit and only serve to divide beef producers and distract beef councils from the important work of building demand for our products. “The simple fact is that regular audits of the beef checkoff and NCBA have found both to be compliant with the laws governing the checkoff. Two audits conducted by USDA’s Office of the Inspector General have also come back clean. R-CALF’s accusations to the contrary are false,” said Kendal Frazier, NCBA Chief Executive Officer. “R-CALF

has become nothing more than a front group for activists seeking to divide the industry, lessen beef demand and drive producers out of business.” Accusations that dollars invested in the Federation of State Beef Councils are being misused are equally false. NCBA has a longstanding commitment to the beef checkoff and the state beef councils, whose collections and demand-building work pre-date the federal checkoff. NCBA is firm in its commitment to defend both the checkoff and state beef councils against outside attacks. The volunteer cattlemen and cattlewomen who serve on state beef council boards are committed to improving the beef business and demand for our products and they do not deserve the attacks being leveled by these activist groups.

It has been repeatedly demonstrated that these attacks by R-CALF are being aided by allies at the Humane Society of the United States, Food and Water Watch, Public Justice and other activist organizations that stand against cattlemen and women. These groups know that beef demand is increasing in the United States and abroad, in part due to work funded by the checkoff. These achievements make the beef checkoff and other agriculture industry self-help mechanisms a target for organizations and individuals driving a vegetarian agenda. “It’s unfortunate that R-CALF has chosen to become a puppet in the war being waged by animal rights activists and the vegetarians seeking to drive beef producers out of business. Let’s be clear, though, the groups aligning with R-CALF

are choosing a future with shrinking beef demand, less opportunity and more government involvement,” said Frazier. “That’s not the future NCBA members choose, so we will defend the beef checkoff and cattle producers against these attacks.” The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has represented America’s cattle producers since 1898, preserving the heritage and strength of the industry through education and public policy. As the largest association of cattle producers, NCBA works to create new markets and increase demand for beef. Efforts are made possible through membership contributions. To join, contact NCBA at 1-866-BEEF-USA or membership@beef.org.

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USDA ANNOUNCES 2019 AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK FORUM WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2018 – Early bird registration is now open for the 95th annual Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF), the largest annual meeting of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This two-day event will take place on Feb. 21-22, 2019, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Va. This year’s forum, which is being held under the theme “Growing Locally, Selling Globally,” highlights current issues and trends affecting agricultural production and global markets. It offers a platform for exchanging ideas, information and best practices among producers, processors, policymakers, government officials, and non-governmental organizations, both domestic and foreign. Concurrent sessions will explore topics such as global trade trends, innovations in agriculture, developments in animal

and crop biotechnology, frontiers in conservation, and outlooks for food and commodity markets. An exhibit hall will showcase resources from USDA agencies and private organizations. Last year, nearly 1,600 stakeholders attended the forum. “Agricultural business, research, and policy are constantly evolving,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “It is very important to get our public and private stakeholders together to make connections, share knowledge, and highlight innovations in addressing current and future challenges to agriculture.” Speakers at the 2019 forum will include U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and other senior USDA officials; guest speakers from the agricultural sector;

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and plenary sessions with agricultural industry leaders. USDA Chief Economist Robert Johansson will present the 2019 Economic Outlook for Agriculture. Future Leaders in Agriculture Program The USDA Future Leaders in Agriculture Program selects 30 undergraduate and graduate students in agriculture-related studies for a weeklong trip to Washington, D.C. During their visit, students take part in a USDA briefing, discuss career opportunities with agriculture leaders in academia, government, and industry, attend the forum, and tour the nation’s capital. Winners receive free registration, transportation, and lodging. Apply today (PDF, 109 KB) for this real-world training experience in agribusiness, scientific research, and agricultural policy.

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2018

Pre-Forum Field Trip The USDA offers a pre-forum field trip for early arrivals. This year’s trip will focus on urban agriculture. It will feature a local urban farm enterprise and a visit with scientists who conduct research on microgreens, locally adapted fruit varieties and other urban farming topics at USDA’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. A nominal fee covers transportation and a boxed lunch. Visit the Agricultural Outlook Forum website to register, reserve discounted room rates, join the pre-forum field trip, or apply for the USDA Future Leaders in Agriculture Program. Follow the conversation at #AgOutlook on USDA’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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FEATURE

DNA TECHNOLOGY FOR THE COMMERCIAL COW-CALF PRODUCER Robert Wells , Ph.D., Noble Foundation Livestock Consultant

By now, most everyone is familiar with DNA technology to some degree. We’ve all seen television shows that have used DNA data to capture the criminal or to prove parentage of a person. The same technology is currently available in the cattle industry through several DNA testing companies. We now have the ability to not only determine “who’s the daddy of that calf,” but also to peel back the hide and genetically see how a calf is expected to perform for numerous traits. This industry has matured enough to provide suitable reliability at a reasonable cost for the commercial cattleman. So how should the commercial cattle producer embrace this relatively new technology? First, ask yourself what goals you have for your beef cattle enterprise. Without sitting down and performing this critical step, it will be hard to decide which traits to emphasize within the herd. A DNA test will quantify the following traits: Performance Traits • Milk •

Residual feed intake

•

Average daily gain (ADG)

•

Weaning weight (WW)

•

Yearling weight (YW)

Carcass traits • Tenderness • Marbling •

Ribeye area

•

Fat thickness

•

Hot carcass weight

Maternal traits •

Birth weight (BW)

•

Calving ease direct (CED)

•

Calving ease maternal (CEM)

• Stayability •

Heifer pregnancy

• Docility It will be difficult to find an animal that can excel in all traits. Therefore, you should pick the traits that will have the most economic impact on your operation

and concentrate on them. Remember, it is not wise to perform single trait selection. A balanced selection approach will result in a cow that is more desirable for your ranch and subsequently a better calf for the industry. The following are a few thoughts on how you can use the traits to identify a heifer that will become a profitable cow in your herd. Determine which traits are important to your operation These traits will be based on your marketing goals and endpoint. Are you marketing replacement heifers, and steers are a byproduct of your production system? Are you a 100 percent terminal operation that sells all calves at some endpoint before the packing plant? Or will you retain ownership and sell on a grid basis? If you are breeding for replacement

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heifers, concentrate on the maternal characteristics (birth weight, calving ease maternal, calving ease direct, stayability, heifer pregnancy and docility), efficiency traits (residual feed intake and average daily gain) and carcass traits (marbling, fat thickness and ribeye area). If you manage a terminal operation, you always buy replacement females and will sell before the calf goes to the packing plant, so concentrate mostly on maternal traits (calving ease direct and birth weight), performance traits (average daily gain, weaning weight and yearling weight). However, you should still have some selection pressure for carcass traits (marbling, ribeye area and fat thickness). In my opinion, it is difficult to place equal selection pressure on the carcass traits and on the performance and maternal traits since you will be selling pounds of live product. It is difficult to get a buyer to truly pay enough for perceived carcass

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2018

quality of the calf when not selling on the rail. Most times, the value of additional live weight will overcome any carcass quality premiums paid when selling a live calf before the feedlot phase of production. With that said, I believe it is good business to stay at least average or better for DNA carcass traits. Most breeds do a fairly good job of meeting industry expectations. The cow-calf producer should ensure the calf has the genetic potential to be profitable for the entire industry. The old saying is true, “A rising tide floats all ships.” Therefore, if one sector of the supply chain is not profitable, there is a trickle-down effect to those sectors that occur before it. If you sell cattle on a grid basis, take a more balanced approach. You will need to pay attention to all the traits mentioned for terminal operations. However, you’ll also want to more closely consider carcass traits since you will receive the actual full

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value of the carcass since you are selling directly to the packer.

Set realistic expectations of the genetic progress that can be made

Set acceptable limits for each trait and stay within them

Management of the animal has a large impact on the ability of the animal to express its genetic potential. As demonstrated above, you should look at the relative differences between the DNA scores and how they translate in production values.

Maximizing any one trait can be a mistake if you don’t consider the other traits that are economically important to the operation. If you have large-framed cows, overemphasizing calving ease direct and birth weight is not justifiable. Most Angus-type commercial cows already have enough milk built into them that going for the extremes is not justifiable and can actually work against you when looking at residual feed intake and the ability of the cow to be easy fleshing. Middle-of-the-road DNA values for milk are acceptable. Stayability has a low heritability estimate and can be impacted more so by heifer/cow management than DNA scores can currently predict. It’s important to consider, but placing emphasis of this trait over others may not be as impactful as one might believe. Understand the genetic effects of each DNA trait and how to interpret them Just because you select an animal with a very high DNA score (10) for a trait does not mean the calf will exhibit that trait 100 percent of the time. Take calving ease direct (CED) for example. A DNA score of 10 has a 23.9 percent probability of being calving ease based on the factors used to develop this DNA score. A CED DNA score of 3 has a 5.3 percent probability of being calving ease. Therefore, if comparing two replacement heifers with DNA scores of 10 (23.9 percent) and 3 (5.3 percent), the numerical difference between the two probabilities (18.6 percent) is the relative difference between these two animals. Likewise, a weaning weight (WW) DNA score of 10 (63.9 pounds) does not mean you wean off a calf that weighs 63.9 pounds heavier than current. If you compare a WW DNA score of 10 (63.9 pounds) to a score 3 (14.2 pounds), what you can assume is that the higher DNA score animal should have a calf that has a 49.7 pounds heavier calf at weaning.

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I do not recommend using DNA scores as the sole source of information for making selection decisions. Couple the use of DNA with all the other tools such as visual evaluation, history of the animal (how was she raised, vaccinations received, etc.), expected calving date, price, etc. Likewise, I cannot make the recommendation to use DNA to differentiate between two individuals that are fairly close in DNA score. However, DNA can be used to identify the outliers. Identifying those individuals that would be in the lower 25 percent, 33 percent or 50 percent of the DNA trait will help to remove those animals from consideration. Bottom Line: DNA Can Be a Useful Tool, But Don’t Forget the Basics DNA testing has become an economically viable tool that should be used when making selection decisions for commercial cattle producers. Without DNA, most producers are selecting their females the same way great-grandpa did back in the early 1900s — with limited empirical data, mostly based on anecdotal information and visual evaluation. Oftentimes, the purchase decision on retaining or buying a replacement female is based on how she was raised and what she was bred to for her first calf. I encourage you to look further beneath the hide to know what genetics she can contribute to your operation, through every calf she has while on your ranch. Remember, DNA testing is one of many tools that should be considered when making replacement animal decisions. Finally, the best genetics in the world cannot overcome poor management decisions and environment. How an animal is raised and managed and the environment it lives in will allow the animal to either reach its genetic potential or not.

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FEATURE

UK PROGRAM TEACHES KIDS COOKING, NUTRITION AND MUCH MORE Katie Pratt

In today’s fast paced world, many families find themselves in line at a fast food restaurant more often than gathered around the dinner table. A University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service program in Owen County is trying to change that.

at the Owen County Public Library and Recipes for Life volunteer. “The kids are really engaged, and it’s really hands-on.”

Recipes for Life encourages family mealtime and better nutrition by teaching fifth-graders how to prepare, serve and eat a meal together. Judith Hetterman, the county’s family and consumer sciences extension agent, began offering the program in 2009 as a way to teach young people how to read recipes and cook. The program, funded by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–Education, has evolved over the years to meet the needs of the community.

When the students are not cooking, Cooperative Extension Service volunteers teach them about nutrition-related topics like portion size, fats and sugars and expose them to different types of milk and produce. They also bring in a family recipe to share with their classmates.

“This is one of the best programs that we have for our students,” said Julie Donahue, the youth services librarian

Students spend a day at the extension office working in groups to prepare a fivecourse meal. They then share the meal in a formal setting.

“I wanted them to do more than just cook,” said Hetterman, an extension agent in the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “I wanted them to have the nutrition background, learn about manners and spend time with their family talking about food.” Cooperative Extension agents from across the state host similar programs,

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which are positively affecting students’ lives. Nearly 900 Kentucky fifth-graders from seven counties participated in Recipes for Life in the 20172018 program year. “After completing the program, 92 percent of the students said they plan to prepare food at home, and 90 percent of them said they plan to try new foods,” said Lola Adedokun, senior evaluation specialist for the Kentucky Nutrition Education Program. “The participants also showed statistically significant improvements in their food and kitchen safety practices, knife skills, order of meal preparation and knowledge of MyPlate.” It has been so successful that the Kentucky Nutrition Education Program will release it as a statewide curriculum in 2019. Grayson Rogers is a fifth-grader at Maurice Bowling Middle School in Owen County. He says that while he cooks with his family, he realizes that not all of his peers do. “I think it’s nice and good for kids to get a chance to learn about cooking,” he said. “Some kids eat out every night and do not know what is in their food.” All Owen County fifth-graders participate in the program over the course of a week during the fall semester. Jamie Bowlin, fifth-grade writing teacher, has brought students to the program for the past two years. “It’s a good way to introduce kids to skills in the kitchen,” she said. “Parents tend to do the bulk of the work in the kitchen, and the kids do not get these skills anywhere else.” At the end of the day, students receive the program’s recipe booklet as well as incentive items such as kitchen tools and aprons to reinforce lessons learned from the program. In Owen County, students also receive a cookbook filled with family recipes from the entire class.

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2018

dollar amount for agricultural sales of goods produced on the property. Many use a combination of gross sales and acreage requirements. Grazing a single cow on your property can be enough to trigger series tax breaks in some places. If you qualify, an agricultural tax exemption could knock thousands off your property tax bill. Depending on your state’s rules, one way to execute this tax strategy is to offer use of your land to a local farmer. For example, you could allow a nearby farmer to harvest hay on acres you’re not using or rent your land to a farmer. You don’t necessarily have to do the work yourself to claim the exemption for your property. You may, however, have to renew your application for a farm assessment each year, depending on your local tax assessor’s rules and on state requirements. Staying on the Right Side of the Law Claiming an agricultural exemption when you’re not a full-time farmer isn’t something you want to do without careful attention to the rules. For example, if you sell an agricultural product grown on your property (jam, honey, vegetables, eggs from chickens, flowers), you might need the okay of your local health department. Depending on zoning rules or homeowners association rules you might not be able to plant a vegetable garden or sell items from your residential property at all, even with a business permit.

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

Enlisting the help of a tax accountant can help you navigate the rules surrounding agricultural tax exemptions. Keep in mind that taking your land out of agricultural use can result in a bill for back taxes. So if you decide you no longer want to rent your land to a farmer or grow veggies on your acreage, the state may require that you pay back the taxes that were exempted in previous years. For example, the State of New York warns residents of the following: “If farmland that has received an agricultural assessment is converted to a nonagricultural use (within five years of last receiving an agricultural assessment if located in an agricultural district and within eight years if located outside an agricultural district), a payment to recapture the taxes forgone for converting such land will be imposed.” Furthermore, the state charges a “conversion” charge (equal to five times the taxes saved in the most recent year that the land received an agricultural assessment) if you take your agricultural land and convert it another use, rather than letting it lie fallow. There’s an exception if the land is given over to resource extraction (natural gas, etc.).

But the lesson here is that it’s important to consider both the tax implications of applying for an agricultural tax exemptions and the potential tax exemptions of changing your mind about the agricultural use of your land. Bottom Line If real estate taxes are eating up a big part of your budget, it may be worth exploring your options for an agricultural tax exemption. Just be sure to follow the rules and meet the eligibility requirements. It’s also a good idea to document any agricultural sales from your property and save those records in a safe place. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact a financial advisor for guidance. SmartAsset’s financial advisor matching tool makes it easier to find an advisor who suits your needs. Simply answer a series of questions about your situation and your goals. Then the program matches you with up to three advisors who meet your needs. You can then read their profiles to learn more about them, interview them on the phone or in person and choose who to work with in the future. This allows you to find a good fit while doing much of the hard work for you.

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DECEMBER 2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

The 2019 KCA Convention will be held January 17-18, 2019 in Owensboro, KY. The program will provide cattle producers the opportunity to learn and meet other farmers from across the state. In addition to cattle farmers, the meeting will feature an Ag Industry Trade Show. “The Convention allows all farmers to visit the trade show with over 100 booths, attend educational sessions, and mingle with other producers, all in one place” said Tim White, KCA Convention Chairman. The Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association is happy to welcome the Beef Efficiency Conference, hosted by the Kentucky Beef Network and the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service through funding by the Agriculture Development Fund back to the KCA Convention. This year’s conference will involve speakers discussing successful heifer development and utilization of crop residues for the beef herd. Dr. Gordon Jones will welcome the attendees followed by Dr. Glenn Rogers discussing heifer development decisions. Dr. Patsy Houghton will be discussing custom heifer development strategies and finishing the conference will be Dr. Jim MacDonald discussing integrating crop and beef production. “The Kentucky Beef Network, University of Kentucky and Kentucky Agriculture Development Fund are pleased to host this great group of speakers from across the United States discussing some very timely topics in beef production. The Beef Efficiency Conference allows cattle producers an opportunity to hear some of the beef industry’s top leaders discuss how to make our own Kentucky farms more efficient” says Becky Thompson, Kentucky Beef Network, Director. Additional sessions will address other issues facing today’s livestock industry, including: Allied Industry Game Night- Back by popular demand, the KCA Allied Industry Council is hosting a Game Night and auction in the Trade Show on Friday

evening. Come have some fun and win great prizes! Ag Industry Breakfast- Visit the Ag Industry Trade Show on Friday morning to enjoy a free breakfast with the trade show vendors and a short program featuring commodity leaders. Opening Session – Attend the Opening General Session on Thursday afternoon to hear Dr. Frank Mitloehner from UC Davis. Membership Awards & Closing Session- Join us on Friday to honor everyone who has helped us grow membership this year. We will also be nominating the next slate of KCA officers for 2019. NCBA President, Jennifer Houston will discuss issues facing cattle producers. Meeting of the House of Delegates – The House of Delegates will meet in their respective regional caucus Friday morning. The authority of the House of Delegates will be to elect the various Board of Directors and to review, develop and recommend any resolutions to the General Assembly at the Closing General Session. Delegates and Resolutions must be provided, in writing to the KCA office by December 31st, prior to the Convention. Silent Auction – The Silent Auction has long been a great way for the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation to raise money and you can be a part of this great tradition. Donate a gift that is unique to your farm or county. By donating to the Silent Auction, you are helping to put money back into the KCA Foundation that helps to fund the KCA Leadership Program and Scholarships. Cattlemen’s Cookoff – Thursday evening will put cooking skills to the test in this cooking competition featuring cooking teams from across the state. Several teams will have the opportunity to face one another and see who can grill up the best ribeye and burger. See page 44 for more information on the competition. Women’s Program- Join the Kentucky Beef Council

to relax with your friends and join us for an afternoon of crafting! Paint your very own bourbon barrel head with Early Bird Crafting. All supplies will be provided. County President’s Awards Night – What better way to bring the leaders of our industry together to celebrate and showcase their accomplishments than this awards banquet. This event is to award the County President’s for a job well done for the 2018 membership year and plans are in place to make this an extra special night. This is an invitation only event for 2018 County Presidents and their guests. KJCA – Junior Cattlemen members will be able to participate in an industry tour, Friday from 9:00am - 11:00am and a breakout session at 1:00pm. Junior Officer and Director elections will take place during the membership meeting starting at 3:00pm followed by a reception at 4:00pm. KCA Leadership and President’s Reception – This reception brings together eight alumni classes of the KCA Leadership Program. Joining the leadership graduates will be the past and present KCA State Presidents. This invitation only event is sure to be an impressive gathering of leaders throughout our state. Evening Extravaganza – This is one night you don’t want to miss! The evening begins with a steak dinner, 2019 KCA Hall of Fame Inductions, live Foundation Auction, and many other awards. The 2019 KCA Convention will be held at the Owensboro Convention Center at 501 W 2nd St,. There are several hotels available in the area. Find the list of hotels on page 41. The cost of registration is $50 through December 31 and $75 thereafter, KJCA member registration will be $10. Registration includes the conference, trade show admission, and ag industry breakfast but does not include any other meals. For an updated schedule or to register online, visit www.kycattle.org or call 859-2780899.

HOTEL RESERVATIONS Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Owensboro/Waterfront 401 W 2nd Street Owensboro KY 42301 270-685-2005 http://bit.ly/KCAHampton Rate: $119 Cutoff Date for Rate: 12/18/2018

Holiday Inn & Suites 701 West First Street Owensboro KY 42301 270-683-1111 Rate: $115 http://bit.ly/KCAHolidayInn (enter dates for rates) Group Code: KCA Cut Off Date for Rate: January 2, 2019

COW COUNTRY •

Hampton Inn South 615 Salem Drive 270-926-2006 Rate $109 http://bit.ly/KCAHamptonS

DECEMBER

2018

Courtyard Owensboro 3120 Highland Pointe Drive 270-685-4140 Rate: $112 Last day to book: 12/16/18 http://bit.ly/KCACourtyard

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16 1:00-4:00

Trade Show Move-in

Exhibition Hall

4:00

KCA - KCA Executive Committee Meeting

Meeting Room 220

THURSDAY, JANUARY 17 7:00-6:00

Registration Hours

Registration Booth

7:00-11:00

Trade Show Move-in

Exhibition Hall

KCA - Beef Efficiency Conference “Successful Heifer Development & Utilization of Crop Residues for the Beef Herd” 8:30-11:30

Heifer Development Decisions, Dr. Glenn Rogers (Holt River Ranch)

West Ballrooms A-C

Custom Heifer Development Strategies, Dr. Patsy Houghton (Heartland Cattle Company) Integrating Crop & Beef Production, Dr. Jim MacDonald (University of Nebraska-Lincoln 11:00

Trade Show Opens

Exhibition Hall

11:30

KCA - Welcome Lunch

Exhibition Hall

1:30-3:00

KCA - Opening General Business Session Dr. Frank Mitloehner, UC Davis Kentucky Beef Network Annual Report

West Ballroom A-C

Kentucky Beef Council Annual Report Beef Solutions Annual Report 3:30

KCA - KCA Foundation Meeting

Meeting Room 220

4:00

KBC/KCA - Rib-eye & Burger Cook-off

Exhibition Hall Stage

5:00

KCA - County President’s Awards Night (Invitation Onlly)

West Ballroom E

7:00 - 10:00

KCA - Allied Industry Game Night

Exhibition Hall

10:00

Trade Show Closes

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18 6:30-6:00

Registration Hours

Registration Booth

7:00

Trade Show Opens

Exhibition Hall

7:00-9:00

Ag Industry Breakfast

Exhibition Hall Stage

8:30-3:00

KCA - Silent Auction

9:00-11:00

KJCA - Industry Tour

9:00-11:00

KCA - Regional Meetings

West Ballrooms A-E

Region 1

West Ballroom E

Region 2

West Ballroom D

Region 3

West Ballroom A

Region 4

West Ballroom B

Region 5

West Ballroom C

KCA - Closing Business Section Jennifer Houston, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Treasurer’s Report

12:30-2:30

East Ballrooms A-D

Membership Awards Communications Report Annual Report

1:00-2:00

KJCA - Breakout Session

Riverview Room

2:00-4:30

KCA - Forages at KCA “The Dollars and Sense of Grazing”

West Ballrooms A-C

2:30-4:30

KCA - Ladies Program “Painting Bourbon Barrel Heads”

West Ballroom E

3:00

KJCA - Officer Elections (Current KJCA Board Members Only)

3:00

KJCA - Annual Membership Meeting & KJCA Board of Director Elections

4:00

KJCA - Reception

4:00

Blue Grass Internet Sale

Exhibition Hall Stage

5:00-6:00

KCA - KCA Leadership Alumni & Past President’s Reception (Invitation Only)

East Ballroom E

6:00

Trade Show Closes

Riverview Room

KCA - Evening Banquet 6:00

KCA & KBC Awards 2019 KCA Hall of Fame Inductions

East Ballroom A-D

Foundation Auction COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

KENTUCKY JUNIOR CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION

KJCA MAKING CONVENTION PLANS THURSDAY, JANUARY 17 7:00a-6:00p

Registration Hours

11:00a-10:00p

Trade Show Hours

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18 6:30a-6:30p

Registration Hours

7:00a-6:00p

Trade Show Hours

9:00a

Load Bus for Tour

9:30a-11:00a

Industry Tour

11:30a

Return from Tour

12:30p-1:30p

KJCA Breakout Session

1:30p-2:00p

KJCA Report at the Closing Session

3:00p

KJCA Officer Elections (Current KJCA Board Members Only)

3:15p

KJCA Annual Membership Meeting KJCA Board of Director Elections

4:00p

Reception

6:00p

Evening Banquet (Ticket Event Only)

GOLDEN TICKET HUNT

The KJCA GOLDEN TICKET HUNT will be both Thursday and Friday. One Golden Ticket will be hidden Thursday and Friday within the Trade Show. The lucky KJCA member who finds the Golden Ticket will win $100. You must present Golden Ticket at the Registration Booth to win!

KJCA CONVENTION REGISTRATION FORM JANUARY 17 - 18, 2019 • OWENSBORO CONVENTION CENTER • OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY NEW! REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.KYCATTLE.ORG! List your name as it should appear on badges. NAME

ADDRESS

CITY

COUNTY

STATE

ZIP

PHONE

Send pre-registration with payment to KCA Convention: 176 Pasadena Drive – Lexington, KY 40503 Call Nikki Whitaker with questions at 859-278-0899 Visit www.kycattle.org for full agenda 42

COW COUNTRY •

Friday, January 18th Event

Cost

KJCA Registration

$10

Ag Industry Breakfast (with paid registration)

FREE

Ag Industry Tour

FREE

KJCA Breakout Session

FREE

Board Elections

FREE

KJCA Reception

FREE

Evening Banquet

$50

x No. Attending

= Totals

Total Amount Due:

DECEMBER

2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

January 17 - 18, 2019 • Owensboro Convention Center KCA CONVENTION REGISTRATION FORM Event

Number Attending

Cost

Totals

Pre-Registration (Includes Trade Show & Business Meetings)

$50

Trade Show Only

$10

Junior Registration

$10

Names as they should appear on badges. Please only one family or individual per registration form. NAME

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY

COUNTY (Required)

PHONE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 17 Beef Efficiency Conference (8:30-11:30)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18

Industry Breakfast (free with Registration Fee or Trade Show Only)

Evening Banquet

$50

Banquet Preferred Seating (Table of Ten)

$600

Ladies Program

$15

CREDIT CARD TYPE

CREDIT CARD NO.

EXPIRATION DATE

SIGNATURE

Total Amount Due

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

Mail to: KCA Convention Registration 176 Pasadena Drive Lexington, Kentucky 40503 Or Fax: (859) 260-2060

Does your County Cattlemen’s Association have the best grilling team in the state of Kentucky?

F R E E

E V E N T

PROVE IT, at the 2019 Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention!

CATTLEMEN’S RIBEYE & BURGER COOK-OFF! Owensboro Convention Center • Thursday, January 17th 4:00pm The 2019 Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention marks the Sixth Annual Cattlemen’s Ribeye Cook-Off. This year, we are adding some more friendly competition to the event and opening up a new cook-off category – the Cattlemen’s Burger Cook-off! Teams of up to three members are welcome to enter either the Ribeye Cook-off or Burger Cook-off, or both! Members must be active dues-paying KCA members. Counties may send more than one team, but no more than three teams per county. Single person teams are welcome to compete. Register with the form below or online at www.kybeef.com REGISTRATION IS DUE JANUARY 7, 2019 CONTEST (check one or both) ($20 per team per contest)

RIBEYE COOK-OFF

BURGER COOK-OFF

TEAM NAME (Get creative!)

2019

BEEF

EFFICIENCY CONFERENCE

COUNTY

JANUARY 17 • 8:30 - 11:30 AM CT OWENSBORO CONVENTION CENTER WEST BALLROOM A-C

NO MORE THAN 3!

TEAM MEMBER #1

TEAM MEMBER #2

TEAM MEMBER #3

Held in conjunction with the 2019 KCA Convention

SUCCESSFUL HEIFER DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION OF CROP RESIDUES FOR THE BEEF HERD

NAME OF TEAM POINT OF CONTACT

PHONE

Heifer Development Decisions Dr. Glenn Rogers

(Holt River Ranch)

Custom Heifer Development Strategies Dr. Patsy Houghton

ADDRESS

(Heartland Cattle Company) CITY

STATE

ZIP

Integrating Crop & Beef Production Dr. Jim MacDonald (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

Entry fee of $20/team per contest. Please make checks payable to Kentucky Beef Council Send registration forms and questions to Kiah Twisselman at ktwisselman@kycattle.org or 859-278-0899 Kentucky Beef Council • 176 Pasadena Dr. Suite 4 • Lexington, KY 40503

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

SIGN UP YOUR BUSINESS FOR A BOOTH AT THE AG INDUSTRY TRADE SHOW! OR BE A 2019 KCA CONVENTION SPONSOR! Visit kycattle.org/convention.html for the sponsorship and exhibitor packet or call the KCA office.

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DECEMBER 2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

FEATURE

WHEN TO START FEEDING HAY? Jeff Lehmkuhler, Extension Beef Specialist

When should I start feeding hay to my beef cows? This seems like a simple question with a simple answer. However, as with many questions, there often is not a single perfect answer. Being an academic, I have to justify my existence by taking a simple question and making it complex, right? The simple answer is to start offering hay when there is insufficient pasture forage to meet the herds’ needs. The difficult question then becomes when is there not enough pasture forage to meet the herds’ nutritional needs? You can search the internet for this and find pages of discussions on forums. If you take some time to read through the forum responses, you can quickly begin to learn many factors can trigger when managers begin offering hay. Location impacts growing season and forage species. Drought and precipitation enters the discussion as it relates to forage availability in the pastures. Frost and the cessation of forage growth pops

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into the responses. Flooded pastures in our coastal regions which lowers access to forage submerged by water has to be considered. Weather forecast such as an extreme cold or snow that covers up grass triggers some to put out hay. Calving season is a consideration by some. Deer season comes into play when cattle are on leased land and the desire to bring cattle home before Bessy is mistaken for a large whitetail. Mud and the impact of grazing stockpiled forage is also a factor. Availability of crop residues like corn stalks is also a factor added into the discussion. There are other factors that could be added, but this list illustrates that there is not a single factor triggering a manager to start feeding hay. From the animal perspective, forage availability is the major factor that would trigger when to start feeding hay. Many factors can impact forage availability. Factors can include drought, flooding, deep snow or ice, timing of

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COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

planting, soil fertility and stocking density. Forage availability directly influencesvintake levels of grazing animals. A summarization of research has demonstrated that intake for sheepvand cattle is maximized when forage availability is near 2,000 lbs of dry matter per acre. When foragevavailability declines to approximately 1,000 lbs of dry matter per acre, only 90% of maximum intake canvbe achieved resulting in nutritional restriction. Grazing activity greatly increases energy expended byvthe animal. Sheep, for instance, were found to have 170% greater energy expenditure when grazingvcompared to sheep that were not grazing. Much of this increased energy expenditure was explained by a 134% increase in walking. Additional research has demonstrated that grazing activity increases energy cost to the animal 15 to 16 fold over just walking. I

COW COUNTRY â&#x20AC;˘

DECEMBER 2018

guess this supports the saying there is no free lunch. Production efficiency will be reduced as energy needs increase to compensate for greater distances traveled as forage availability becomes limited. At some point, energy expended for grazing activity will exceed energy consumed. Offering hay should ideally be initiated at the point that maximal intake cannot be achieved. If one were to estimate 90% ground coverage for a cool season forage and assume 250 to 300 pounds of dry matter per inch of height per acre were present, one could monitor forage height as an indicator of when hay feeding should begin. For example, at a 3 to 4 inch height, the forage availability would be estimated to be 750 to 1,200 lbs/ acre. Based on the aforementioned research, maximal intake expected would be 75 to 90%. This intake limitation will impact performance.

When deciding on late season grazing management, one also should consider the potential impact on forage growth the following spring. Research has demonstrated that grazing stockpiled tall fescue can lead to a decrease in forage production the following spring. This may be viewed as a negative, yet, it can be incorporated into part of the forage management. Setting aside separate pastures or paddocks for stockpiling and grazing can help you plan the spring grazing movements of livestock. Areas not grazed in the fall would be expected to have faster spring forage accumulation, allowing earlier spring grazing on these pastures and provide time for fall stockpiled grazed areas to recover. Grazing stockpiled fescue fields short will promote increased seed-to-soil contact when frost-seeding legumes, enhancing establishment while reducing fescue competition in the spring. Consider

â&#x20AC;˘ A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S A S S O C I AT I O N

your management objectives for areas of the farm can help plan late season and winter grazing. When should you start feeding hay? I would suggest hay feeding be initiated earlier than later. A potential trigger point may be when forage height reaches about 4 inches for tall fescue-based pastures. As forage availability declines hay intake will increase. Access to hay will allow for a greater opportunity for livestock to achieve maximal intakes and in turn performance. We took a relatively easy question and complicated it while perhaps not giving a bullet-proof answer. As is the case with many of these questions, the answer depends on your management objectives. Hopefully you have something to chew on this winter with respect to grazing management and factors that can trigger the initiation of hay feeding.

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For more information and to register visit 48

COW COUNTRY •

CONVENTION.BEEFUSA.ORG

DECEMBER

2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

Schedule at a Glance

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29

2:30pm3:00pm 3:15pm, 4:30pm & 5:45pm 4;30pm & 5:45pm 7:00pm8:00pm

Kick off and Welcome Producer Choice Sessions Geaux with the Flow: Practical Facility Design & Cattle Handling Speak Easy in the Big Easy Cattlemen’s College Reception

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30

7:00am8:00am

Greater Expectations, Bigger Opportunities with Bill Cordingley, Managing Director, Head of Wholesale Banking at Rabobank North America CATTLEMEN’S COLLEGE CLASSES

Class Type

Improving Your Business

Maintaining a Healthy Herd

Here’s The Beef

8:15am9:15am

Finding the Right Fit for Your Career or Business

Practical Management to Reduce Disease Challenges

9:30am10:30am

10:45am11:45am

Beef Breeders Toolbox

Grazing & Soil Management

Trending Now

The Evolution of Cattle Nutrition

Building a Better Herd

They Want What?

Fact or Fiction

Grazing Systems for the South

Managing Through a Natural Disaster

Programming Your Cow Herd for Success

Utilizing Reproductive Technologies

Antimicrobial Marketing Your Resistance: Is it Operation Everywhere?

The Latest on Meat Substitutes

Crossbreeding: A Cattleman’s Free Ride

Managing a Cattle's Dynamic System Upcycling from Your Soil to Super Power the Feedyard

Unraveling Secrets of the Rumen

Keys to a Successful Breeding Program

Herd Health Round Up Covering all the Bases

The Value and Cost of Quality

Changing Traditional Practices to Preserve Traditional Values

Managing for Reproductive Success

Farming without the Bank

12:00pm1:30pm

Show Me the Money!

Conservation Planning Partnership & Programs

International Beef Trade - What's Next?

Chewing the Cud: Session Review & Recap Luncheon - Beef Donated by

FACT OR FICTION Darrh Bullock, PhD, eBeef Team, Extension Professor, Beef Cattle Genetics, University of Kentucky

Join this session to discuss what is fact, what is fiction and why. Most importantly, learn how you can use genetic prediction tools to improve cattle selection strategies on your operation.

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

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

TODAY’S DATE

ID NUMBER (IF KNOWN)

SELLER’S NAME

BUYER’S NAME

ADDRESS

CITY

STATE

ZIP

CITY

SELLER’S SIGNATURE

STATE

ZIP

BUYER’S SIGNATURE

Both the seller and the buyer are responsible for making sure that the $1 per head assessment is collected and remitted to the Kentucky Beef Council. DATE OF SALE

STATE OF ORIGIN*

TOTAL NUMBER OF CATTLE SOLD

X X

$1.OO per Head Federal Checkoff

$1.OO per Head State Checkoff

Total Checkoff Payment for Federal and State

PERSON REMITTING FORM

+ =

BUYER

SELLER

PHONE

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

Send Report and Remittance to: Kentucky Beef Council 176 Pasadena Drive Lexington, KY 40503 For additional information: call 859-278-0899 or email beef@kycattle.org According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0581-0093. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

VISIT US TODAY! FEATURE ALL AGES WELCOME • SCHEDULE A GROUP VISIT AND CHOOSE YOUR LESSON PLAN • CATERING IS AVAILABLE

TIPS FOR MANAGING LIVESTOCK IN WINTER Pat Melgares, Kansas State University Extension

During severe cold periods, producers need to feed a little more hay or other forage so that the animals’ natural heat source – the rumen – can do its work. ( Kansas State University Research and Extension )

LEXINGTON , KENTUC KY EST. 2017

THE YARDS is an

education center focusing on the science and practices of the beef industry. Educational opportunities provide a unique learning experience based on its location in the Blue Grass Regional Stockyards Marketplace. This environment fosters complex thinking, experiential learning, and life skill application.

NELLIS@KYCATTLE.ORG (859) 382-4303

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

Livestock producers are entering a time of year that, because of winter weather, can often be challenging for maintaining the health of their herds, but a host of management steps and best practices can help to get the animals through the tough times. “Talking to a regional climatologist, we foresee a lot of fluctuation in weather,” said A.J. Tarpoff, a beef veterinarian with K-State Research and Extension. “The fluctuations from warm to cold are stressful on any animal, so you have to be ready for that fluctuation. “If it gets cold and it stays cold, we can manage that very easily. The animals get used to the cold, dry environment. But when we start mixing warm to cold, and a little bit of moisture – in other words, we combine wind, cold and a wet animal -- that leads to a little bit of trouble.” Livestock that can be housed indoors -such as chickens, swine and dairy cattle – may be protected from severe elements, but keeping them properly ventilated can be challenging. “It’s hard to keep the fans and the ventilation adjusted appropriately because the incoming air is still somewhat warmer during the day, but then it cools off during the night as we get the different weather fronts coming through,” said Joel DeRouchey, a livestock specialist with K-State Research and Extension. DeRouchey notes that fluctuations in indoor temperatures can cause mortalities in herds because the animals get stressed from the roller-coaster shifts. “It’s just like humans, from the standpoint if they’re going through any stress, changes in the outside temperature

leads to humans developing respiratory challenges,” he said. “It’s the same for livestock, whether they’re inside or outside. “The most important thing is maintaining a constant temperature. The goal is to bring animals inside to protect them from the elements, so we need to make sure our ventilation systems are managed correctly to provide that ideal environment.” DeRouchey said that indoor ventilation also is important to keep air moisture, odor and nitrogen levels low. For animals kept outside in feedlots, Tarpoff said one key is to provide dry bedding. “Cattle have the right winter coat for cold weather, but whenever it starts to get windy, wet and cold, especially on frozen ground, the cattle want to find a nice, dry area to lie down and rest,” he said. “Bedding those pens, giving them the opportunity to lie down and rest decreases the stress on those cattle and allows them to increase their comfort level so they can perform at a high rate even in stressful conditions.” Tarpoff added that a box scraper is an important part of the equation in feedlots. Pens should be scraped routinely to level frozen areas, which will help to reduce foot injuries and the reluctance of animals to move to feed and water. In outdoor pastures, the two K-State specialists suggest portable windbreaks, which provide shelter and can help with basic biosecurity. “When cattle congregate in one area of the pasture for a long period of time, you build up environmental contaminates from manure,” Tarpoff said. “So move the portable windbreaks to different locations in the pasture so that you decrease the environmental contamination, which is especially important for newborn calves and control of scours.” DeRouchey

notes

that

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

portable

windbreaks can force cattle to walk out of low areas to water and feed. “It doesn’t hurt those cows to walk out of those low areas,” he said. “From an environmental standpoint, once we start providing a lot of feed or stationary feeders in those low areas, the manure buildup and the sanitation degrades really fast.” During severe cold periods, producers need to feed a little more hay or other forage so that the animals’ natural heat source – the rumen – can do its work. Cattle may be fed near windbreaks during times of extreme cold and snow, but DeRouchey notes that shouldn’t happen very often during the season. Tarpoff added that water is equally important for livestock in the winter months as it is in the summer months. “They are eating a lot more, so they need to be able to drink a lot more to balance the body’s homeostasis,” he said. “Check waterers regularly that they are not frozen over, there’s plenty of flow, and there’s plenty of volume for animals to drink from. A frozen tank can be detrimental to any livestock operation.” The two K-State specialists also shared some ideas to help producers get themselves through the colder months. Specific to the upcoming calving season, one tip is to feed cattle in the evenings. “Changing our feeding strategies to the evening hours, right at dusk, will increase the number of calves born during the daylight hours, which is when the producers are out checking those cattle more regularly,” Tarpoff said. DeRouchey also reminded producers to make sure flashlights are in working order, and store extra batteries and clothing in case they get stranded or need to be out for extended periods in cold and snowy weather. For more severe weather tips, producers may contact their local extension agent.

MEMBERSHIP DIVISION 1 (151+ MEMBERS)

2019

2018

Difference

Barren

277

500

-223

DIVISION 2 (76-150 MEMBERS)

2019

2018

Difference

Monroe

148

-58

149

-72

Adair

256

288

-32

Northern Kentucky

Shelby

219

353

-134

Franklin

122

-46

Lincoln

192

237

-45

Metcalfe

130

-56

Breckinridge

182

571

-389

Fleming

105

-33

Marion

180

329

-149

Northeast Area

123

-58

Clark

178

217

-39

Pulaski

108

-44

Madison

151

249

-98

Trimble

104

-41

-161

Boyle

Bath Grayson

145 143

306 268

-36

Caldwell-Lyon

-36

160

-32

Mercer

126

185

-59

Warren

101

286 172

-179 -71

Harrison

100

166

-66

Henry

159

-64

Hardin

202

-110

Larue

198

-108

Christian

190

-101

Washington

204

-115

Hart

224

-143

Laurel

159

-84

Green Bracken

67 42

153 189

-29

Edmonson

128

107

-125

Jessamine

Logan

Jackson

107

-54

Daviess

132

-80

Russell

-37

Louisville Area

-36

Mountain

-34

Trigg

106

-60

Scott

105

-60

Purchase Area

-40

Clinton-Cumberland

-39

Campbell

-35

Owen

-43

Bourbon

-46

Anderson

109

-74

Garrard

-56

-86 -147

Casey

172

-135

Meade

165

-133

Allen

167

-150

Totals as of: November 12, 2018

2019

2018

Difference

5,636

10,861

-5,225

If you need anything for membership, please contact Nikki Whitaker at (859) 278-0899 or nwhitaker@kycattle.org 52

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

DIVISION 3 (UP TO 75 MEMBERS)

2019

2018

Difference

Fayette

-24

Pendleton

-8

Grant

-27

Out of State

-24

Muhlenberg

-33

Taylor

-25

Woodford

-22

Oldham

-24

Highlands

-8

Nicholas

-7

Carroll

-10

McCreary

-4

Ohio

-33

Todd

-38

Mason

-44

Union

-19

Clay

-3

Bullitt

-7

Twin Lakes

-45

Rockcastle

-29

Webster

-48

Robertson

Hancock

-27

Wayne

-20

Lewis

-17

Nelson

-46

Simpson

-24

Estill

-26

Butler

-21

Montgomery

-38

Calloway

-13

Menifee

-14

McLean

-9 -12

Livingston

Crittenden

-12

Whitley

-41

Hopkins

-11

Magoffin

-2

Powell

-3

Henderson

-6

Eastern Foothills

-6

River Hills

-7

Gallatin

Pike

-6

Bell

Knox

-5

Harlan

-2

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

2018-19 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION * MEMBERSHIP YEAR 10/1/18– 9/30/19

NAME

SPOUSE NAME

FARM NAME

ADDRESS

CITY

STATE

COUNTY

RECRUITED BY

PHONE

FAX

ZIP

*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 News. PLEASE CHECK THE MEMBERSHIP(S) YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN: KCA MEMBERSHIP ($30/YR) Membership dues are $30 unless otherwise listed below

NEW

RENEWAL

NEW

RENEWAL

KCA COUPLE MEMBERSHIP To add your spouse, please add $15 to your KCA Membership KENTUCKY JUNIOR CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION ($10/YR)

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

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

Allen ................................$40 Anderson ........................$25 Bourbon ..........................$20 Boyle ...............................$35 Bullitt ...............................$20 Butler ..............................$25 Franklin ...........................$25 Highlands .......................$20 (Boyd, Floyd, Johnson, Lawrence, & Martin)

Hopkins ...........................$35 Laurel ..............................$35 Lewis ..............................$35 Lincoln ............................$25 Louisville Area ................$20 (Jefferson, & Spencer) McCreary ........................$25 Magoffin ..........................$20 Menifee ...........................$25

Mountain........................$25 (Breathitt, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Morgan, Owsley, Perry & Wolfe) Oldham ...........................$35 Taylor ..............................$20 Twin Lakes ......................$20 Warren ............................$40 Wayne .............................$25 Whitley ............................$25 Woodford ........................$25

IF YOU WOULD ALSO LIKE TO JOIN THE NATIONAL CATTLEMEN’S BEEF ASSOCIATION The NCBA is now a State Marketing Partner with the KCA. You can pay your dues to both organizations with one check, at the same time. # HEAD 1-100

COUNTY DUES Dues are $30 except for the counties listed below.

DUES $150

# HEAD 1,001-1,250

DUES $1,150

101-250

$300

1,251-1,500

$1,400

251-500

$450

1,501-1,750

$1,650

501-750

$650

1,751-2,000

$1,900

751-1000

$650

> 2,000

$1,900 + .38/HD

Complete and return to: Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association 176 Pasadena Drive • Suite 4 • Lexington, KY 40503 For faster service, join online at www.kycattle.org

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

KENTUCKY BEEF COUNCIL NIKI ELLIS KBC Director of Education November is for more than turkey, it’s also for Nebraska. That’s right, the land of cornhuskers and cinnamon rolls with your chili (yes, you read that correctly). This year marks the 10th anniversary of Kentucky’s relationship with the University of Nebraska- Lincoln to send a group of young cattlemen to the Nebraska Youth Beef Leadership Symposium (NYBLS). In 2007 the Kentucky Beef Network began a partnership with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) for five Kentucky high school juniors or seniors to attend Nebraska Youth Beef Leadership Symposium (NYBLS). Students attend the 3 day leadership conference and participate in tours of feedlots, ranches, and feed mills. NYBLS is designed to introduce youth to career opportunities and current issues in the beef industry, as well as offer education and practice in the use of leadership skills. Students must first apply, then interview with an industry panel to be selected to go. Since beginning my career at the beef council I’ve been the organizer of the trip, and I wouldn’t change that. Since taking it over a few things have changed. The state beef check off is now the sponsor of sending the group, which fits perfectly with our education goals for beef. The trip is a bit longer as we go out a few days early to tour the area, letting the students learn about industry and career opportunities in the Midwest. The change that I am most proud of is we are now taking 8 students. Providing this life changing experience for more students grows the footprint for beef education. “The Nebraska Trip” is one of the most talked about trips a Kentucky high school student may attend, popularity of the trip has exploded over the last 3 years. This year I wanted to try something new, instead of just touring Nebraska we also toured Kansas as well. Many of the students expressed interest in attending college in the Midwest, which I had never 54

had before with a group. We flew into Kansas City, which for some was their first flight, and visited with the Livestock Marketing Association. There the staff presented the group with information about dealer trust, transportation and that one topic that everyone is talking about, traceability. The staff was sharp and provided great insight on these topics while also sharing their personal stories on how they came to be in their career. We then packed the van and headed to Manhattan. Along the way harvest was still going strong and little cattle were seen as they had most all been moved for the winter. The Flint Hills is a beautiful region but can’t quite beat the bluegrass. Manhattan is home to Kansas State University, a leader in beef cattle research and production education. K-State has recently updated the majority of their cattle unit due to the building of the new National Bio and Agro-Defense facility. Beef unit staff rolled out the red carpet by touring our group through the purebred, feeder and sticker units. We were able to see technologies and research trials that are pioneering new theories to better our industry. Among those were traceability and utilizing distiller grains (we may be hundreds of miles apart but seems we are all on the same page). What would visiting the Midwest be without visiting a feed lot? Bright and early day 2 we visited Fairbury Nebraska to see Roode Feedyard. Roode Feedyard is owned and operated by Dustin Rippe, a past employee of Cattle Fax. Dustin and his partner run 12,000 head that are finished then marketed to Cargill or National Beef. Dustin opened his office to the kids where he explained what his goals are, what products he uses, his advanced record system and how he manages his team. Futures are also a huge part of the Roode business model, Dustin explained to the group the importance of futures market to his COW COUNTRY •

operation. Seeing thousands of healthy cattle, a corn flaker in action and loading 12 pot loads had the kids jaws dropped. Efficiency, skilled laborers and record keeping are all attributes that make any cattle operation successful and drove that point even further for the kids to see it on this scale. Traveling on to Lincoln for the final leg of our trip was the challenging part for our group. The symposium is a very high level introduction to the current beef industry and the issues affecting it. Attendees hear from outstanding staff and industry leaders, learn strategies to make them better communicators all while creating a unique beef dish to market. Kentucky and Nebraska students are mixed together in working groups. Taste profiles, bovine myology, advocacy and policy updates were on the agenda to help the groups better market their beef product. By the end of the symposium our students had successfully earned their master of beef advocacy, earned culinary skills and learned the basics of marketing. The dishes created are all cutting edge and something I would gladly order in a restaurant. More important than their culinary wins our group of kids became closer growing friendships that will last a lifetime and learned what happens after calves leave the farm. These 8 individuals are the ones to watch, I’m sure they will end up in leadership positions and become notable beef producers. Alex Burke - Breckinridge Jordan Stephens - Fleming J.W. Cox - Fleming Annika Weaver - Fayette Addie White - Jessamine Erica Maples - Fayette Julia Weaber - Mercer Kailey Thompson - Taylor

DECEMBER

2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

KENTUCKY BEEF COUNCIL

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

KENTUCKY BEEF NETWORK

TEXAS CATTLE FEEDERS ASSOCIATION INVITES YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN DISEASE TRACEABILITY PILOT WITH A VALUE-ADDED COMPONENT Texas Cattle Feeders Association (TCFA) sharing movement events of an is launching a Disease Traceability & individual animal upon request by a Value-Added Data Pilot. This industrystate veterinarian and only in the event of an animal disease outbreak. driven, individual identification program will facilitate disease traceability, provide • Captures animal movement along opportunities for value-added premiums the supply chain to aid in disease negotiated by business-to-business (B2B) traceability. partnerships throughout the cattle/beef supply chain and operate at the speed of • Provides 840 and 900 series EID tags to producers at no cost or at a discounted commerce. The pilot project: price, depending on supply. • Is voluntary and industry directed, • Offers stockers and cow/calf producers rather than government directed. a $5 per head incentive from feedyards • Keeps data confidential, except for if specified information on animal DISEASE TRACEABILITY A traceability system will allow an animal to be traced back through every point of movement. This is crucial for effective disease traceability. To accomplish this, animals must be tagged with a unique electronic ID (EID) tag at the ranch of origin (or as soon as possible in the supply chain). The recorded movement events are accessible only when requested by the state veterinarian for a specific disease traceback. Key elements for the Disease Traceability & Value-Added Data Pilot are: • Movement data captured at all points in the supply chain to aid in intrastate and interstate disease traceability.

health treatments and practices are provided.

Datamars, Fort Supply and Y-Tex.

Kentucky Beef Network is actively pursuing cow/calf producers, stocker operators, auction markets and feedyards operators interested in participating in the pilot program. Please let us know if you have tagged or will be tagging cattle at your pasture operation or feedyard that The pilot project has been designed by you would like to enroll in the pilot. For leaders of TCFA with consultation by more information about the pilot program the Kentucky Beef Network, Florida or to become a participant, call the KBN Cattlemen’s Association, Texas Animal office or contact Becky Thompson at 859Health Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, IMI Global, Allflex, 278-0899 or bthompson@kycattle.org. • Allows potential for additional financial incentives between each segment of the beef/cattle supply chain through sharing or buying value-added data through B2B agreements.

• Animal health agencies may access data upon request, but all other information is confidential unless there is an agreement between buyer and seller.

formation can only be shared through contractual B2B agreements that include the scope of the data, when data is shared and with whom and how shared data is utilized. This program:

• 840 and 900 series EID tags will be provided, depending on supply, or sold for a discounted price.

• Is industry-led, rather than government-led.

VALUE-ADDED DATA The Disease Traceability & Value-Added Data Pilot allows businesses at each segment of the cattle/beef supply chain to capture and distribute information about individual animal origin, date of birth, weaning weight, animal health and performance products, treatment dates, processing procedures, feedyard performance and carcass data. This confidential in-

• Allows the market to determine the value of the shared data. • Utilizes an efficient and secure data sharing system that is easy to use, searchable, and managed by IMI Global. • Improves cattle marketability through shared access to animal health and performance data through B2B agreements. • Allows potential for additional incentives.

TRACEABILITY (PILOT PARTICIPATION INSTRUCTIONS) Are you interested in participating in the Pilot? There are three easy ways to do so: 1. Visit www.traceabilitypilot.com to download the Disease Traceability Pilot enrollment form Instructions for use are right in the document! And, if you can’t hop on the web right now, just send a quick email to traceabilitypilot@imiglobal.com and we can send you the form. Or, you can always give us a call at 866-395-5883 and we can get one sent your way! 2. Send your own data to traceabilitypilot@imiglobcal.com and we’ll use it! Already have your own system for capturing data related to your cattle? We may have a few additional questions for you, but what you have on hand can always get us started. 3. Call the Kentucky Beef Network at (859) 278-0899 and we can answer your questions and send the forms your way. 56

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

KENTUCKY BEEF NETWORK

EDEN SHALE FARM UPDATE

NEW COST SHARE OPPORTUNITY

DAN MILLER KBN Industry Coordinator

Farming is a challenge. I think that is why we love it so much. If it was easy it wouldn’t drive us to keep going. Farmers, by nature, are risk takers. A large part of our business is left to things completely out of our control. Will it rain when it needs to? Will the markets hold strong through the year? Enduring these challenges are what makes farmers the most resilient people on the planet. That resiliency is hard earned and this year has certainly had its challenges. This year has been particularly wet for much of the state. Eden Shale has received 56 inches of rain in 2018, already 7 inches over the yearly average for Owen County. This has made baling quality hay a challenge all year. It also caused hay season to last much longer than normal as we baled our last few acres on Oct 25th pushing our total production

this year to 477 bales. In recent years we have only been feeding in the neighborhood of 375 bales, giving us more than enough hay on hand. To utilize that extra hay this fall we have purchased an additional 31 steers to put with our home raised steers, which will allow us to background the calves longer and to market a full pot load of calves after the first of the year. A large percentage of the extra hay is in the form of balage (wrapped sorghum sudan grass) and will be given to the backgrounded steers. There was some sickness that had to be treated in the purchased calves, but that was to be expected and it was a challenge. We did, more unexpectedly, have to treat our weaned steers and heifers this year. They were kept separate from the purchased calves to prevent sickness, but we still

had problems despite the rigid vaccination protocols that we use. Our local vet was involved and decided it was weather related. Luckily, we experienced no death loss and everything seems to be cleared up now and eating feed well. Last month at the Open House Field Day we debuted the Large Bale Feeder. We are currently testing and tweaking the feeder to get it ready for full service starting in January. To see the feeder in action watch for updates on the website at www.edenshalefarm. com. The Webster dictionary defines resiliency as “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness”. Toughness; I don’t think there’s a more appropriate word to describe Kentucky farmers.

Eden Shale Farm, managed by the Kentucky Beef Network, serves as a learning center for cattle producers through a hands-on approach. The farm demonstrates various management practices, such as centralized watering points, fenceline feeders and water harvesting. These practices are feasible for producers to implement on their own farms. We’re happy to announce that a version of our fence line feeders, have been approved for cost-share through the Kentucky Division of Conservation! Fenceline feeders are designed to offset the many issues associated with Kentucky’s wet-winters. This practice allows producers to access feeding areas without entering the pasture and provides support for land trafficked heavily by cattle. This cost-share practice will be available under the Livestock: Pastureland BMP category. The design will use rock and geotextile or concrete winter feeding pads and should be located on a ridgetop or elevated area, allowing for positive drainage away from the feeder. The feeder should be able to service a minimum of two pastures. The next cut-off date for applications is December 31, 2018. For criteria on the cost-share fenceline feeder, visit http://conservation.ky.gov/ Pages/StateCostShare.aspx or contact your local conservation district office.

CPH SALE DATES December December 4, Steers and Heifers, Guthrie December 4, Steers and Heifers, Paris December 5, Steers and Heifers, Springfield December 6, Steers and Heifers, Owensboro December 11, Steers and Heifers, Richmond December 12, Steers and Heifers, Lexington January January 16, Steers and Heifers, Lexington January 23, Steers and Heifers, Springfield January 29, Steers and Heifers, Guthrie February February 21, Steers and Heifers, Owensboro K E N T U CK Y B E E F N E T W O R K F ACI L I T AT O R S

Ben Lloyd

Whitesville, KY (270) 993-1074 strridge@aol.com COW COUNTRY •

Charles Embry

Cave City, KY (270) 646-5939 dale.embry@yahoo.com DECEMBER 2018

Jacob Settles

Springfield, KY (859) 805-0724 jacob.settles4@yahoo.com

Ron Shrout

Winchester, KY (606) 205-6143 ronshrout@bellsouth.net

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

Tim Graves

Springfield, KY (859) 481-3954 gravesgrandview@gmail.com

Jeff Stephens

Ewing, KY (606) 782-7640 stephensbeef@gmail.com 57

For More Information: In the pasture

Commercial cattlemen trust registered seedstock breeders to make documented genetic improvements that provide them the opportunity to succeed. From 2004-2014, the 2015 AICA National Cattle Evaluation Genetic Trend illustrates Charolais seedstock breeders are doing their job!

Lower birth weight ■ MORE LIVE CALVES Increased weaning weight ■ MORE POUNDS AT WEANING

The trend shows dramatic improvements in every trait of economic importance.

In the feedlot Higher yearling weight ■ MORE POUNDS, EFFICIENTLY

2004-2014 NCE Charolais Genetic Trends BW

REA Marb

At harvest

2004 0.8 19.1 33.7 1.6 11.4 .18 .01 2014 0.4 26.8 49.0 3.4 16.9 .32 .04

Increased carcass weight ■ MORE POUNDS AT HARVEST Larger ribeye ■ BETTER YIELD GRADES More marbling ■ HIGHER QUALITY GRADES

KENTUCKY CHAROLAIS ASSOCIATION

■ Southeast Field Representative ■ Floyd Wampler (423) 612-2144

kins Ad Farms

12/2/15 7:30 AM NEWS & EVENTS:

6.5x3.75 bw-Cow Country News.indd 1

KENTUCKY FARM BUREAU BEEF EXPO

TJ Adkins: 606-875-5094 Sherman & Phyllis Adkins: 606-379-5129

Kentucky Expo Center - Louisville Charolais Show & Sale: Saturday, March 2, 2019 Call for Entries

279 Bullock Rd. Eubank, KY 42567 AdkinsFarms@hotmail.com

Montgomery Charolais

John Bruner

606-271-0582 473 Edward Meece Road Science Hill, KY 42553

Amburgey Charolais Farm

jeffries charolais

Cox Charolais

1194 Smith Ridge Road • Campbellsville, KY 42718 270-465-7584 (H) 270-403-4562 Bulls & Select Heifers for Sale

Harrod Farms THE NEXT GENERATION

Becca, Jenna and Jake 645 Evergreen Rd. Frankfort, KY 40601 Jeff Harrod: 502-330-6745 Charolais, Hereford & Commercial Cattle

LEANING PINE FARMS, LLC

Darby Montgomery 36 Thompson Road • Lancaster, KY 40444 859-339-3922 BULLS FOR SALE

Polled Breeding Since 1966 Robert Amburgey, Jr. 3171 Camargo Rd. • Mt. Sterling, KY 40353 859-498-2764 (Home) 859-404-3751 (Mobile)

Kentucky Charolais Association Chuck Druin 2291 Drane Lane Eminence, KY 40019 502-321-1160 or 502-321-5919 Jeff Harrod: 502-330-6745 Jacob Miller: 502-507-4987

paul r. jeffries 606-510-4537

1590 jeffries lane

hustonville, ky. 40437 chris cooper 606-669-9009 chris jeffries 606-669-2426

Jimmy & Linda Evans 960 Vallandingham Road Dry Ridge, KY 41035 859-428-2740

Allison Charolais John Allison

545 Eminence Road New Castle, KY 40050

502-845-2806 502-220-3170

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

Bulls & Heifers For Sale at the Farm

2018

S A N D U S K Y FA R M S

David, Rhonda, Michael & Nicholas 3200 St. Rose Road Lebannon, KY 40033 270-692-7793

Hayden Farm 4430 Bloomﬁeld Rd. Bardstown, KY 40004 James Hayden

Home: Ofﬁce: Mobile: 502-349-0128 502-349-0005 502-507-4984 jhayden@haydensteel.com

Candy Sullivan 3440 Ruddles Mill Road Paris, KY 40361

859-338-0170 Sullivan Charolais

Quality Charolais Cattle in the Heart of the Bluegrass

Floyd’s Charolais

2039 Nina Ridge Road Lancaster, KY 40444 Home: 859-792-2956 • Cell: 859-339-2653 ﬂoydj@windstream.net

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

FEATURE

ESTATE AND FARM TRANSITION PLANNING FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS Kynda Curtis, UC Davis

PART I: KEY CONCEPTS & STEPS IN AGRICULTURAL ESTATE PLANNING A common misconception among farmers and ranchers is that “the best way to protect farmland is to farm it” (Crossgrove and Freedgood, 2002 ). While maintaining a working operation may be important as a personal or family goal, one of the best ways to protect farmland is proper estate planning. Farming and ranching, like any business, can be a risky venture. Additionally, farmland preservation has become increasingly endangered, as the market value of farmland is often higher for non-farm uses. Farmland is especially vulnerable to conversion pressures when passing from one owner to the next. For these reasons even families that plan to pass on the farm/ranch to the next generation can lose their land without sound estate planning. Good estate planning can help transfer both the land and the business from generation to generation. Reasons People Avoid Estate Planning There are three common reasons that people avoid estate planning. COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

“Our family knows how we want to divide our assets-we don’t need a will.” Some families believe that they don’t need a will because they have made their intentions known to the next generation, or because they only have a limited number of heirs or a small amount of assets. However, if a decedent doesn’t have a will in place at the time of death, the state has the authority to allocate the assets per state law, regardless of the decedent’s wishes or the wishes of the decedent’s heirs. “We’ve had a will for years-our estate is planned.” Although drafting a will is a very important part of estate planning, it is not enough. Estate planning outlines the distribution of assets like a will, but it can also create financial security for heirs, address business organization issues, and grant peace of mind to heirs and the grantor. As tax laws constantly change and families grow, it is important to revisit and update your will at least every few years. “We don’t need an estate plan-we’ll divide everything equally among our children.” A major estate planning issue with farm

and ranch families is the allocation of assets among farm and non-farm children. While giving each child an equal share of the assets may seem like the most equitable solution, such a plan could result in the future loss of the farm or ranch. For example, consider a family with four children, three off-farm, one on-farm. If the parents leave equal shares of the family assets to each child, the onfarm child may not be able to afford to buy the farm shares from his/her siblings who want a cash settlement, resulting in a farm sale in the end. Estate planning can help families find the most equitable distribution of assets, which may not be a completely equal distribution. Five Goals of Estate Planning The five basic goals behind estate planning are the following: Transfer Ownership: The primary goal of estate planning is to facilitate the transfer of ownership and management of the farm business, farmland, and other assets. Estate planning ensures that the farm/ranch will be passed along to the intended party with as few complications as possible. Reduce Estate Taxes: The second goal of estate planning is avoiding

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

unnecessary transfer taxes. Transferring ownership of assetscan be very complicated for the layman, and amid the complex laws and confusing language is the potential for extreme transfer taxes. Planning the estate with the assistance of a knowledgeable professional (a lawyer well-versed in tax law would be best) will help limit the taxes the estate has to pay. Secure Financial Future: The third goal of estate planning is to ensure financial security for all generations. As mentioned before, without proper documentation showing how assets should be allocated, the state has the ability to distribute the estate as it sees fit. Just as important, the estate can be set up so that the costs of medical care, funeral costs, and the costs of settling the estate are covered by the estate, rather than on the shoulders of the estate’s beneficiaries. The estate can also be set up to provide living costs, educational costs and more for the surviving heirs. Develop Management Skills: The fourth goal of estate planning in the farm/ranch context is to develop the next generation’s management skills. With a properly planned estate, you and your CONTINUED ON PAGE 61 59

Roy, Jessica and Cooper Canada 600 Cumberland Drive • Morehead, KY 40351 859-227-7323 racekannon@hotmail.com

Swain Select Simmental

12113 Green Valley Dr. • Louisville, KY 40243 frederickswain@bellsouth.net • www.swainselect.com

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

Chi & Angie 502-477-9727 502-287-2116

Judy and Rondal Dawson 1156 Buzzard Roost Road Shelbyville, KY 40065 502-593-5136 jrdawson22@outlook.com

RC C

Kentucky Simmental Ofﬁcers

President: Chris Allen 222 Stourbridge St Versailles, KY 40383 859-351-4486

Vice President: Brian Swain 3906 Pottertown Rd Murray, KY 42071

Secretary/Treasurer: Lindsay Phillips 8308 Orangeburg Rd Maysville, KY 41056

KENTUCKY SIMMENTAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION NAME ___________________________ ____________ FARM NAME__________________________________ ADDRESS_____________________________________ CITY_________________STATE_____ ZIP__________ PHONE (BUSINESS)___________________________

Call or visit one of these Simmental breeders for cattle that work!

www.kysimmental.com

100 Carpenter Ridge Salyersville KY, 41465 docrat2@yahoo.com Jim Ratliff 606.496-6522

“UNBELIEVABULL SIMMENTALS” Graves Grandview Simmental Farm Timothy Graves 560 Rudd Lane Springﬁeld, KY 40069 (859) 481-3954 • gravesgrandview@gmail.com

Brian & Heather Swain 3906 Pottertown Road Murray, KY 42071 270-293-4440 wksbswain@murray-ky.net

Simmental and SimAngus Bulls for Sale

Send application to: Lindsay Phillips, 8308 Orangeburg Rd, Maysville, KY 41056 Membership Fee is $25.00

(HOME)______________________________________

Ratliff Cattle Company

WAYWARD HILL FARM

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

1939 Huntertown Road Versailles, KY 40383 Bulls for Sale Chris Allen 859-351-4486 callenuky@hotmail.com Dr. Henry Allen 859-229-0755

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 59

family can choose the business ownership structure and asset transfer methods that allow the younger generation to participate in the management and ownership of your farm/ranch as soon as both generations are ready. Keep Land in Agriculture: The fifth goal of estate planning may be to keep productive land in agriculture. There are different mechanisms that can be used to ensure that the farm/ranch will continue to be actively used in agriculture in the future, such as conservation easements. Starting an Estate Plan The following tips can help give farmers and ranchers an idea of how to start their estate plan. Set Goals: As you begin to consider the estate planning process, take some time to set basic goals for your estate and keep these goals in mind throughout the entire process. This will help keep you on track. What kind of goals should be considered? Ask yourself the following questions as a start: • Do you want to generate income for retirement? • How will you support yourself or your spouse in the case of a medical emergency or disability? • Who do you want to make decisions about your property if you are ill or after you die? • Who do you want to take charge of the farm after you die? • How will the costs of settling your estate be paid? • How will you ensure financial security of your surviving family members? • How will you minimize estate taxes? Inventory Your Assets & Assemble Your Team: To plan your estate properly, you must know your financial worth, so accurate estimates of your asset values are very important. When it comes time for you to inventory your assets, you should involve your accountant and/or lawyer for guidance. In addition to your personal assets, you should determine the exact value of your business assets as well as any debts you or your business owe. Determine Ownership & Assets:

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

Make sure you know all of the associated business and legal relationships involved in your estate. For example, many farm/ ranch couples have joint ownership of their land and business with rights of survivorship. With this sort of a business ownership, the farm/ranch will be passed on to the surviving spouse regardless of the wishes of the other survivors. It is essential that you know how your business is structured. Below are several common forms of business ownership and their associated implications. Sole prorietor: the most common form of agricultural business ownership. The business is owned by only one person, who is liable for all debts and obligations of the business. Partnership: involves two or more parties, who are liable for all debts and obligations of the business. Often used as a way to bring familymembers into the business by sharing ownership and operating assets while giving the younger party the opportunity to build equity in the business. Limited partnership: creates two classes of partners: general or managing partners and limited partners. General/managing partners control the partnership and are liable for the debts and obligations of the business. Limited partners are passive investors who do not manage the business and whose liability is limited to their investment. Often, farm/ranch families create a limited partnership to accommodate farm and off-farm children: the farm children become managing partners while the off-farm children are limited partners. Corporation: established as a legal entity separate from the owner(s) to provide liability protection to shareholders. Aside from liability protection, one benefit of corporations is that they continue to exist even as individual owners change. Due to high income tax rates, corporations are better suited to large-scale farm/ranch operations. Limited liability corporation (LLC): combines the limited liability of a corporation with the flexibility and tax schedule of a partnership. An LLC can also be used as the general partner in a limited partnership, giving the individual owner(s) protection from liability. Estate Planning Examples Joint

Ownership

With

Rights

Survivorship Jim and Frances Smith own and operate a 500-acre dairy farm with 300 cows. They have four grown children, two who live on-farm, and two who are off-farm. Jim and Frances share ownership of the farm through joint tenancy with rights of survivorship. Although they do have a will, it was drafted when the children were young and does not reflect their current $1.3 million net worth. Jim and Frances would like to pass ownership of the farm along to their on-farm children, and would like to bequest an equitable monetary amount to their off-farm children. With no additional estate planning, if Jim and Frances were involved in an accident and passed on at the same time, or within several weeks of one another, it is likely that their assets would be divided equally among their four children. If this was the case, how would the on-farm children come up with the money to buy the farm shares from the off-farm children? If the on-farm children were unable to come up with the money necessary to buy out their siblings, the farm may end up being sold off, opening up the possibility that the land would not stay in agriculture, nor would it stay in the family. One solution would be to draft a buy/sell agreement. A buy/sell agreement could set the price and terms of the siblings’ buyout and could address potential financing options as well. A wellstructured buy/sell agreement would ensure that Jim and Frances’ children could retain ownership of the farm after they pass on. A second solution would be to split the estate. As the estate is set up now, if Jim passes on before Frances, with rights of survivorship Frances would receive Jim’s half-interest in the farm. By changing the ownership of the farm from joint tenancy to tenancy in common, Jim and Frances could each leave their half-interest in the farm to the on-farm children in their will. Another option would be to leave each half-interest to a trust, with instructions to the trustee that keeping the land in agriculture is a priority and that the land must be sold to the on-farm children according to pre-arranged terms. In addition to creating more assurance that the farm stay in the family and in agriculture, such an estate split would allow Jim and Frances to maximize the use of their applied tax credits, doubling

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

the amount of assets they can pass on to their children free from federal estate taxes. Waiting Until the Last Minute When Bill and Roberta purchased their farmland in the early 1960s, they paid $250/acre. The current value of the land is $1500/acre. Bill and Roberta would like to retire to Arizona, leaving the management and ownership of the farm to their son, Roy, the only of their four children who lives on-farm. Bill and Roberta have reached their mid-60s and would like to retire in the next two years, but have no estate planning in place. As the majority of Bill and Roberta’s net worth is tied up in their land, an immediate sale of the land would mean huge capital gains tax for Roy. If Bill and Roberta were to pass on before resolving their estate issues, it would be virtually impossible for Roy to come up with the money necessary to buy out his siblings. No matter what estate plan Bill and Roberta end up choosing, the first step for them is to start the immediate transfer of assets to Roy by sale and by gift. This will reduce the amount of land retained by Bill and Roberta and will also provide Roy with additional liquidity to buy out his siblings if need be. The next move may be for Bill and Roberta to create a family limited partnership. The limited partnership would retain ownership of the land, while managing interest would be given to Roy and the other children would hold limited partnership investment interests. Regardless of what Bill and Roberta decide to do, it is essential that they move quickly. Waiting until retirement age to begin estate planning limits the amount of assets that can be passed along as taxfree gifts and may limit estate planning options. SUMMARY Regardless of the techniques you use to plan your estate, keep in mind that estate planning involves some of the most important family, business, financial, legal, and tax decisions you will ever make. You must have confidence in your advisors and be able to work with them on an ongoing basis. Estate planning can be time consuming and costly, but neglecting to plan can cost your family a lot more than creating a plan.

Kentucky Hereford Association KHA Invites any Hereford Breeder to Become a Member! Dues are $25. Send to 2396 Union City Rd. Richmond, KY 40475 Upcoming Events: KHA Ofﬁcers

President: Tim Wolf Secretary/ Treasurer: Earlene Thomas 859-623-5734 thomasep@roadrunner.com

-HEREFORDS -

Codee Guffey • 1815 Grassy Springs Road Versailles, Kentucky 40383 Phone: 502-598-6355 Email: rockridgeherefords@gmail.com www.rockridgeherefords.com

2019 KENTUCKY FARM BUREAU BEEF EXPO KY EXPO CENTER • LOUISVILLE MARCH 1 & 2, 2019 ENTRIES DUE DECEMBER 10TH Wells Farm

Joe B. Gray 10787 New Bowling Green Road Smiths Grove, KY 52171

270-590-4579

WOLF FARM

Registered Polled Herefords Bulls & Females for sale Tim & Peggy Wolf 12939 Peach Grove Rd. Alexandria, KY 41001 Home: 859-635-0899 Cell: 859-991-3484

Peyton’s Well Polled Herefords The Lowell Atwood Family 133 Edgewood Drive Stanford, KY (606) 365-2520 home/fax (606) 669-1455 cell

Victor- inﬂuenced cattle bred for performance on grass.

“Black cows need a good Hereford Bull”

BECKLEY HEREFORDS L.W. Beckley D.V.M L. Wayne Beckley 284 Pyrse Lane 1420 Fitchburg Rd. Irvine, KY 40336 Ravenna, KY 40472 Cell: 859-779-1419 Home: 606-723-3021 Clinic: 606-726-0000 Cell: 859-779-0962 www.beckleyherefords.com

K3CATTLE@YAHOO.COM

198 HICKS PIKE CYNTHIANA, KY 41031

Registered Polled Herefords 8103 Bill Moss Road • White House, TN 37188 Home/Fax: 615-672-4483 Cell: 615-478-4483 billy@jacksonfarms.com ® “Farming the Same Land Since 1834”

Registered Polled Herefords

Paul L. Hancock 8559 KY 56 Owensboro, KY 42301 270-771-4194

Boyd Beef Cattle

6077 Helena Road • Mayslick, KY 41055 Charlie Boyd II · 606-584-5194 Annual Bull Sale second Saturday in March Hereford and Angus Bulls

Chambliss Hereford Farms Brad, Carla, Clay and Clint Chambliss 916 Winchester Blvd. Elizabethtown, KY 42701 Home (270) 982-3905 • Cell (270) 668-7126 fax 270-735-9922 www.chamblissherefordfarms.com

WCN Polled Herefords Since 1961 Bill & Libby Norris 2220 Celina Road Burkesville, KY 42717 Phone (270) 433-7256 Cell (270) 433-1525 “Every calf needs a white face”

Sweet T Farm

Pile Stock Farm

TK4 Herefords

Registered Polled Herefords

Pete & Gayla Szak 1040 Hick Hardy Rd. Cynthiana, KY (859) 484-2265

Hansell Pile, Jr. 12045 St. John Rd. Cecilia, KY 42724 270-735-5192•270-862-4462 12 miles West of Elizabethtown

Tony & Kathy Staples 992 Knotts Road Brandenburg, KY 40108 270-422-4220 tstaples@bbtel.com

Windy Hills Farm

Bulls • Heifers • Show

Jackie D. Perkins II 367 Mt. Pisgah Rd. • Bremen, KY 42325 270-543-3586 Breeding to produce good cows since 1981.

859-588-4531

Jackson Farms

MPH Farms

Thomas Farm

“Cattle for sale at all times”

K3 CATTLE REGISTERED HEREFORDS KYLE BUSH

Polled Herefords 439 Flatwoods Frozen Camp Road • Corbin, KY 40701 Kevin, Angela, Bobby & Brenda Wells Kenlea & Kyler Murray 606-523-0569 - Home 606-528-1691 - Home 606-344-0417 - Cell 606-682-8143 - Cell wells_farm@yahoo.com

Polled Hereford and Gelbvieh Cattle 3459 KY Hwy. 1284 E. Cythiana, KY 41031 (859) 234-6956 Ben, Jane, Shelby and Lincoln Eric & Ronnie Thomas 2396 Union City Rd. Richmond, KY 40475 (859) 623-5734 • Eric’s Cell (859) 314-8256

Contact Earlene Thomas for more information: 859-623-5734 www.kentuckyhereford.org

TS TS Tucker Stock Farms F F

“Registered Angus and Polled Herefords”

TUCKER STOCK FARMS TUCKER STOCK FARMS

TUCKER STOCK FARMS

“Breeding Polled Herefords for over 58 Years” John Tucker “Registered Angus and Polled “Registered AngusHerefords” andIIPolled Herefords” 1790 Hidden Valley Lane Breeding cattle for sale at all times. John A. Tucker II John A. Tucker II Hudson, KY 40145 HiddenHerefords” Valley Lane 1999 Walnut Hill Rd. • Lexington, KY “Registered 40515 1790 Hidden Valley Lane Angus and 1790 Polled 270-617-0301 Hudson, KY 40145 Hudson, KY 40145 (859) 271-9086 • cell (859)533-3790 (270) 257-8548 (270) 257-8548 Offi 257-8167 Office for (270) 257-8167 John A. Tucker IIce (270) “Bulls always Sale”

Old Fall Creek Farms AHA & KHA member • Proven bloodlines

Popplewell’s Herefords

Registered Hereford & Angus Farm

Hudson, KY 40145 (270) 257-8548 Office (270) 257-8167

Polled LINEBRED Hereford Bulls For Sale Private treaty sales • Visitors 18-month-old always welcome Angus & LINEBRED VICTOR DOMINO CATTLE VICTOR DOMINO CATTLE

Service Age Bulls Open and Bred Females For Sale Vince, Tracy & Alex Home (270) 866-4480 1526 Clearfork Rd. Cell (270) 566-1852 Russell Springs, KY 42642

COW COUNTRY •

1790 Hidden18-month-old Valley 18-month-old AngusLane & Polled Hereford Bulls For Sale Angus & Polled Hereford Bulls For Sale

DECEMBER

1874 Old Fall Creek Road • Monticello, KY 42633

Reed Bertram 606-348-7486 David Bertram 606-278-3630 www.ofcfarms.com

2018

Multi-Trait Multi-Trait Selection Selection Fertility Disposition

Danny Miller

Fertility Calving Ease Calving Ease Disposition Milking Ability Milking Ability

www.jmsvictordomino.com 4850 Ridge Rd. 4850 Caldwell RidgeCaldwell Rd. Knifley, KY 42753 Knifley, KY 42753 270-465-6984 270-465-6984

270-465-6984 • 270-566-2694

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FEATURE

WINTER WATERING OF LIVESTOCK Dr. Ray Smith, Dr. Donna Amaral-Phillips , Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler - University of Kentucky

As daily temperatures start to decline, most producers begin to focus on delivering stored forages to their livestock. Often, at this time the thought of an animal’s water needs are discounted. However, even in colder temperatures, water requirements of livestock are critical to maintain optimum animal performance. Winter brings the challenge of providing water to livestock while battling frozen plumbing that delivers water. Water Requirements An understanding of how much water is required by animals during the colder parts of the year is needed when considering winter watering systems. Factors that affect water intake include: environmental temperature, feed moisture, body size, and level of milk production. A lactating beef cow in the summer on a 90˚F day will drink 16 gallons of water, while during a 40˚F day in December the same cow would consume less, approximately 11 gallons. Table 1 shows the water requirements of several classes of beef and dairy cattle at varying daily temperatures. During cold periods, livestock energy requirements increase to maintain body temperature. To meet the increased energy requirements, animals increase dry matter intake (DMI) if they physically can consume more feed. Water intake affects animal DMI and if it is limited due to a frozen, inaccessible water source, animals will not be able compensate for the colder environmental temperatures. Excessively cold water temperature will also decrease water intake, as well as increase energy requirements by lowering body temperature. Methods to Deliver Water in the Winter What is the best method for providing water to livestock during the coldest days of the year? Depending on several factors, different options rise to the top of the list. First, what is the actual water source? Will a pond or stream be used? Are waterers going to be installed? Is rural water available? Surface water sources, like ponds and streams, require a lot of

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

management, especially during freezing temperatures. If water is flowing, such as a spring-fed stream, this task is not as labor intensive. However, if surface water sources are used, one must take steps to ensure that the water quality downstream is maintained and that streambank quality is preserved. For more information on environmental concerns with grazing near these water sources follow the link to the UK publication “Pasture Feeding, Streamside Grazing, and the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Plan”. Large stock tanks with greater capacity are another option that can be considered. These also need to be checked often to allow livestock access to water. To limit the amount of ice accumulating, a continuous flow valve could be installed to prevent freezing. This also requires an overflow directing water away from the tank to prevent mud. Is electricity available at the winter feeding site? If so, the number of watering options increases. An electric heater to keep water thawed can be added to almost any watering system. In some cases, this simply might involve adding a plug-in heater that installs through the drain plug of a stock tank. Also, the addition of plugin heat tape affixed to interior pipes and water bowls of automatic waterers are options that could be considered. Another option to provide water to livestock when electricity is not available is through the utilization of geothermal heat. A variety of watering systems have been developed to harvest geothermal heat from the ground below the tank, keeping water thawed and available to livestock even in the coldest of environments. Most of these waterers use heat tubes buried deep into the ground, allowing for geothermal heat to rise and keep water supply lines and the drinking trough thawed. While these systems do a good job of keeping pipes and floats from freezing they are not ice-free. Depending on the amount of animal traffic using the waterer and environmental temperature, there is often a thin layer of ice over the drinking area on very cold days that must be removed.

Table 1: Daily water needs for cattle as influenced by temperature 40OF

70OF

90OF

Gallons per head per day Beef Cattle Growing (600 lb)

Finishing (1000 lb)

Wintering Pregnant Cow (1000 lb)

Lactating Cow (900 lb)

Bull (1600 lb)

Dry Cow

40 lb Milk

80 lb Milk

Dairy Cattle

Adapted from 1996 Beef NRC and UK Publication ASC-151 Pasture for Dairy Cattle: Challenges and Opportunities

Producers who continue to rotationally graze throughout the winter months face an even greater challenge in providing water to several locations for their livestock. The frequent moving of animals complicates the use of permanent watering sites from an economic standpoint. With that in mind, grazers must become quite creative to provide water to their animals while maintaining their rotational program. Bill Payne, a producer from Knob Lick and NRCS Technical Service Provider for grazing plans, rotationally grazed dairy replacement heifers extensively throughout the entire year and developed a watering system that allowed him to rotationally graze through the winter. Bill installed a network of two inch waterline to service 80 watering points that are housed below ground in water meter boxes. By utilizing quick couplers at the watering points, he was able to quickly move his water trough to different paddocks as the herd moved. To keep his water trough from freezing, Bill utilized a

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

ball valve installed in a riser pipe above the float valve. When opened, the valve allows water to continuously flow and thus keeps the trough from freezing. He also installed a drain near the top of the trough with a 1 ½” drain hose leading away from the trough to limit mud around the watering area. Bill said that the key to the system is overflow management. As temperatures drop, the ball valve needs to be opened more to prevent water from freezing by allowing more water to flow out of the system. Pictures of the system components are shown in Figure 1, with a schematic of the water trough design in Diagram 1. No matter which method is used, a clean and consistently available water source is critical. Proper evaluation of where and how to winter livestock could make providing water easier during the coldest part of the year depending on available water sources. For additional information, contact your local NRCS and UK Extension offices. 63

ANGUS THE BUSINESS BREED

2018-19 KAA OFFICERS

President: Gil Ray Cowles, Rockfield, KY Vice President: Jason Crowe, Irvine, KY Secretary/Treasurer: Anne DeMott, Lexington, KY Past President: Tim Jeffries, Canmer, KY

C ont ac t Anne D eMott to p ay you r Ke ntu cky Ang us Ass o c i at ion D ues 1 • BOYD BEEF CATTLE 6077 Helena Rd. Mayslick, KY 41055 Charlie Boyd II: 606-584-5194 • Blake Boyd: 606-375-3718 www.boydbeef.com • email: cboyd2@maysvilleky.net

12 • FALL CREEK ANGUS 448 Corder Farm Road Monticello, KY 42633 Ronnie Corder 606/348-6588

23 • PLEASANT HILL FARMS Gil, Mary, Corbin, Caroline, and Catherine Cowles 500 Rockfield Richpond Road Rockfield, KY 42274 270/843-9021 • Fax 270/843-9005 Located 7 miles west of Bowling Green, 1/2 mile off Hwy 68/80

2 • BRANCH VIEW ANGUS 927 Old Liberty Pike • Hustonville, KY 40437 859/238-0771 • www.branchviewangus.com James S. & LuAnn Coffey, Donald & Donna Coffey Evelyn Hoskins Annual Production Sale- 2nd Saturday in April

13 • HAINES ANGUS FARMS 5294 Park City- Glasgow Rd. Park City, KY 42160 Kenneth Haines, Jr. 270/749-8862

24 • RAGS ANGUS FARM Richard and Glenda Stallons 1240 Dogwood Kelly Road Hopkinsville, Kentucky 42240 Home- (270)885-4352 Cell- (270)839-2442 rstallons@bellsouth.net

3 • BURKS CATTLE CO. 531 Rick Rd. Park City, KY 42160 Eddie Burks • 270-991-6398 www.burkscattle.com

14 • HERITAGE FARM Tom McGinnis 1024 Hinkle Lane • Shelbyville, KY 502-633-1634, home • 502-633-5100, work 502-655-0164, cell

25 • SHAW FAMILY ANGUS Jim & Cathy Shaw 935 Miller Road • Hodgenville, KY 42748 Cell: 270-769-8260 www.shawfamilyangus.com Quality Registered Angus Cattle since 1975

4 • BURTON & SONS ANGUS Joe D. or Karen Burton • Bryan Carman, Partner, Ridgeview Angus 480 Hominy Hill Rd. Nancy, KY 42544 Joe: 606-305-3081 • Bryan: 606-875-3453 Located 15 miles West of Somerset klburton01@windstream.net

15 • HIGHVIEW FARMS 827 West Main Street Campbellsville, Kentucky 42718 Ben T. Cox DVM 270-469-5517 Registered Angus Cattle

5 • CARDINAL HILL FARMS 405 Cedar Grove Rd. • Glasgow, KY 42141 Mike Elmore: (270) 404-6589 Bob Johnson: ( 270 ) 427-1410 www. cardinalhillfarms.com • mike@cardinalhillfarms.com

16 • HILL VIEW FARMS Jimmy Gilles 5160 Lee Rudy Road Owensboro, KY 42301 270/686-8876 270/929-5370

27 • ST. CLAIR FARMS REGISTERED ANGUS Eric & Sherry St. Clair 13433 Falls of Rough Road • Falls of Rough, KY 40119 (H) 270-257-2965 (C) 270-617-1079 www.stclairangus.com

6 • CLAIREBROOK FARMS, LLC PO Box 192, Carlisle, KY 40311 Paul B. Mulhollem, 217/621-3123 Chad Daugherty, 217/369-0466 Watch for our consignments in upcoming KY sales!

17 • JOHNSON FARMS ANGUS Angus Bulls & Females Slaughters, KY Keith: 270-635-0723 Reese: 270-635-1137

28 • TAMME VALLEY FARM Jacob Tamme, Owner-Operator 859-583-7134 jacob.tamme@gmail.com www.tammevalley.com & Find us on Facebook!

7 • COFFEY ANGUS FARMS 661 Hopewell Road Liberty, KY 42539 Matt Coffey - (270) 799-6288 Dewey Coffey - (606) 787-2620 Genetics for Maximum Profitability since 1984

18 • LEGACY FARMS Daniel and Lindsey Reynolds 1709 South Jackson Highway Hardyville, KY 42746 270-528-6275/270-528-6120 www.legacyfarmsangus.com

29 • TWIN CREEK FARM Shawn, Melissa, Devin & Dylan Gibson 270/337-3072 or 270/692-5304 Dennis & Emily 270/337-2128 or 270/402-4338

8 • COOL SPRINGS CREEK FARM Guy & Aline Babin 269 Paul Coomer Rd Gradyville, KY 42742 270-205-1669 www.coolspringscreekfarm.com • gdbabin@outlook.com

19 • MILLERS RUN FARM William N. Offutt IV 3790 Paris Road Georgetown, KY 40324 Phone: (859) 533-2020 Email: millersrunfarm@aol.com Website: www.millersrunfarm.com Heifers for sale

9 • COUNTY LINE ANGUS Ottis Wright 150 Busy Baker Road Campbellsville, KY 42718 270-469-0339 • Registered Angus Bulls

20 • MUD RIVER ANGUS 10 Oak Hill Drive Russellville, KY 42276 Wayne Johnson 270/303-6354 Gary Johnson 270/498/7208

10 • D&D LONGVIEW ANGUS Danny & Debbie Burris 550 Willie Nell Road Columbia, KY 42728 270-348-5766 • 270-250-3701 • 270-250-1277

21 • FOUR KINGS ANGUS 250 Bright Leaf Dr. • Harrodsburg, KY 40330 Cary & Kim King Email: Carymking@yahoo.com • Fourkingsangus.com Cary Cell - 859-613-3734 • Colby Myers - Purebred Manager

11 • EAGLE REST PLANTATION Jimmy Don Robinson 7665 Paducah Road Kevil, KY 42053 270-462-2150

22 • OLD BARK FARM 370 Ferrill Hill, Buffalo, KY 42716 Kenley Conner 270/358-8057 Registered Angus Cattle

Bulls & females sold private treaty. Inquiries Welcome. Sell only what we would buy.

6 4 89 5880 68 5 4

26 • SMITHLAND ANGUS FARM 5202 East Hwy 80, Russell Springs, KY 42642 Charles “Bud” & Pam Smith 270/866-3898 Henry & Melissa Smith 270/866-2311

Performance Tested Bull & Female Sale April 2016

Watch for us in Branch View Production Sale in April

KY ANGUS ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION NAME

FARM NAME

ADDRESS

OLD BARK FARM

CITY

STATE

PHONE 1

PHONE 2

ZIP

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

CO O WCWC CO O UO N R Y • Y D E C E M BM EAY RT 222000111888 ••• A A P U B LLIIIC C AT O N O F TTH H E K E N TU C K Y C AT TLE M E N S A S S O C AT O N O WC C O U N T •V U AP PU UB BLL CAT ATIIIIO ON NO OF HE EK KE EN NT UC CK KY YC CAT ATT EM ME EN N’’’’S SA AS SS SO OC CIIIIAT ATIIIIO ON N C U N TT R Y •R E M E R CW O C O UW NC TC RO YU •N O CA T O T R Y •G C O W O U NN T RO Y •U JBU NS E 2018 • A P U B IC AT O N O FF T TH E K E N TTU U C K Y C AT TTLLLE E M E N S A S S O C AT O N

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

KENTUCKY

MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND THE

GELBVIEH

KENTUCKY GELBVIEH ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING

A S S O C I AT I O N

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019 11:00 A.M. (EST) NELSON COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE BARDSTOWN, KENTUCKY

David Slaughter, President..........................(270)-556-4259 Joe Piles, Vice President..............................(502) 507-3845 Pat Tilghman, Secretary/Treasurer...............(270) 678-5695 CLIFFORD FARMS

3459 KY HWY 1284E Cynthiana, KY 41031 Since 1937 (859) 234-6956

Cattle for sale at all times.

LUNCH WILL BE SERVED

MULLINS FARM

Randy & Wanda Wade (859) 234-4803 Mike, Shelley & Ronin Meyer (859) 298-9931 Kevin, Shannon, & Kamber Farrell (859) 588-9121

TRAVIS MULLINS 2440 FISHING CREEK RD 606.282.3869 YOSEMITE, KY 42566 Gelbvieh Cattle for Sale

Gelbvieh, Simmental, & Commercial Cattle

Brian W. Dyer DVM

Owner/Manager GELBVIEH/BALANCERS

2050 Glasgow Road Burkesville, KY 42717 Brian, Lauren, Kristen Barry, Emily & Julia

Bar IV Livestock

Barry, Beth & Ben Racke • Brad Racke 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

Bee Lick Gelbviehs

Eddie Reynolds 277 Old Bee Lick Rd. Crab Orchard, KY 40419 606-379-2281(H) 606-305-1972(C) Bulls & Females for sale

Full Circle Farms

Registered Gelbvieh Cattle Brad Burke 989 Metcalf Mill Rd. • Ewing, KY 41039 (H) 606-267-5609 • (C) 606-782-1367 gbb789@windstream.net

Pleasant Meadows Farm

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

Gary & Pat Tilghman Lindsey Tilghman Jones Family Carrie & Daryl Derossett Family 690 Lick Branch Road Glasgow, KY 42141

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

270.678.5695 pleasantmeadowsfarm@hotmail.

Mockingbird Hill Farms Registered Gelbvieh Cattle Shane Wells 10172 Provo Rd. Rochester, KY H: 270-934-2198 C: 270-791-8196 swells@logantele.com

Larry Clark & Sons LLC

Registered Gelbvieh Cattle 1153 Robert Landis Road-Greensburg, KY 42743 Larry Clark, Owner & Operator (270) 299-5167 (270) 337-2801 Lpclarkandsons@msn.com

Single Tree Farm

jbgarmon@yahoo.com Jay, Bethany, Cooper and Piper Garmon

Clayton & Debbie Cash 1214 Ottawa School Road Brodhead, KY 40409

Gelbvieh-Balancer Bulls & Heifers For Sale by Private Treaty

(606)-308-3247 (606)-758-8995

76 Miller Cemetery Rd. Russell Springs, KY 42642 270-858-4939 Home 270-670-5250 Cell 270-590-1189 Cell

GELBVIEH & BALANCER CATTLE AQHA PERFORMANCE HORSES

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

Meeting modern industry demands: • Added Fertility • Increased Efficiency • More pounds of calf weaned American Gelbvieh Association 303-465-2333 | www.gelbvieh.org

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

MAKERS OF CRYSTALYX® LAUNCH NEW SELF-FED PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT FOR BEEF CATTLE [MANKATO, Minn.] – With cow-calf producers across the U.S. prepare for fall and winter feeding conditions, adding supplemental protein should be considered to help improve forage utilization. CrystalBloxTM, a self-fed block supplement for cattle, is the first supplement of its kind to be brought to the market in nearly 40 years. Developed by Ridley Block Operations, part of the Alltech feed division and the makers of CRYSTALYX® Brand Supplements, CrystalBlox is a new hybrid form that combines the economical nutrient delivery and fortification of compressed blocks with the consistent and predictable intake of low moisture block technology. CrystalBlox will fit into a wide variety of feeding situations in which protein delivery is critical. “As a beef producer, you want your cattle to maintain good body condition through the fall and winter, when forages are at their lowest quality,” said Mark Robbins, director of research and nutrition services at Ridley Block

Operations. “CrystalBlox provides supplemental protein so cattle can utilize those low-quality forages and maintain a good body score condition until calving.” CrystalBlox is designed and formulated to provide supplemental protein to help improve forage utilization by promoting increased forage intake and improved fiber digestibility. In situations where forage crude protein levels are low due to drought or with advanced maturity such as fall and winter forages, CrystalBlox can provide supplemental protein that will help cattle extract more energy and nutrients from forage supplies.

ESTROTECT ™ REBRANDS, CREATING NEW GLOBAL PRODUCT CATEGORY FOR BOVINE BREEDING AIDS Spring Valley, Wis. [October 31, 2018] – ESTROTECT™, the global leader in innovative breeding management tools, has rebranded its flagship product as ESTROTECT Breeding Indicator under a new logo and brand identity. Under its new brand, ESTROTECT expands the range of capabilities of its breeding aids, most notably the newly-launched ESTROTECT Breeding Indicator with Breeding Bullseye™ Technology. The new ESTROTECT Breeding Indicator is more than just a heat detector, like most competitive products in the market, and can be used in a wide variety of breeding management applications.

Robbins, along with Alltech Feed Division nutritionist Tyler Melroe, recently appeared on Rural America Live to speak about CrystalBlox. Watch the video here: https://youtu. be/qh4e3pmJE_Y

With this change, ESTROTECT has also updated its visual identity to feature a new, modern logo and wordmark supported by a new full-bodied red bull icon. The new icon captures the full body of breeding management work that the new ESTROTECT Breeding Indicator can provide.

For more information and to find a dealer location, visit CrystalBlox.com.

“At ESTROTECT we’re passionate about helping producers and breeding special-

ists maximize pregnancy rates and the number of calves they get on the ground every year, not just heat detection,” said Boyd Dingus, General Manager of ESTROTECT. “We now have a product and branding to continue leading the industry in today’s modern reproduction marketplace.” As part of the rebranding, ESTROTECT also has launched a new website at ESTROTECT.com that delivers in-depth product information as well as current research and breeding management insights from across the industry. “The best breeding management tool in the industry has gotten even better, and we wanted to update our branding to match that ambition,” Dingus said. “At the same time, our website serves as a portal for industry information, expertise on breeding management and access to current research and insights from the world’s leading researchers.” For more information about ESTROTECT Breeding Indicators, visit ESTROTECT.com.

MARKET REPORT

SOUTHEAST FEEDER CATTLE PRICES NOVEMBER 9, 2018 STEER weights

HEIFER

Alabama

Arkansas

Florida

Georgia

Louisiana/ Mississippi

Kentucky/ Tennessee

134-140

136-142

131-137

134-140

138-144

8-9

137-145

140-148

134-142

137-145

7-8

144-152

143-151

140-148

143-151

6-7

144-154

143-153

141-151

144-154

5-6

150-162

146-158

4-5

161-175

166-180

159-173

9-10

Alabama

Arkansas

Florida

Georgia

Louisiana/ Mississippi

Kentucky/ Tennessee

140-148

130-138

126-134

130-138

132-140

144-154

138-148

128-138

126-136

130-140

128-138

133-143

151-163

150-162

146-158

128-140

126-138

128-140

134-146

160-174

161-175

155-169

137-151

136-150

133-147

135-149

136-150

COWS weights

Alabama

Arkansas

Florida

Georgia

Louisiana/ Mississippi

Kentucky/ Tennessee

UTIL

38-45

38-44

38-45

40-46

38-48

41-46

CN/CUT

35-40

33-40

36-40

35-42

32-42

37-41

BULLS

68-72

64-74

65-73

68-73

70-80

70-78

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

MONTHLY MARKET BEEF UPDATE! Feeder cattle traded from steady to $4 lower this week. Calves were $2 to to $4 lower. Market cows were mostly $2 to $3 lower. -Troy Applehans

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

AD INDEX

General

November 29 Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup, Nashville, TN January 17 Beef Efficiency Conference, Owensboro, KY, See ad on pg. 44 January 17-18 KCA Convention and Ag Industry Trade Show, Owensboro, KY, See ad on pg. 40 January 22-23 Heart of America Grazing Conference, Ferdinand, IN, See ad on pg. 17 January 29-30, Cattlemen’s College, New Orleans, LA, See ad on pg. 48 January 30-Feb 1 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, New Orleans, LA, See ad on pg. 36 February 13-16 National Farm Machinery Show, Louisville, KY March 1-3 Kentucky Farm Bureau Beef Expo, Louisville, KY

Angus

December 1 Allison Angus and Arrowhead Ranch Annual Production Sale, Hurricane Mills, TN January 5 15th Annual Genetic Excellence Angus Bull Sale, Cookeville, TN, See ad on pg. 19 February 25 Woodall Angus Farm 24th Annual Buy’s Choice Bull Sale, Quality, KY, See ad on pg. 15

Charolais

March 2 Kentucky Beef Expo Charolais Show & Sale, Louisville, KY, See ad on pg. 58

Gelbvieh

March 1-2 Kentucky Beef Expo Gelbvieh/Balancer Show & Sale, Louisville, KY March 30 Bluegrass Gelbvieh Invitational, Mt. Sterling, KY

Limousin

December 15 Eastern Select Sale, Mt. Sterling, KY, See ad on pg. 3

Hereford

December 1 Kentucky Hereford Autumn Sale, Mt. Sterling, KY February 15 White Hawk Ranch/Barnes Herefords Annual Spring Bull & Female Sale

Multi-Breed

November 30 Total Performance Bull Sale, Red House, VA November 30 Crazy K Ranch Fall Female Opportunity Sale, Michie, TN December 4 CPH Sale, Paris, KY December 4 CPH Sale, Gurthrie, KY December 5 CPH Sale, Springfield, KY December 6 CPH Sale, Owensboro, KY December 6 Blue Ribbon Bred Heifer Sale, Lexington, KY, See ad on pg. 11 December 7 Meadows Creek Annual Black and White Bull Sale, Montgomery, AL December 8 Boys From the South Bull Sale, Lebanon, TN, See ad on pg. 37 December 11 CPH Sale, Richmond, KY December 12 CPH Sale, Lexington, KY January 16 CPH Sale, Lexington, KY January 18 Blue Grass Stockyards Internet Sale, See ad on pg. 11 January 23 CPH Sale, Springfield, KY January 29 CPH Sale, Guthrie, KY February 16 Yon Family Farms Spring Sale, Ridge Spring, SC February 21 CPH Sale, Owensboro, KY March 16 Red Hill Farms More Than a Bull Sale, Lafayette, TN May 11 Middle Tennessee Gelbvieh/Angus Invitational, Centerville, TN

Red Angus

December 7-15 Cedar Hill Red Angus The Roots of Our Success Sale, Throckmorton, TX, See ad on pg. 17

50:10 Cattle Company..........................12 Alltech...................................................13 Blue Grass Stockyards.......................... 11 Boys from the South Bull Sale.............37 Burkmann Feeds..................................47 Bush Hog...............................................45 Byron Seeds......................................... 30 Cedar Hill Red Angus........................... 16 Central KY Ag Credit............................72 Coles Bend Cattle..................................12 CPH 45.....................................................9 Eastern Select Sale.................................3 Fagaly’s Feed and Pet........................... 28 Genetic Excellence Sale........................ 19 Green River Fence............................... 39 Hayes Trailer Service........................... 39 Hinton Mills.......................................... 71 John Deere..............................................2 Kentucky Angus Assoc............................. Kentucky Charolais Assoc................... 58 Kentucky Gelbvieh Assoc.................... 66 Kentucky Hereford Assoc.................... 62 Kentucky Salers Assoc......................... 68 Kentucky Simmental Assoc................ 60 Kentucky Stud...................................... 32 Kuhn Knight.......................................... 31 Kuhn North America............................. 8 McBurney’s Livestock.............................4 Mid South Ag.........................................38 NCBA.................................................... 36 Oak Hollow..............................................5 Pasture Management Systems............. 17 Priefert...................................................35 Reality Farms....................................... 46 Red Barn and Associates..................... 38 Ridley, Inc.............................................10 Shady Bottom Ranch............................18 Silver Stream Shelters......................... 24 Stone Gate Farms....................................7 Tru Test....................................................4 United Producers, Inc.......................... 29 Walters Buildings.................................18 Woodall Angus...................................... 15

SALERS

The Balanced Breed STRINGER FARMS Bruce Stringer 128 Teresa Avenue Somerset, KY 42501 606-875-3553 68

DIAMOND J SALERS Donald Johnson 11660 N. Hwy 1247 • Eubank, KY 42564 606-379-1558 COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

WILLIS FARMS • Danny Willis 964 Johnson Rd • Frankfort, KY 40601 502-803-5011 • drwc21@aol.com Matt Craig, Farm Mgr. 502-604-0821

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

HELP WANTED

STOCKMAN’S Pay starting at $10/hour ASSOCIATION ooking for honest dependable part CATTLE PRODUCTION me personnel to help promote beef at SALE Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Registered Bulls - Bred Heifers - Open Heifers Y. Currently taking applications for cashiers, food prep and cooks. Sale Location: Lost March 11, 2017 ontact Maxine Bracken AtBridge Kentucky Eva Hawes Ag Expo Building Cattle Company attlemen’s Association food service. Sale Time Morgantown Phone #502-773-3702 or 1:00 p.m. CST Livestock Hauling City Park email maxinebracken@gmail.com Morgantown, KY Indiana with a resume.

WWW.DIAMONDPCATTLE.COM

RED ANGUS • RED SIMMENTAL RED TO SIM-ANGUS • FARM FRESH BEEF - $15 FOR 4 LINES AND $5 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL LINE PLACE AN AD CALL (859) 278-0899

COW COUNTRY CLASSIFIEDS

Catalog be Available Feb Jeff,WillMichelle &2017Nolan Pettit Kentucky 5745 US HWY 41 SOUTH, SEBREE, KY 42455 ACH Holdings - Haynes Farms HEREFORD BULLS Ohio 270-836-2963 • JP@DIAMONDPCATTLE.COM Low birth weight and high growth. llblood & Purebred Embryos & Tennessee BSE Tested. 18 months old. Semen WWW.DIAMONDPCATTLE.COM ephen Haynes513-678-1042 - 270-799-8685 Sweet T Farm. 859-684-1509 RED ANGUS • RED SIMMENTAL RED SIM-ANGUS • FARM FRESH BEEF REGISTERED GELBVIEH BULLS 760 EmilyRyan Court Gries

6 registered Gelbvieh bulls. Passed Bowling Green, KY 42101 BSE. Ready for service. 14-20 www.achhlimousin.com months old. Calving ease, BULLS low birth achhlimousin@twc.com REGISTERED GELBVIEH & HEIFERS PERFORMANCE TESTED PUREBRED ANGUS weight, docile bulls. Starting Facebook: ACHH BULLS LIMOUSIN FOR SALE price at FOR SALE LOCATED IN SMITHS CALL 270/202-7186 FOR MORE INFO OR $2,250. Trent Jones.GROVE, KY COMPREHENSIVE NUTRIENT CONTACT TRENT JONES CHECK OUT WWW.OAKHOLLOWANGUS.COM 270-590-5266 ANAGEMENT PLANS (CNMPs) 270-590-5266 FOR CURRENT AVAILABILITY. CHAROLAIS BULLS FOR SALE Financial assistance available Harmon Charolais 812-738-7958 rough NRCS EQIP or Ky Div of REGISTERED BLACK SIMMENTAL BULLS FOR SALE Performance tested All Breeds Bulls onservation RCPP. Ben Koostra, EXCELLENT EPD’S. SEMEN TESTED. PB ANGUS HEIFER SIRED BY SON OF SYDEN http://www.ansc.purdue.edu/ibep/ exington, KY NRCS Technical DELIVERY AVAILABLE. MAXIMIZE YOUR CC & 7 AND OUT OF COW BY GARDEN’S 812-279-8554 rvice Provider - 859-559-4662 PROFIT WITH PROVEN PERFORMANCE. PRIME TOUCH. BORN 8/23/17. $1600. LIME-LITTER-FERTILIZER SPREADERS REGISTERED ANGUS BULLS ADAM WHEATLEY 502-349-2665 MCCRORY FARMS. 270-527-3767. 1516 MAIN, BENTON, KY 42025 In Stock Stoltzfus Brand John Deere months. Vet Checked. $2,000. OVER-25cab BREEDING AGE-wd HEREFORD BULLS Skean Angus, Alvaton, KY 6400 loader FOR SALE FOR SALE www.redbarnandassociates.com 70-535-4123. Call Tim or see OVER 60 YEARS OF LINE 1 HEREFORD 19-20 MONTH OLD POLLED HEREFORD Call Charlie: 859-608-9745 ulls @ www.skeanangus.com BULLS. GOOD SELECTION. LOW BIRTHWEIGHT, MEDIUM FRAME. FREE DELIVERY AVAILABLE. JMS POLLED HEREFORDS, KNIFLEY, KY DANNY 270-566-2694 TRENT 270-566-2000

GENETICS. ALSO SELLING 30 HEIFERS. CHAMBLISS HEREFORD FARMS. 270-668-7126

SALERS

Registered Red Angus Bulls For Sale • Free Delivery

Four Winds Farm New Castle, KY

502-296-1044 FALL 2016 BULLS FOR SALE 25 BLACK-CROSS HEIFERS REGISTERED GELBVIEH/ANGUS BALANCER BULLS. HOMO BLACK. BREEDING Calves byBLACK side.AND Some calves SOUNDNESS EVALUATION. BVD AND weighing up to 300-400 lbs. SEMEN859-481-5143 TESTED. CALVING EASE EPDS. HUNTINGBURG, IN J&D KERSTIENS SIMMENTAL BULLS FOR SALE 812-482-2688 OR DUANE CASSIDY AT Black and polled. 18 months-2 812-661-8005

year olds. Semen checked. $2,500 Bowling FOR-MOST Green, KY 270-529-9215 CHUTE AND BALE RED ANGUS FORSALE SALE UNROLLER FOR MODEL 125 FOR-MOST WITHOlds, MODEL Bulls: Yearlings andCHUTE 2 Year 30 HEADGATE. PRICE $1600. Open and Bred Heifers BALE UNROLLER, PERFECT CONDITION. Contact: Johnnie Cundiff PRICE $600. 502-477-2637 606-305-6443 or 606-871-7438 REGISTERED POLLED HEREFORD BULLS COST-SHARE QUALIFIED. LOW CALVING WEIGHTS. EPD RECORDS. READY FOR SERVICE. MUNDAY’S FARM. CALL ANNE & M.J. BAKKE. 559-348-3818 OR EMAIL DAIRYNUTR@AOL.COM

SEE YOUR AD HERE! REACH OVER 10,600 CATTLEMEN EACH MONTH. ADS AS LOW AS $15 PER MONTH. FOR AD PLACEMENT CONTACT JACOB REDWAY

859-278-0899

SORTING POLES - PADDLES - FLAGS POLES WITH YOUR 8” DECAL. $6.20 EACH PER 50. SORTING FLAG, $10.50. SORTING PADDLES $9. KERNDT LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS 800-207-3115 GELBVIEH & BALANCER BULLS BLACK POLLED BULLS BRED FOR CALVING EASE AND PERFORMANCE. FOR MORE INFO, CONTACT MCINTOSH BROTHERS AT 502-867-3132. REGISTERED ANGUS BULLS & HEIFERS FOR SALE - MEADOWBROOK ANGUS FRANKLIN, KY - ESTABLISHED 1951 DAVE NEELY, 270-776-2831 OR CHUCK NEELY, 270-791-7503

JOHN DEERE 5105 M 4WD CAB- LDR- $45,000 JOHN DEERE 7410 2WD CAB - $28,000 STOLTZFUS SPREADERS STARTING AT $13,000 FARMCO FEEDER WAGONS - $3,500 FOUNDATION SALE V - OCTOBER 5, 2019 REGISTERED POLLED HEREFORD BULLS & ROTOMIX 274 FEEDER WAGON - $6,000 UNITED PRODUCERS, BOWLING GREEN, KY HEIFERS BULLS (GREAT SELECTION, 14-28 GREAT PLAINS DRILLS STARTING AT $10,000 SELLING FULLBLOOD & PUREBRED MONTHS OLD) ARE EASY CALVING, COST CAT 242 B SKID LOADER - $18,000 LIMOUSIN GENETICS SHARE ELIGIBLE. HEIFERS (7-15 MONTHS WWW.REDBARNANDASSOCIATES.COM FOR INFO CALL : A C H HOLDINGS, LLC FARMS • Danny WillisHORTON: DIAMOND J SALERS CALL CHARLIE: 859-608-9745 WILLIS OLD). MONTICELLO, KY. GEORGE STEPHEN HAYNES 270-799-8685 606-348-7334 OR 606-278-2327. 964 Johnson Rd • Frankfort, KY 40601 Donald Johnson HORTONSHEREFORDS@GMAIL.COM REGISTERED BLACK ANGUS 502-803-5011 RED ANGUS FOR SALE • drwc21@aol.com 11660 N. Hwy 1247 • Eubank, KY 42564 CATTLE FOR SALE BULLS: YEARLINGS AND606-379-1558 2-YEAR-OLDS. Matt Craig, Farm Mgr. 502-604-0821 REGISTERED ANGUS BULLS COW/CALF PAIRS, COWS, AND BULLS. OPEN HEIFERS. CALVING EASE AND GROWTH. 270-469-0339 SHOW HEIFER PROSPECTS. CONTACT: AGES 1 AND 2 YEARS OLD. BW AND EPD’S JOHNNIE CUNDIFF w Country News, February 2017, A publication of the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association 117 AVAILABLE. BREMER BROS., METROPOLIS, IL 606-305-6443 OR 606-871-7438 618-638-7693

The Balanced Breed

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

FEATURE

1981 - A YEAR TO REMEMBER! DR. ROY BURRIS UK Extension Beef Specialist There were some years in my career that were more memorable than others … and 1981 was one of those years! That was the year that I moved from Mississippi and began my job as an Extension Beef Specialist for UK. Lots of other things were happening too. The prime rate was twenty percent and the cost of loans was through the roof. I had a house to sell and had just bought one in Princeton along with some land in Tennessee that I owed money on – yet my problems were nothing compared to what most farmers were experiencing. We were in the midst of the worst farm crisis since the Great Depression. Things were bad all over but were especially crazy in the beef cattle industry. By this time the show ring had completely lost its way (in my opinion), if its mission was to provide direction to the beef industry. We had gone from once selecting calves so short that it led to dwarfism. Now we had gone to the other extreme. Dr. O.G. Daniel from the University of Georgia wrote an article for the July 1981 issue of the Livestock Breeder Journal. I saved it in my files for some reason and will share it with you now after all these years. Maybe it is still relevant:

from this kind. Cattlemen throughout the nation became performanceminded. We showed a lot of steers in the ‘70s that could have gone to many socalled “big time” shows and looked okay. These steers were a little taller, slower maturing and faster gaining than the “baby dolls” of the ‘50s and early ‘60s. Evidently, steer jocks decided if two inches in height helped, six inches would fix things up just right. If the industry wanted a 1100-1200 lb. steer, then let’s take him to 1400, sweat him back to 1200 for weigh-in. They found bulls that would contribute skeletal extension and long bone growth, but they have very little capacity for feed consumption. In fact, they require a ration very high in concentrates to perform. Many of these steers must weigh at least 1400 lbs. before they get into the Choice grade. Why we let the traders set the pattern and talk youngsters into feeding steers like this is hard to understand. Nevertheless, all of us—educators, parents, breeders, (both purebred and commercial)—stood idly by and let it happen. None of us

have anyone to blame but ourselves. We were fast talked and out traded. Yes, many of us falling into one or more of these groups have judged shows and used steers of this kind. This has helped “snowball” this trend even more. If we must have a “kind” of cattle to win a steer show with that can’t be used anywhere else in the industry, then our standards for picking winning steers are wrong. The real sad part concerning these “kinds” of steers is that they all have half-sisters that can’t contribute to a commercial cattle industry that exists to consume roughage and produce beef. If these half-sisters can’t be kept as brood cows and produce profitability, then their brothers have no place in steer shows where we hope to educate by showing what the ideal should be like. Nature will eventually eliminate these artificial critters as it did the “shorts” of years past, but in the meantime many 4-H and FFA members will be the victim of the “steer jocks” who are interested more in what they can get out of the program rather than what they can put into it. I hope the pendulum has hit the far end and will start back. It’s long overdue. Before you buy steers and commercial heifers for next year, ask yourself a few questions such as: (1) Can a feedlot feed these kind and get along?,

(2) can a commercial producer raise these kind and survive?, (3) will the total industry stay afloat if the whole beef cattle population was like this?, (4) do producers of this kind have to depend on a group of youngsters spending hard earned dollars to keep them in business? After you satisfy yourself by answering these questions honestly, go buy you a steer that you can feed like you were “sure ‘nuff” in the cattle business. Junior steer shows were not started to be a “poker game for parents.” They were started and conducted through the years as a teaching tool to help develop youngsters and make better citizens of them. When we inject anything into the program that dilutes these efforts we are wrong.” That was a good article – especially for 1981. And it still encourages us to think about using functional cattle to position our herds for the future. I hope that over my career I have encouraged you to arm yourself with knowledge, to act with independence of thought and to keep your family farm profitable and sustainable for the long haul. Well, this completes 31 years of writing a monthly column for Cow Country News. It has been my pleasure to “talk” to you in this format. Happy New Year and Best Wishes for the future.

“This article is being written immediately following the Georgia Junior Steer Show. Many folks say that it was a good one. It was well run and well judged from start to finish. The steers were well groomed and presented in good fashion by the greatest group of young’uns in existence. However, there were fewer good steers in the barn than any in the last five. Many years ago (early ‘50s) we started on an “extremely small” selection craze. We went so far that our winning steers weighed slightly over 800 pounds even though they graded Choice. People running feedlots said this was crazy. Commercial producers said they couldn’t stay in business producing the likes of these. We gradually started moving away 70

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER

2018

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

Be sure to bring the kids to any of our five locations for their free collectible bag of reindeer feed starting December 17th, while supplies last!

From our mills to your farms, we take pride in making your feed the way you want it, delivered when and where you need it. We always source the finest ingredients, often from local farms, to make you the highest quality, freshest feed possible.

This is the perfect time of year to shop for all the family and friends who help you around the farm.

Frank Hinton & Son 591 Plummers Landing Rd. Plummers Landing, KY (606) 876-3171

COW COUNTRY •

DECEMBER 2018

Jabetown Mill 99 Ewing Rd. Ewing, KY (606) 267-2161

May’s Lick Mill 6538 U.S. Hwy. 68 May’s Lick, KY (606) 763-6602

• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N

Fleming County Farm Supply 1724 Maysville Rd. Flemingsburg, KY (606) 845-1821

Hinton Mills Cynthiana 332 Lincoln Ave. Cynthiana, KY (859) 234-2122

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