Dave Maples: From Dave’s Desk

DAVE MAPLES

Executive Vice President

Moving the Governor’s Office of Agriculture Policy to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, and with a new name, the Kentucky Office of Agriculture Policy will bring a new wave of board members and staff. Change is always hard but often welcomed. GOAP had a highly impressive twenty-year run. I have often been amazed at how Kentucky Agriculture and Kentucky Policy makers have worked together to use these funds to advance Kentucky Agriculture as well as rural Kentucky. I am losing count of how many GOAP Executive Directors we have worked with over the twenty years. Again, the amazement of how the transition between political parties and personalities has stayed close to true of the mission of the program and resources. Having a strong Board and dependable experienced staff that take the responsibility serious is the key. Brian Lacefield will take the lead as the new Director of the Kentucky Office of Agriculture Policy. You will also see new board members as the move is made to the Department of Agriculture. Just thinking back 20 years the mission of the fund was to transition tobacco farmers into new or expanding areas of Agriculture. The beef industry has been the beneficiary of millions of dollars of these funds. Anyone involved in Kentucky’s beef industry knows how important these funds have been. If you were ever going to be in the beef industry you want to be in the Kentucky Beef industry because of these funds. It looks like the next twenty years could be just as challenging and exciting as the last twenty years. Today, as I write this article our KCA office has had representatives in the office to talk about technologies that I knew about but really didn’t realize how advanced they have become. I have had people tell me that the Pork industry was moving to where the Poultry industry is and that the Beef industry is moving to where the Pork industry is

HOLD YOUR CATTLE BETTER

WE HAVE ALL YOUR CATTLE HANDLING NEEDS CUSTOM DESIGN ON PENS AND CHUTES AVAILABLE

A CHUTE SO GOOD WE CAN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT IT!

CATTLE EQUIPMENT IS WHAT WE BUILD!

Creep Feeders

Silencer Hyd. Chutes Starting At $9,500

MANUAL CHUTES

Starting At $4,300 150 Bu. $3,500

70 Bu. Side Single $2,900

A More Cost Effective Alternative To Heating Your Home

BEXTRA BALE FEEDERS!

$675 FOB New Castle

APACHE FEED WAGONS

20' $4,400 • 24' $5,200 Apache Troughs 24' $1,350

Stay Tuned for a brand new Kentucky made product from McBurney Livestock hitting the market in June!

Call Us For More Info

EMAIL FOR CATALOG

Chris McBurney 502.741.7088 1494 Campbellsburg Rd. New Castle, KY 40050 chris@cattleeq.com

We Do Custom Design On Pens & Chutes! 502.667.3495 502.845.1160 www.cattleeq.com

today. So, what is driving the change, and as a beef producer how do I get prepared. It looks like to compete with the other animal proteins and with the grain farmers for land, the word is efficiency. And the other word and world that you have to pay attention to is the consumer. Consumer demand for products with credentials is a realization. One of the big drivers is going to be less use of antibiotics. If you take away the technologies that we have become used to like antibiotic, feed additives, implants, and others you will have to transition to different business models or different practices. All of a sudden you have to have genetics that can make up the difference. Watch for more terminal cross bulls, you will be looking at indexes instead of individual EPD’s. Genomic testing will be more prevalent and the genetic base in your cow herd will have to be stronger. The health programs in the cow herd and the way you set up the calf will be a must. The way calves move through the supply chain will change because you will have to be diligent in the animal health arena. You won’t be able to move a group of unhealthy calves into a feed lot of natural calves and get the entire feedlot compromised. I look at my job at KCA and I have serious concerns about where Cattlemen’s Association will be in the future. No matter where you are in the supply chain; cow-calf owner, stocker operator, stockyard manager, order buyer, dealer, feed company, veterinarian, extension agent or an association employee you have to be aware of what is taking place and position yourself for success. There are lots of opportunities out there.