Cooperative Extension Service Campbell County 3500 Alexandria Pike Highland Heights, Kentucky 41076 (859) 572-2600 Fax: (859) 572-2619 campbell.ca.uky.edu

AGRICULTURE NEWS November 2016

Campbell County Farmers,

Another growing season is coming to an end and, as far as the weather goes, it has been a pretty good year. The months of May, June and July were much wetter than normal. Adequate rainfall has made for an above average crop in all areas of production for 2016. During the summer, we did have a few weeks of hot and dry weather that reminded us that things can change in an instant. We have been blessed with a beautiful yet dry fall. If it wasn’t for the October 19 storm we would have been very dry by now. The Homesteading and Farm Start programs have occupied much of my fall time/programs, but I will be scheduling some upcoming programs beginning in December and after the first of the year.

Homesteading and Farm Start Programs

For the past several years I have received a significant increase in the number of requests from new landowners asking for assistance in developing agriculture/horticulture activities on their land. To address this need, Campbell, Kenton and Pendleton County Agriculture and Natural Resource agents developed two, nine session programs called Homesteading and Farm Start. These sessions started in early Octo-ber and will end the last Tuesday in November. The Homesteading Program is for novice landowners who wish to start small scale sustainable agriculture production practices that would allow them to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle. Farm Start is a more comprehensive whole farm management program that educates participants in the basic foundation of production, marketing, management, and networking needed to develop a successful farming operation.

These two programs are helping landowners to better understanding their land's natural resources and select a farming enterprise that fits their personal goals. Over 80 individuals are participating in these two programs. Plans are to extend this series of classroom programs to include field days and farm tours for this group in 2017.

Since there is a limited amount of corn being grown in Campbell County, most beef producer have turned to commodity feeds such as corn gluten and soyhulls for their concentrate needs. On Monday, December 5 at 6:30 p.m. Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler, UK Extension Beef Cattle Extension specialist, will be with us and will talk about Feeding Commodity Feeds. Dr. Lehmkuhler will also talk about using wet brewers and distiller grains as commodity feed. With the increased number of craft beers (breweries) in the Northern KY and Cincinnati area, we are seeing a larger number of producers feeding these by-products. See the enclosed flyer for more information.

Deciding Who to Cull

Michelle Arnold, DVM (UK Ruminant Extension

Veterinarian)

Which cows in your herd are making you money and

who is losing you money? Every year, the cow-calf

producer needs to critically evaluate each animal in

the herd and decide if she is paying her upkeep. Open

cows (those that are not pregnant) at the end of

breeding season obviously are the top of the cull list.

With variable costs running $400-$500 per year per

head and an additional $100-$300 in fixed costs,

keeping open cows is a financial black hole. Beyond

pregnancy status, what other variables are important

to evaluate? Structural soundness, body condition

score, age, performance, and disposition are vital

components in developing a culling order specifically

for your farm. This culling order is exceptionally im-

portant during times of drought or a year with mar-

ginal hay production as you may have to cull deeper

to manage through a difficult season. To begin, it is

best to think about who in the herd has the least

chance of being productive in the long term or is far-

thest away from being productive. Equally important

are factors such as disposition and phenotype that

affect the marketability of offspring. The following is

a list of factors to consider when deciding who to cull

this year.

*Disposition - A cow’s attitude is an important con-

sideration in any cattle operation. Bad behavior has

both a genetic component and is also learned by

calves at an early age. Mean cattle are dangerous to

people, damage facilities, tear up fences and make

gathering and working cattle a nightmare. Remem-

ber a good cow can be protective without being dan-

gerous and destructive.

*Pregnancy Status - A cow should produce a calf at

least once a year and the sale of that calf needs to pay

her way. Diagnosing a cow as “open” (not pregnant)

is as simple as veterinarian palpating for pregnancy at

least 40 days after breeding or removing the bull. A

simple, inexpensive blood test can also be used 28

days post-breeding to determine pregnancy status. If

many cows are found open at pregnancy check, work

with your veterinarian to determine if reproductive

disease, poor nutrition, bull infertility or inability was

the cause. Remember that cows that calve late in the

season have less opportunity to breed back in a con-

trolled (for example, 90 day) breeding season. Sum-

mer heat and fescue toxicosis can be important con-

tributors to low conception rates.

*Structural Soundness - Bad hooves or claws,

lameness due to hip/knee injury, eye problems, and

poor udder conformation are all examples of struc-

tural problems that adversely affect performance.

Good feet and legs

are essential for

weight mainte-

nance, breeding,

calving, self-

defense, and rais-

ing a calf. The ud-

der should be firm-

ly attached with a

level floor and high

enough that newborn calves can easily find and latch

onto teats. Cows with blind or light quarters, funnel

or balloon shaped teats, or any history of mastitis are

strong candidates

for culling.

*Cows with

chronic conditions

that will not im-

prove such as pro-

gressive weight

loss, early cases of

cancer eye, repeat-

ed episodes of

vaginal prolapse during pregnancy, and extreme sen-

sitivity to the effects of fescue toxicosis should be

removed from the herd as soon as the calf is weaned.

Cows with confirmed disease conditions such as

Johnes disease, bovine lymphoma, or advanced can-

cer eye should not be returned to a commercial mar-

ket. The most common reasons for carcass condem-

nation at slaughter include emaciation, lymphoma,

peritonitis, cancer eye, blood poisoning, bruising,

and other cancers.

*Age - Cows are considered most productive be-

tween 4-9 years of age. Look at the teeth to assess

the age but evaluate them in light of diet—cows that

eat gritty or sandy feeds and forages have increased

tooth wear beyond their years. Cows with badly

worn or missing teeth will have a hard time main-

taining body condition. Older cattle die of natural

causes, too.

*Poor Performance - Record keeping is an invalua-

ble tool for evaluating performance. Readable visual

tags on both the cow and calf allow you to match calf

sale weights to the dams and identification of cows

that did not produce a calf. Inferior genetics and poor

milk production produce lightweight calves that do

no grow well. An overweight cow or large framed

cow with a small calf that doesn’t gain weight usually

means the cow is not

producing much milk.

Sick baby calves may be

an indication of poor

quality colostrum and

poor mothering ability.

*Phenotype - These are

cows that do not “fit” the

herd because of external features such as unusual

breed, size, muscling and color. These challenges

may be overcome to some degree by choice of sire to

balance out the unwanted traits. Remember that buy-

ers of commercial calves look for uniformity in color,

weight, and frame in a set of calves.

*The last ones to go - Hopefully culling will never

have to go this deep in your herd. Bred cows over 9

years old, replacement heifers (especially those that

did not breed in the first 30 days), and bred cows 3-9

years old should be the last sold. Thin cows that con-

ceive late in the breeding season should go first.

Since 20% of gross receipts in a typical cow-calf op-

eration come from the sale of cull animals, pay atten-

tion to price seasonality and body condition score be-

fore sending these animals to market. Prices are high-

est in spring and lowest in late fall/early winter when

spring born calves are weaned & culls sent to market.

Adding weight and body condition to culls is an op-

portunity to increase profitability but can be expen-

sive. Work with a nutritionist to come up with realis-

tic cost projections before feeding cull cattle for a

long period of time.

When it comes to making decisions on who to cull,

remember to consider functionality in your environ-

ment. Is she an “easy keeper”? Does she keep flesh

and condition and raise a good calf, even when feed

and forage is limited? On the opposite side, does she

give too much milk or is her frame size so large that

you can’t keep weight on her, even when pasture is

plentiful? Is her pelvis so small and tight that calving

is a problem and will be a problem in her offspring?

Functionality leads to longevity and improved effi-

ciency. By retaining more young cows in the herd,

you can decrease the number of replacement heifers

needed and cull cows that are only marginally profit-

able. Young cows also increase in value as they ma-

ture because the body weight of the cow and her

calf’s weaning weight will continue to increase from

2-5 years of age. Longevity may also be improved

through crossbreeding because hybrid vigor adds es-

sentially 1.3 years of productivity or

one more calf per cow.

In summary, a herd of easy-keeping,

efficient cows is possible through

rigorous culling and careful selec-

tion of replacements. Match your

genetics to your management and

environment for maximum efficien-

cy, longevity, and ultimately, maximum enjoyment of

cattle production.

Test Your Knowledge on Veterinary Feed

Directive: Changing the Way Producers

Obtain Medicated Feeds Beginning

January 1, 2017 Michelle Arnold, DVM (UK Ruminant Extension Veteri-

narian)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amend-

ing its animal drug regulations regarding veterinary

feed directive (VFD) drugs. This amendment is in-

tended to improve

the efficiency of

FDA's VFD pro-

gram while protect-

ing human and ani-

mal health. The

new rule limits

“medically im-

portant antimicrobi-

al drugs” to the

treatment, control, and prevention of disease but does

not allow weight gain or feed efficiency claims. Sec-

ondly, the rule states that the use of medically im-

portant antimicrobials will have veterinary oversight.

This will be accomplished by changing previously

labeled over-the counter (OTC) drugs used in feeds

to Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) drugs. As a re-

sult of this amendment, many drugs that are currently

considered over the counter (OTC) will require a

VFD, effective January 1, 2017. A list of all of the

affected drugs is below.

Drugs Transitioning From OTC to VFD Status

Established drug name Examples of proprietary drug name(s) $

chlortetracycline (CTC)

Aureomycin, CLTC, CTC, Chloratet, Chlorachel,

ChlorMax, Chlortetracycline, Deracin, Inchlor,

Pennchlor, Pfichlor

chlortetracycline/sulfamethazine* Aureo S, Aureomix S, Pennchlor S

chlortetracycline/sulfamethazine/

penicillin*

Aureomix 500, Chlorachel/Pficlor SP, Pennchlor SP,

ChlorMax SP

hygromycin B Hygromix

lincomycin Lincomix

oxytetracycline (OTC) TM, OXTC, Oxytetracycline, Pennox, Terramycin

oxytetracycline/neomycin* Neo-Oxy, Neo-Terramycin

penicillin+ Penicillin, Penicillin G Procaine

sulfadimethoxine/ormetoprim* Rofenaid, Romet

tylosin Tylan, Tylosin, Tylovet

tylosin/sulfamethazine* Tylan Sulfa G, Tylan Plus Sulfa G, Tylosin Plus

Sulfamethazine

virginiamycin Stafac, Virginiamycin, V-Max

What is a VFD?

A VFD is a written (nonverbal) statement issued by

a licensed veterinarian in the course of the veteri-

narian’s professional practice that authorizes the use

of a VFD drug or combination VFD drug in or on

an animal feed. This written statement authorizes

the client (the owner of the animal or animals or

other caretaker) to obtain and use animal feed bear-

ing or containing a VFD drug or combination VFD

drug to treat the client’s animals only in accordance

with the conditions for use approved by the FDA. A

VFD is also referred to as a VFD order.

How will the FDA changes affect the way produc-

ers purchase these feed additives? Test your

knowledge by taking the quiz below.

Question 1 (T or F): ______ As long as a pro-

ducer buys bagged medicated feed such as Aureo-

mycin® or medicated mineral at the feed store, he

or she doesn’t need a veterinarian’s written di-

rective.

Answer: False. Use of any VFD feed requires

professional supervision of a licensed veterinarian

(the veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR)

is the basis of professional supervision-see box).

Producers must obtain a VFD order from his or her

veterinarian, then send, or take, the VFD order to a

feed manufacturer or supplier to get the VFD feed.

Question 2 (T or F):_______ Once a producer

obtains a VFD feed, he can legally feed it to any of

his cattle at whatever dose and for however many

days he chooses.

Answer: False- Producers must use VFD feeds

according to the label on the bag. Any usage con-

trary to the label by anyone is illegal under U.S.

law. Animal feed bearing or containing a VFD drug

or a combination VFD drug must be fed to animals

based on the VFD issued by a licensed veterinarian,

including:

premises at which the animals specified in the

VFD are located;

species and production class of animals to be fed

the VFD feed;

approximate number of animals to be fed the

VFD

indication for which the VFD is issued;

level of VFD drug in the feed and duration of

use;

withdrawal time, special instructions, and cau-

tionary statements necessary for use of the drug

in conformance with the approval.

Question 3 (T or F):______ A producer can con-

tinue to feed a medicated feed already present on his

or her farm even after the VFD expiration date has

passed.

Answer: False. It is not legal to feed a VFD feed

or combination VFD feed to animals after the expira-

tion date specified on the VFD. A new VFD must be

issued to continue feeding any VFD feed.

Question 4 (T or F):_______ A producer must

maintain a copy of the VFD order for a minimum of

2 years and provide VFD orders for inspection and

copying by FDA upon request.

Answer: True. Additionally, the veter inar ian is

required to keep the original VFD (in hardcopy or

electronically) and the distributor must keep a copy

of the VFD (in hardcopy or electronically) for 2

years.

Question 5 (T or F): _______ If a producer mixes

his own medicated feed on farm, the new VFD rules

do not apply.

Answer: False. Producers who manufacture

their own feed must have a VFD in order to get the

medicated VFD feed to manufacture from. Producers

who also manufacture feed for others should be

aware that they are acting as a distributor and addi-

tional requirements apply. More information on

manufacturing and distributing VFD feeds as well as

any of this information and more can be found online

by visiting the FDA’s website at:

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/

DevelopmentApprovalProcess/ucm071807.htm

Question 6 (T or F)_____ Water soluble drugs

(those that dissolve in water) do not require a VFD.

Answer: True. However , water soluble drugs are

transitioning from OTC to Prescription (Rx). All

water uses of these drugs will require a prescription

from a veterinarian as of January 1, 2017, except in

cases where a sponsor chooses to voluntarily with-

draw the approved drug application.

Established drug name Examples of proprietary drug name(s)

chlortetracycline Aureomycin, Aureomycyn, Chlora-Cycline, Chloronex, Chlortetracycline, Chlortet-

racycline Bisulfate, Chlortet-Soluble-O, CTC, Fermycin, Pennchlor

erythromycin Gallimycin

gentamicin Garacin, Gen-Gard, GentaMed, Gentocin, Gentoral

lincomycin Linco, Lincomed, Lincomix, Lincomycin, Lincomycin Hydrochloride, Lincosol,

Linxmed-SP

lincomycin/spectinomycin* Lincomycin S, Lincomycin-Spectinomycin, L-S, SpecLinx

neomycin

Biosol Liquid, Neo, Neomed, Neomix, Neomycin, Neomycin Liquid, Neomycin

Sulfate, Neo-Sol, Neosol, Neosol-Oral, Neovet

oxytetracycline

Agrimycin, Citratet, Medamycin, Oxymarine, Oxymycin, Oxy-Sol, Oxytet, Oxytet-

racycline, Oxytetracycline HCL, Oxy WS, Pennox, Terramycin, Terra-Vet, Tetravet

-CA, Tetroxy, Tetroxy Aquatic, Tetroxy HCA

penicillin Han-Pen, Penaqua Sol-G, Penicillin G Potassium, R-Pen, Solu-Pen

spectinomycin Spectam

sulfadimethoxine Agribon, Albon, Di-Methox, SDM, Sulfabiotic, Sulfadimethoxine, Sulfadived, Sul-

famed-G, Sulforal, Sulfasol

sulfamethazine SMZ-Med, Sulfa, Sulmet

sulfaquinoxaline S.Q. Solution, Sulfa-Nox, Sulfaquinoxaline Sodium, Sulfaquinoxaline Solubilized,

Sul-Q-Nox, Sulquin

tetracycline

Duramycin, Polyotic, Solu/Tet, Solu-Tet, Supercycline, Terra-Vet, Tet, Tetra-Bac,

Tetracycline, Tetracycline Hydrochloride, Tetramed, Tetra- Sal, Tetrasol, Tet-Sol,

TC Vet

Water Soluble Drugs Transitioning From OTC to Rx

Cow-calf Profitability Expectations for Fall

2016

Kenny Burdine and Greg Halich, University of Kentucky

Agricultural Economists

The drastic decline in calf prices from summer 2015

is having a major impact on cow-calf profits. In eval-

uating cow-calf profitability this year, it may prove

useful to provide a long-run perspective on calf pric-

es. The chart below shows historical April and Octo-

ber prices for a 550# steer in Kentucky from 2007 to

2015 (USDA-AMS). Part of our message to cow-calf

operators as we traveled the state this winter / spring

was that our current market is not that far from the

long-run “normal”. Current prices are not bad from a

historical perspective. What does look bad are these

prices compared to what we have had in the last two

years. When you sold calves for $2.00-$2.50/lb just

over a year ago, selling those same calves in the $1.35

-$1.50/lb range is hard to swallow.

For the first week of August 2016,

550 lb steer calves were selling

around $1.45 per lb on a state aver-

age basis according to the weekly

Kentucky Livestock and Grain Mar-

ket Report. The same week in

2015, those same steer calves were

selling for $2.44 per lb. This 41%

price decline represents a difference

of nearly $550 per steer in twelve

months and that $550 decline was

virtually all profit.

Given this drastic drop in prices, it seems fitting to

take a look at expected profitability for cow-calf oper-

ations in the current market. Table 1 estimates fall

2016 returns to a traditional spring-calving cow-calf

operation. Every operation is different, so producers

should modify these estimates to fit their situation.

Average weaning weight is assumed to be 550 lbs and

the steer / heifer average calf price is assumed to be

$1.40 per pound. Weaning rate is assumed to be 90%.

Using this weaning rate, we effectively convert reve-

nues from a “per calf weaned” basis to a “per cow

maintained” basis. It is worth noting that this is a rel-

atively high weaning rate compared to the Kentucky

average. Based on these assumptions, calf revenue

per cow is $693.

The pasture stocking rate is assumed to be 2 acres per

cow-calf unit and pasture maintenance costs are as-

sumed to be relatively small. At $25 per acre, this

would include one pasture clipping and seeding

some legumes on a portion of the pastures acres each

year. Producers who apply fertilizer to pasture

ground would likely see much high pasture mainte-

nance costs. Cows are assumed to consume 2.5 tons

of hay through the winter and that hay is valued at

$75 per ton. In many cases hay can be purchased for

less than this, but most operations produce their own

hay and costs on many of these farms will be higher.

Mineral cost is set at $35 per cow, veterinary / medi-

cine costs $25, trucking costs $10, machinery costs

$20 (primarily for feeding hay as this does not in-

clude machinery for hay production or pasture clip-

ping as they are included in those respective costs),

and other costs $15.

Breeding costs are assumed to be $40 per cow and

are one of the most misunderstood costs on a cow

calf operation. Breeding cost on a per cow basis

should include annual depreciation of the bull and

bull maintenance costs, spread

across the number of cows he ser-

vices. For example, if a bull is pur-

chased for $3,500 and is sold two

years later for $2,500, the bull de-

preciated $500 each year. Then, if

his maintenance costs were $500

per year (feed, pasture, vet / med,

etc.), his ownerships costs are

$1,000 per year. If that bull covers

25 cows, breeding cost per cow is

$40. A similar approach can be used for AI, but pro-

ducers should be careful to include multiple rounds

of AI for some cows and the ownership costs of a

cleanup bull, if one is used.

Marketing costs (commission) are currently assumed

to be $27 per cow. Larger operations may market

cattle in larger groups and pay lower commission

rates, but this assumes 2.5% of value, plus commis-

sion, checkoff, and insurance.

Finally, breeding stock depreciation is another key

cost that is often overlooked. For example, if the

“typical” cow was valued at $1,800 when she en-

tered the herd and a typical cull cow value was $800,

then she would depreciate $1,000 over her produc-

tive lifetime. If we assume a typical cows has 8 pro-

ductive years, then annual cow depreciation is $125.

This is the assumption made in this analysis, but the

actual depreciation will vary across farms. When

buying replacement bred heifers, this cost is obvious.

With farm-raised replacements, this cost should be

the revenue foregone if the heifer had been sold with

the other calves, plus all expenses incurred (feed,

breeding, pasture rent, etc.) to reach the same stage

as a purchased bred heifer. While discussion of costs

that are included is important, discussion of costs that

are not included is just as crucial. Notice that no val-

ue is placed on the time spent working and managing

the operation, no depreciation on facilities, equip-

ment, fences, or other capital items is included, and

no interest (opportunity cost) is charged on any capi-

tal investments including land, facilities, and the cat-

tle themselves. So, the return needs to the thought of

as a return to the operator’s time, equipment, facili-

ties, land, and capital. Based on these assumptions,

total expenses per cow are roughly $535 and reve-

nues per cow are $693 for a return to land, labor,

capital, and management of $158 per cow.

Figure 1: Kentucky Auction Prices – 550# Steers

Weighted average basis

Prepare for the Fall Breeding Season

John F. Grimes, OSU Extension Beef Coordinator

Since the vast majority of KY cow-calf operations

calve in the late winter to early spring timeframe, you

will see more discussions about breeding seasons that

occur in April through July. The breeding season for

a fall-calving herd can range from November through

February. While many of the management decisions

in preparing for the two different breeding seasons

are similar, there are two fairly significant differ-

ences. One is the obvious variations in seasonal tem-

perature differences and the other relates to the type

of forages consumed during the breeding season.

In a spring breeding season we are moving out of a

period of feeding harvested forages to a period of

grazing lush forages. In a fall breeding season, we

are typically ending a grazing season and moving

into a period of feeding harvested forages. However,

in each breeding season, producers should be offer-

ing their females the highest quality forages they

have available. The need to feed the highest quality

forages during the breeding season is based on the

fact that maintenance requirements for energy and

protein increase 25-30% for most beef cows after

calving. Producers need to plan their supplementa-

tion to match or exceed this increased nutrient re-

quirement.

The evaluation of an animal’s body condition score

(BCS) prior to calving and from calving to breeding

is an important step towards achieving reproductive

success. Body condition score is a numerical estima-

tion of the amount of fat on the cow’s body. Body

condition score ranges from 1-9; 1 is emaciated while

9 is extremely obese. A change in a single BCS (i.e. 4

-5) is usually associated with about a 75 pound

change in body weight. Females with a BCS below 5

at calving will take longer to resume cycling and will

have longer calving interval the next time around.

It is admittedly difficult to increase the BCS of a beef

female once she is in lactation. The best strategy is to

calve a beef female at a BCS of 5-6 for optimum re-

productive success. If the female is below a BCS of

5, rebreeding performance can be improved by feed-

ing high quality forages and supplemental grains

through the breeding season. Thinner cows will re-

sult in more cows calving later in the breeding season

and thus lighter calves at weaning next year. The

producer will also see more open cows at the end of

the breeding season with thinner cows.

In light of the fact that feeder calf prices have de-

clined significantly over the past two years, there is a

natural temptation for producers to look to reduce any

costs associated with cow-calf production. This is a

logical consideration for any operation but be careful

not to cut corners on practices that will impact repro-

duction success. One method of improving fertility

rates is to perform a breeding soundness examination

on the herd bull prior to the breeding season. This is

a small expense that will provide the producer with

some assurance as to the potential fertility of the herd

bull. Also consider vaccinating the cow herd for re-

productive diseases such as lepto, BVD, vibrio and

trich. An annual vaccination program can help avoid

potentially major losses from abortions.

While fall calving offers a superior calving environ-

ment over a spring calving season. Fall calving re-

quires some unique management practices to make it

a successful enterprise. Preparing for success in the

breeding season will go a long way towards making

it a profitable endeavor.

Care of Your Laying

Hens By Richard J. Brzozowski, Poultry Specialist, University

of Maine Cooperative Extension

Keeping laying hens productive through the winter

months means keeping them well fed, well watered,

healthy, and comfortable. Below is a checklist of

management tips that is designed to assist the farmer/

grower in keeping their farm flock

comfortable. Any stress on the birds

could force a molt and the decline

or end of egg laying.

Light — Provide 14 to 16 hours

of light per day for your laying

hens. There is no advantage to sup-

plying more light than this. A 60

watt incandescent light or 13 watt

Compact Fluorescent or comparable

LED bulb hung at 7 feet high with a

white downward reflector will pro-

vide adequate light for a 200-square

-foot pen. Place lights on a timer for convenience and

consistency. Keep light bulbs clean for light quality

and quantity.

Spacing — Provide two to three square feet of

floor space per bird. Birds need ample space for their

comfort, reduced stress, and ease of movement.

Roosting Space — Provide comfortable roosts so

that all birds can roost at the same time. Provide at

least 6-8 inches of linear roost space per hen. Roosts

should be 1.5-3 inches in diameter. Round stock is

preferred. Clean tree branches with bark work fine as

roosts.

Ventilation — There needs to be an exchange

of air for laying hens to be healthy. This can be ac-

complished with intake or exhaust fan(s) or natural

ventilation. If the smell of ammonia is evident, ade-

quate ventilation is lacking. An exhaust fan with a

thermostat is a reasonable investment and works well

without causing drafts. Proper placement of the fan is

essential for effectiveness. Ammonia tape can be

used to monitor and detect high levels of ammonia.

Ammonia levels in the poultry house/pen should be

kept below 20 parts per million (ppm).

Check for Drafts — Although you want a good

exchange of air in the poultry house/pen, you need to

make sure all areas of the henhouse are draft-free.

Check for drafts at high points, low points, and at

every corner. A technique for checking is to wet your

bare hand with water and feel for drafts or use a piece

of tissue paper and watch for movement. A candle

could also be used to check for drafts, but this meth-

od is a bit more hazardous.

Sanitation — Keep all areas of the pen clean.

Remove soiled feed and dirty water immediately.

Keep feeders, roosts, nests and waterers clean. Keep

bedding (litter) dry and

clean. Wet or frozen bed-

ding should be removed and

replaced with clean dry

shavings. Deep bedding is

an insulating factor in keep-

ing the feet of birds from

getting too cold. Pine shav-

ings are the preferred mate-

rial for bedding. Use 4-6

inches as a bedding base.

Clean out pens in spring and

fall. Then add fresh bedding

after complete cleaning and disinfection.

Warmth — Laying hens begin to slow egg pro-

duction when temperatures drop below 55 degrees F.

Provide adequate warmth for the birds. This can be

accomplished through insulating the floors, walls and

ceiling with fiberglass matting or styrofoam panels.

Protect insulation from bird pecking by covering it

with wood or metal sheathing. Consider supple-

mental heat if birds cannot adequately heat the area

with body heat alone. Infrared heaters (powered by

propane or electricity) may be the most efficient

method of heating the area. Infrared heaters are said

to be effective by heating the bodies and not the air.

These heaters can be controlled with a thermostat.

Consider using a Thermo cube – a device plugged

into an outlet into which the heater is plugged. If us-

ing a heat lamp, use the red infrared type. Use chains

(not rope) to hang lamps at the desired height. Keep a

thermometer or sensor inside the pen at bird level to

monitor the temperature. Try to maintain

a temperature at least 40 degrees F during

cold spells. Be aware of any potential fire

hazards when using heaters and heat

lamps.

Feed — Monitor feed use through

the winter. Compare these records with

feed use in other seasons. Supply a 14 to

17% crude protein layer ration so the

birds are never without feed. Birds typi-

cally need extra feed in cold and freezing

temperatures. Avoid making changes in the feed ra-

tion. A hand full of “scratch feed” (a mix of cracked

corn, oats and wheat) per 10 birds can be broadcast

on the litter in the late afternoon. The scratch feed

will keep the birds busy and will help turn over the

litter.

Water — Provide ample clean water daily to

the flock. Keep water from freezing with specially

designed electric heaters, warm bricks placed inside

the watering container or frequent changing. Watch

for leaks on waterers that freeze. Birds will suffer if

they are without water for more than 10 hours. If a

nipple watering system is used, consider changing to

copper nipples as the plastic nipples might break with

freezing temperatures. Birds need to drink water in

order to keep warm. Water is imperative for feed di-

gestion and proper metabolism.

Culling — Remove sick, weak, or unproductive

birds from the flock. Be observant of the poultry eve-

ry day — watching them move, eat, drink, and inter-

act.

Nesting — Provide adequate nest boxes (1 nest

box per 5 hens) and keep bedding inside the nest box

clean and dry. Pine shavings make the best nesting

material. Change nest material on a regular basis and

whenever an egg breaks in the nest.

Rodent Control — Keep rodents out by using

traps or poisons placed strategically in bait stations.

Keep the traps and poisons away from the birds and

pets.

Egg Collection — Collect eggs at least twice

each day or more frequently so as to prevent eggs

from freezing.

Observe Birds — Take time to observe your

birds each day. Watch the birds’ behavior around the

feeders, waterers, roosts, and nest boxes. Handle a

random sample of birds to check combs, feet, toes,

eyes, legs color, vent size, and gen-

eral appearance. When handling,

look for signs of external parasites.

Dust Bath – Hens naturally

clean themselves by dust bathing. A

shallow wood or metal box with 3-4

inches of clean sand, wood ash or a

mix of sand and wood ash would be

a good addition to the hen house or

coop for the winter months. Dust

bathing helps deter external para-

sites and can provide comfort to hens. If space al-

lows, a kiddie pool might make a good dust bath con-

tainer for hens.

Predator Pressures – The winter season can

bring about an increased predator pressure on poul-

try. This likely occurs because the number of the

predator’s natural prey may be in decline due to cold

temperatures, snow cover and natural cycles. A pred-

ator would always be willing to take easy prey. This

strategy allows them to conserve their energy and

maintain their reserves. If preventative measures

aren’t taken, it could be your hen house that provides

a predator with their next easy meal. The spring/early

summer is likely the season when predator pressures

are greatest on a hen house, because that is when

predators are feeding themselves as well as their

growing offspring.

Don Sorrell

Campbell County Agent for Agriculture and

Natural Resources

Make Farm Record Keeping a Priority Record keeping may not be every farmer’s favorite

activity, and probably not the reason you got into farming as a career. With time, patience and a commitment to get it

done, it can make your financial life a lot less worrisome.

Record keeping doesn’t have to be stressful. It’s a way to discover things about your farm that will help you make better long-term decisions. You can use a ledger book or a computer—whatever helps you maintain consistency. Soft-

ware programs can make your data more meaningful.

Software has become more user-friendly over time, and while it may not make the record keeping pro-cess fun, it could help you see the overall picture of your operation. Some programs track purchases of inputs and how you use the input on a particular enterprise or field. You’ll be able to keep track of repair and maintenance rec-ords for specific farm equipment and produce balance

sheets, income statements and cash flow budgets.

Make record keeping a team effort for your family. Sit down and work on the records and budget together. Perhaps one person can read the information while another person types it into the software program or writes it in the ledger book. Also, if you do a little bit each day and don’t save it all up for the end of the year, you won’t become

overwhelmed.

If you’ve done the work throughout the year, year-end procedures can feel more satisfying. You can generate year-end reports with a few simple clicks and not have to

sort through stacks of bills lying around the home or office.

Have you ever asked yourself the “what if” questions? What if something should happen to me today? What if something should happen to my spouse or business partner? What if I have

an accident that leaves me incapacitated?

No one likes to think about these questions. However, the an-swers are very important to your surviving family members. Tak-ing the time to answer those questions can provide peace of mind. It also can mean that your wishes for asset distribution

following death will be followed.

If you should die without some form an estate plan in place, such as a will, your property and other assets will be distributed ac-

cording to Kentucky state law. Dying without a will is known as dying intestate. If you do not wish to have your assets distributed according to state law, then you will need to develop your own

estate plan.

The estate planning process can be quite simple, depending on the size and complexity of your estate. The first step is to get organized by gathering important information and documents. Start by making a list of your assets, or everything that you own. Include all property, including your home, farm property, rental property, and other business assets. Additionally, list other in-vestments and assets, such as stocks, bonds, retirement plans,

insurance policies, banking accounts and cash.

As you list your assets, be certain to note how each asset is titled. For example, are you the sole owner, a joint owner with your spouse, or does the asset, such as a life insurance policy,

have a specific beneficiary listed?

Once you have completed a list of all assets, make a similar list of all debts owed, such as mortgages, car loans, credit cards, installments debts, etc. If you subtract your total debts from your total assets, the result will be your

net worth.

Organizing the pa-perwork associated with your assets and liabilities will be im-portant to your family members when your estate is settled. As you prepare the list of your assets and debts, also note the loca-tions of important paperwork. You may consider purchasing a small fire proof safe to consolidate all important papers into one

place.

Once you have an inventory of your assets, discuss with your spouse and other family members how you would like to distrib-ute your assets to meet your estate-planning objectives. Re-member, communication is important throughout the estate plan-ning process. Sharing your estate-planning objectives with family members will help them better understand the choices you make in asset distribution. Often, a spouse or close family member is asked to be the executor of an estate; the executor ensures that

your assets are distributed according to your estate plan.

The final step is to work with an attorney to put your plans on paper. Depending on the size of your estate, you may also need to work with your accountant, financial planner or others to de-velop your complete estate plan. To locate an attorney, talk with friends and family members who may have recently completed an estate plan. Don’t be afraid to interview two or three attorneys to find a lawyer which meets your specific needs. In addition to helping you put your plans on paper, an attorney will also be able to assist you in understanding and developing other estate

planning tools such as power of attorney, trusts, or gifting.

Jennifer Hunter, UK Financial Extension Specialist