Kentucky Beef Network

Ag Development funds at work: Enhancing producer profitability through education, management, and marketing.

Help Kentucky beef cattle farmers

improve animal health, genetics, forages, and marketing opportunities by enhancing producer profitability.

Goal of Kentucky Beef

Network

Kentucky Beef Network

Manage a state grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund Provide to Kentucky Farmers

On-Farm Support Education Resources

Manage daily operations for the Eden Shale Farm and Learning Center

Partnership with University of Kentucky Extension- to increase learning opportunities impact

Continue Regional Efforts

Eastern Kentucky/SOAR Initiative

Young and Beginning Farmers

KBN VIII Key Areas of Focus

Emphasis on small farmers to help improve

management practices Shorten Calving Window Increase Pregnancy Rates Increase Record Keeping Enhance Efficiency of Production Improve Profitability

Some classroom learning – main focus will be hands-on learning at the farm

Concentrated in SOAR Counties To date 55 farms participating- “boots on the farm”

Eastern Kentucky IRMIntegrated Reproductive

Management

3 locations- Princeton, Eden Shale, Morgan

Co. Finishing 10 head at each location/year Education Sessions:

Receiving Phase Finishing Phase Carcass Evaluation Producer End Product Sensory Panels

Session Focus: Nutrition, Health, Live Animal Evaluation, Marketing, Environmental, Consumer Preference, Taste test

Pasture to Plate

THANK YOU!Becky Thompson

Kentucky Beef Network859-278-0899

bthompson@kycattle.org