Howell  County  Extension  Agriculture  Programs  

Randy  Wiedmeier  Livestock  Specialist  

Outline  

•  Statewide  programs  •  Local  Programs  •  Office  Services    

Show  –  Me  –  Select  Replacement  Heifers  

•  Total  Quality  Management  strategy  for  on-­‐farm  development  

•  Enhance  markeHng  opportuniHes  and  to  add  value  

•  Provide  a  reliable  source  of  quality  replacements    

Most  Beef  Cow  Herds  In  the  Ozarks  are  Small  (30-­‐40  head)  Requires  a  one-­‐size-­‐fits-­‐all  bull!  •  Acceptable  Calving  Ease  •  Acceptable  Maternal  Traits  •  Acceptable  Growth  Traits  •  Acceptable  Carcass  Traits  •  Acceptable  Mature  Body  Size  •  Acceptable  Behavior  Traits  Do  Such  Bulls  Exist?  Yes,  but  they  are  rare  and  costly!  

Advantages  of  Purchasing  Heifers  from  the  Show-­‐Me-­‐Select  Program:  •  Add  GeneUc  Diversity  to  Your  Herd  •  Add  Superior  GeneUcs  to  Your  Herd  •  Allows  More  Flexibility  Regarding  Bull  SelecUon  •  Allows  Time  to  Focus  on  Other  Management  Tasks  •  Allows  the  Best  Heifers  to  Remain  in  Herds  in  Missouri.  (instead  of  going  

to  the  feedlot)  •  Allows  BeXer  Risk  Managemnt  •  New  Technologies  are  ConUnually  Being  Adopted  •  Heifers  are  Developed  Under  Strict  Best-­‐Management-­‐PracUces  

Improvement  in  Profitability:  Before:  •  Annual  Cow  Cost:  $500/Cow  /Year  •  Weaning  Weight  of  Calves:  500  lbs.  •  Weaning  Percentage:  .80  •  Breakeven  Price  Needed:  $1.25/lb.  of  calf  •  Farm  Value:  $625.00/calf  •  Market  Value  ($2.30/lb.):  1150.00/calf  •  Profit/Loss:  +$525.00/calf    

Improvement  in  Profitability:  Afer:  •  Annual  Cow  Cost:  $550/Cow/Year  •  Weaning  Weight  of  Calves:  650  lbs.  •  Weaning  Percentage:  .90  •  Breakeven  Price  Needed:  $.94/lb.  of  calf  •  Farm  Value:  $611.00/calf  •  Market  Value  ($2.10/lb.):  $1365.00/calf  •  Profit/Loss:  +$754.00/calf  •  $143.00/calf  Improvement    

Quality  Beef:  By  the  Numbers  •  Support  adopHon  of  reproducHve  and  geneHc  technology  

•  Provide  access  to  markeHng  grids  for  fed  caNle  •  Provide  producers  access  to  database  caNle  harvest  data  

•   Assist  in  decision  making  using  data  

South  Ozarks  Premier  Beef  Marketers  

•  Producers  seeking  to  add  value  to  feeder  caNle    •  Gain  useful  informaHon  about  their  caNle  for  management  decisions  

•  Co-­‐mingle  calves  to  maximize  efficiency  and  increase  markeHng  opportuniHes    

Management  Intensive  Grazing  Schools    

•  Partnership  with  Natural  Resource  ConservaHon  Service  

•  Educate  producers  and  agency  personnel  in  the  art  and  science  of  grazing  management  

Beef  and  Forage  Seminars  •  Provide  researched  based  informaHon    

•  Present  topics  of  current  need    

•  Assist  producers  in  decision  making  

Office  Services  •  Monthly  Agriculture  NewsleNer  •  Private  PesHcide  Applicator  Training  •  Soil  TesHng    •  InformaHonal  Guides    •  General  ProducHon  QuesHons  

Community  Development    Amy  PaUllo,  Ed.D.    

 Business  Development  

 Willis  Mushrush    4-­‐H  Youth  and  Development-­‐  4-­‐H  Clubs    

Thank  you  Howell  County  Extension  Center    

217  S.  Aid  Avenue  West  Plains,  MO  65775  Phone:  417-­‐256-­‐2391  Fax:  573-­‐884-­‐5787