19 research outputs found

    Grazing Myths that Reduce Profitability

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    Bale Grazing: Feeding Hay on Pasture Using Rotational Grazing Techniques

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    Bale grazing is a novel winter-feeding method where bales are set out on pasture, typically in checkerboard fashion, and fed in a planned, controlled manner, much like rotational grazing. So far, the concept has not been widely adopted in the eastern US, but offers an improved alternative compared to conventional winter-feeding systems for beef cattle, which all too often results in wasted nutrients, polluted waterways, degraded soils, and unhealthy conditions for cattle. With good management, bale grazing can solve all of these problems, and also requires less labor and machinery use than conventional hay feeding. However, climatic conditions in the eastern US require different management considerations compared to conditions in the Great Plains, where many people have been introduced to bale grazing

    Picking Apples off the Grazing Tree: How Far Can We Extend the Grazing Season Profitably?

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    Will grazing more and feeding less hay always increase profitability? There are many cases where cattle farmers could graze more days profitably. I would guess that more than half the cattlemen in Kentucky and the region could find ways to do so. But the statement is not universally correct and we need to evaluate the specific situation to determine if increasing grazing days will pay off

    How to Estimate Custom Machinery Rates

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    Specialization in agriculture, along with larger farm sizes and bigger equipment, has resulted in more custom machinery work being conducted on farms. Often, there is limited data about the current custom rate. The Mississippi State Budget Generator (MSBG) is a tool that uses a cost approach to allocating machinery cost on a per acre basis and can be used in situations where custom rates are not well known. When compared to actual custom work surveys, the MSBG provides rates that are lower than the survey results. One explanation is that the MSBG does not include any built-in profit.Agribusiness, Production Economics,

    Fixed Costs in Hay Production

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    When hay producers estimate cost of production they often focus exclusively on “cash costs” or variable cost of production such as fuel, repairs, supplies, fertilizer, labor (if hired), and rent (if leased). They all too often ignore their “fixed costs” of production such as depreciation, interest, labor (if family), insurance, and certain taxes. Although there are legitimate reasons to concentrate on cash costs in the short-run, it is a mistake in the long-run, as these are real costs. Fixed costs for equipment are often ignored because they are generally paid in lump sums, and thus there is a disconnect between equipment use and these costs. For example, each time you fill up the fuel tank you have a good estimate on the fuel cost for the running the tractor for the last ten hours. The same is not true for depreciation or interest on that tractor. You probably have no idea what that costs you

    Pasture Finishing Beef Opportunities in Kentucky

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    Beef cattle were routinely finished locally in Kentucky before the 1950’s, primarily on pasture with some grain and by-products from distilleries. Cattle were typically born, raised, and finished on the same farm, sent to a local butcher, and the meat sold in nearby communities and cities. This all changed after the Second World War as grain and transportation costs decreased dramatically in conjunction with the establishment of supermarket chains that required a large, steady supply channel. The combined effect of these changes made finishing in large centralized locations more economical. Over the next couple of decades the finishing industry consolidated, and feedlots sprung up across the Great Plains1 to finish the bulk of the nation’s cattle

    Stockpiling Tall Fescue: Cost & Return

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    An opportunity that Kentucky cattle farmers have in reducing their hay requirements is to apply nitrogen on select pastures to stockpile for fall and winter grazing. By increasing the total pasture production during this time period, the grazing season can be extended and the amount of hay required can be reduced

    Effectiveness of Residential Water-Use Restrictions under Varying Levels of Municipal Effort

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    Given the current constraints in expanding public water capacity, water supply managers will increasingly be required to find ways to reduce demand during temporary water shortages. Consequently, water supply managers need sound estimates for the effectiveness of water reduction programs. This study expands the water demand literature by identifying the influence that enforcement and informational efforts have on the two most common forms of nonprice water-use restrictions. Residential water-use reductions increased with progressively higher levels of information and enforcement efforts, ranging from 0% to 7% for voluntary and 4% to 22% for mandatory restrictions.

    Payout Analysis of Livestock Risk Protection Insurance for Feeder Cattle

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    Monte-Carlo simulation was used to examine net payouts, defined as indemnities received minus premiums paid, to producers purchasing Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) Insurance for Feeder Cattle. Actual policies were utilized that included various purchase dates, coverage levels, and premiums from fall 2007 to spring 2013. Net payouts were estimated for time periods typical of both summer grazing and winter backgrounding at various expected price risk levels. Results suggest that expected net payouts generally became positive when producers perceived a 10 percent chance of a $15 per cwt price decrease. Results also suggested expected net payouts were higher for insurance purchased in the fall than in the spring
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