| June 1999 |
| 8-10 |
Forage & Pasture Management School:
Session I |
Sebring |
| 16-18 |
FCA Annual Convention & Trade Show |
Marco Island |
July 1999 |
| 13-15 |
Forage & Pasture Management School:
Session II |
Sebring |
| 20 |
Beef Cattle Health Management Program |
Wauchula
Hardee Agri-Civic Center |
August 1999 |
| 10-12 |
Forage & Pasture Management School:
Session III |
Sebring |
| 26 |
Stocking Rate Program |
Wauchula |
September 1999 |
| 2-3 |
FCA Fall Quarterly Meeting |
Ft. Myers |
| 16 |
Winter Supplementation Program |
Sarasota |
| 25 |
Florida Santa Gertrudis Assoc.
Cattlemen's Kind Sale |
Bartow |
October 1999 |
| 1 |
1999 Florida Cattlemen's Association
Heifer Sale |
Wauchula |
| 14 |
Herd Bull Selection Program |
Wauchula |
| 28 |
Hay Production Field Day |
Manatee |
Forage and Pasture Management School
The South Florida Beef-Forage Program is again sponsoring another Forage and Pasture Management
School. This school is scheduled in three continuing sessions in-June, July and August at the Highlands
County Agri-Civic Center in Sebring. The three sessions and dates are as follows: Session I - Soil and
Nutrient Management, June 8-10, 1999; Session II South Florida Forages, July 13-15, 1999; Session III
-Forages and the Cow/Calf System, August 10-12, 1999.
The purpose of this course is to strengthen managerial capabilities of owners and operators. This is an
intense course that deals with practical topics in forage and pasture management including explanations of
some basic concepts to support practical applications. Each session includes both formal classroom lectures
along with field trips to reinforce the focus of each session. Registration for this school is $175.00 for all
three sessions or $65.00 for any of the three separate sessions. Additionally, three hours of college credit is
available if you register with the University of Florida registrar's office. Enrollment is limited and
acceptance is not finalized until receipt of your registration forms and a $50.00 non-refundable deposit.
Contact the Extension office, 773-2164, or Pat Hogue, School Chairman, at (941) 386-6540 for more
information. You can find out more about this school and other upcoming events by accessing the South
Florida Beef-Forage Program web page on the internet (www.ifas.ufl.edu/~sfbfp/beef.html).
South Florida Herd Health Program
What are the diseases and parasites the South Florida ranchers need to prevent and control? What is the
cost/benefit for a total herd health program? When is the best time to control parasites and vaccinate for
disease prevention? These are the questions many ranchers are asking during these difficult economic times.
The answers to these and other questions will be the focus of the South Florida Herd Health Program to be
held on Thursday, July 20 at the Hardee County Agri-Civic Center in Wauchula from 4:00 - 7:00 PM.
Dr. Anthony Weirather, DVM, Polk City, will lead a discussion with a practical presentation on beef cattle
herd health requirements. He will be sharing his experience with controlling the most critical diseases
affecting reproduction and calf performance. Dr. Mark Davis, DVM, Arcadia, will follow with a discussion
on the venereal disease trichomoniasis and its hidden dollar loss. Lockie Gary, Hardee County Extension
Director, will lead the final discussion which will focus on whether or not fly control is cost effective. A
dinner will follow to allow plenty of opportunity for you to interact with the veterinarians and Extension
agents on these issues. For more information and to RSVP for dinner, please contact the Extension office,
or Lockie Gary, Program Chairman, (941) 773-2164. Please call by July 15 so that we can prepare for the
meal.
Florida Forage Handbook is Now Available
The Florida Forage Handbook is the definitive guide to all aspects of planting, managing, and harvesting
forage crops- whether for pasture, hay, or silage. Written by leading agronomists, soil scientists and cattle
specialists at the University of Florida, this handbook is an essential reference for cattle producers and
forage managers. With specific recommendations for forages adapted to Florida, and additional guidelines
for horse and dairy cattle managers, the Florida Forage Handbook is a comprehensive, all-in-one manual for
growing forage in Florida's unique environment. The Handbook includes:
- 33 chapters covering all aspects of forage production
- specific recommendations for more than 20 warm-season crops, 10 cool-season crops, and all the basics for
managing native-range pastures
- additional sections for horse and dairy cattle managers
- 30 color plates for easy forage identification
To order the Handbook, call or stop by the office for an order form, or call 1-800-226-1764 and
have your Visa or MasterCard ready, and ask for SP253.
Finally, A Management Aid For Calf Producers!
Although ranchers today have access to more information sources, which could more accurately
predict the effects of various actions taken in ranch management, most ranchers still rely on the
informal methods employed in the past. Many ranchers either still under-estimate their input
requirements, in which case their production is less than it could be, or they can over-estimate
input requirements, in which case their costs are greater than they need be. In either case, the
ranch produces less than maximum profit. from Patent Application, by Bryan Bockhop, attorney, Neddle
& Rosenburg P.A., Atlanta, GA 1999.
Do you have the records you need on your beef operation to answer the following
questions accurately?
- What effect does my cow culling criteria and replacement management have on future
herd numbers?
- If I change the size or usage of my ranch how many cows should I have, and how will
this affect my income?
- What is my brood cow average age? What effect does culling criteria and replacement
management have on average age?
- What does it actually cost me to produce a replacement? What will it cost to calve
replacements at 2 years instead of 3, or vice-versa and what impact does that have on
other management practices, income? What happens if I capitalize or expense replacement
heifers?
- What will my operating expenses/income do over the next 10 years?
- If I am going to be a leasor/leasee how much money should I ask for or pay?
- What effects do cyclical prices swings have on ranch income, and what can be done to
minimize the effects?
- What does the Balance Sheet, and Profit & Loss Statement over the next 10 years look
like, and how does the cattle market cycle affect them?
- What do 10 years of operating budgets look like, and how do they change when herd/land
management changes?
- What is the ranches cash break-even ($/LB.) on all calves marketed, less culls,
cash and capital (total)?
- What should fertilizer purchases be over the next 10 years?
- Is the supplemental roughage (i.e. hay, silage, pulp) and feed (i.e. molasses, cotton
seed, mix) program adequate, how much should each group of animals get, and what
is the least cost on a nutrient basis? And, what effect would an early frost/flood or
drought have on my income?
- What is the value (reduced expenses-cost) to increase the management level (i.e. burning,
chopping) on native range?
- What is the minimum amount of pasture I need to reserve for winter grazing?
- What is the value of this ranch from the capitalized income approach?
Many record keeping systems and business analysis programs are able to tell you "where I've
been", but are unable to answer the question, "What happens to my bottom line when I do this?"
If you are interested in seeing an interactive computer software program demonstrated
which has been used on Florida cattle ranches and see instantly the effects of changing inputs
on herd numbers, profit, net worth etc. please call Lockie Gary at the Extension Office at (941)
773-2164.
STAFF CONTRIBUTORS
Lochrane A. Gary - County Extension Director
Mary Alderman - Administrative Secretary