 |
|
News and events for Maine Beef Producers from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Maine Beef Producers Association and other agricultural organizations in Maine.
|
 Beef Program at the Ag Trades Show
Sponsored by the Maine Beef Producers Association, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension
1:00 pm Building Better Beef Systems
Joe Emenheiser, Livestock Specialist, University of Vermont Extension This session will focus on the principles of genetics, live animal evaluation, and meat science, and how to use them to design beef production systems that make best use of resources and optimize product quality.
1:45 pm The Finger Lakes Meat Project
Matt LeRoux, Ag. Marketing Specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension- Tompkins County.
The Finger Lakes Meat Project is a regional initiative in New York State to grow the freezer trade (sales of meat in bulk quantities such as whole, half and quarter animals) to benefit livestock farmers and consumers. The Project consists of educational efforts, an online directory of farms called The Meat Suite and two community freezers in Central NY called The Meat Locker.
2:30 pm Producer and Processor Profiles
3:00 pm Maine Beef Producers Association Annual Meeting - Beef Producer
- Seedstock
- Youth award
- Service award
- Hall of Fame
Other Business |
|
|
Workshops for Maine's Beginning Farmers at Ag Trades Show
Are you a new farmer? Are you transitioning to a new agricultural endeavor or planning for farm succession? Do you need help navigating the process of setting up your business or finding out who can help your new farming business succeed? The Beginning Farmer Resource Network (BFRN) of Maine can help! BFRN - a coalition of Maine agriculture agencies and organizations - will be conducting workshops on various topics for new farmers during the 2016 Agricultural Trades Show at the Augusta Civic Center on Jan. 13-14, 2016. Included in the line-up are presentations on: "Financing Your Farm Business"; "Planning for Farm Succession"; "Farmer Veteran Networking"; "Holistic Management; Beyond the Field Edge"; "Farm Safety"; "Cover Crops and Soil Health"; and many more. The workshops will be held from 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 13 in the Hancock and Lincoln/Oxford rooms, and from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 14in the Hancock, Lincoln/Oxford, and Sagadohoc rooms. The Farmer Veteran Coalition of Maine will have programs from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 14in the Somerset Room. In addition, the BFRN networking room, located in the Knox Room, will be open all day Tuesday through Thursday to give farmers an opportunity to have an informal talk with a BFRN representative. The complete schedule, topics, and locations for these workshops can be found in the Agricultural Trades Show program brochure at the BFRN website at http://umaine.edu/beginning-farmer-resource-network/events/ |
|
|
Castration Thought from Eldon Cole, Livestock Specialist, University of Missouri Extension
A thought-provoking question was brought up at our Missouri Steer Feedout weighin and evaluation recently. The question was, what is your preferred method of castration? The question was directed to the panel made up of market operators, a feedlot owner and market graders.
Each of the responses indicated there are various options and desired times to complete the procedure. No empathic statement were made other than it's best to have bulls castrated prior to marketing. Someone in the audience raised a more direct question, what do you think about banding? The reply was, if it's done properly there's no problem.
Well, the owner of the feedlot in Iowa, who was on the evaluation panel, called me the day after the cattle were processed at the lot a little unhappy. In fact, his unhappiness was minor compared to the feedlot's veterinarian. In the processing they discovered 9 "steers" were still carrying a testicle. They had been banded early in life, probably at birth, and one testicle was forced up into the belly. Recastrating is not an easy task and I'm sure the lot veterinarian will include a hefty charge for it on those 9 "steers."
There is a lot to be said for knife castrating when the calf is less than 2 to 3 months of age. Just be sure you can count to two. Late castration is hard on the animal and the owner. Yes, you might get a few extra pounds of weight at weaning. The bad deal is the next owner pays the price so they bid less on the lot of "steers." The auctioneer probably said there could be a bull or two on them. In this area, estimates indicate 40 to 50% of male calves going through the sale ring are still intact. Progressive Cattlemen's 2015 online survey showed 43% of those replying band their young bulls.
|
|
|
Plan Now to Keep 2016 Financial and Production Records Nearly every meeting that we have that we touch on either financial or production records, producers see the value of keeping records so they can make informed decisions around the future of their farm. Every meeting producers aspire to keep better records. Well it is the end of one year and the new year starts in a few weeks. What better time than now to make a plan on how you will keep track of your animals, your land and your money. Here is a review of a few ways to keep records. The key to all of them is for you to do it. Make a plan to write/record information when it happens. Old School - paper and pencil. You can track farm events on a pocket calendar or pocket notepad. Many equipment, supply, feed dealers give these out at educational events or field days. Transferring the information to a paper spread sheet will make it a little easier to tabulate.
- New England Farm Account Book - paper editions are hard to find. Primarily for financial and livestock inventory. If you have a use for one let me (Donna Coffin) know and I will try to get one to you.
- Redbook - from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association - Order one online for $7 + shipping. The Redbookis a pocket-sized record book that contains more than 100 pages to record calving activity, herd health, pasture usage and cattle inventory, plus a date book and notes/address section. The book also includes Beef Quality Assurance national guidelines and proper injection technique information.
Transitional - initial records jotted down on paper and then transferred to an electronic program to make tabulations easier. - Electronic speadsheet - Excel, Word, etc. programs come with many electronic devises.
- New England Farm Account Book - I have an Excel spreadsheet that Dr. David Marcincowski developed that I can email to you.
- Redbook - yes they have an electronic version of the Redbook. NCBA.
Electronic - relies more on an electronic device to collect data. You might use your smart phone or tablet. Future - cattle will have electronic chips implanted that can communicate with a receiver when they are moved, handled, vaccinated, shipped, etc. This technology is evolving and may make sense for folks with large numbers of animals. Most Maine herds can accomplish effective recordkeeping systems with a clipboard. Whatever you choose, it must be easy and convenient for you to use. |
|
|
Grazing Management
(BF 231): Improve Your Triple Bottom Line Through Better Grazing
an online course through the Northeast Beginning Farmer Project Thurs. January 14 - February 18, 2016, with webinars each Thurs evening from 6:30- 8pmClick here for more informationGrazing means more than simply turning livestock out onto a green area and hoping for the best. With planning and basic grazing infrastructure, you can reduce your workload, keep your animals fat and happy, and improve your soil health through grazing. In this course, you'll learn the key concepts of successful grazing operations. This course is designed for livestock producers who have already initiated grazing practices on their farm, and who have at least a basic knowledge of the grazing behavior of their animals and of their pasture ecosystems. Producers who do not yet have livestock are welcome to participate. |
|
|
Items of Interest
- Get Real Get Maine Website Upgrade scheduled for end of January - Message from MDACF. If you would like to beat the rush and make any updates to your listing now, or add an updated email address to ensure successful and timely communications, feel free to login at any time to update your information. We encourage you to review your listings again when the upgrade is complete to help us quickly identify any changes needed. If at any point you need your login and password, or have overall questions on the update or your listing, please do not hesitate to contact us by emailing Jessica.L.Nixon@maine.gov or calling (207)287-3494.
- Top 10 Tips to Manage BRD - Dr. Tony Moravec, DVM in Bovine Vet Online outlined some common sense management tips to reduce the impact of Bovine Respiratory Disease in your animals. His article focuses on prevention (biosecurity, nutrition, reduced stress and vaccination) plus if your animals show symptoms to treat earlier than later.
- Guide for Organic Livestock Producers - If you are thinking about raising and selling your animals with the "Organic" label, this is a good overview of the requirements for organically raised livestock. In Maine the MOFGA Certification Services is one of the organizations that can certify your products as organically raised.
- Drone Registry opened Dec. 21 - FAA has finally decided that drones that weigh over 9 ounces will have to complete a $5 registration by Feb. 19, 2016 or before their first flight. Go to the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Registration site for details. Note: if you register before January 20th your $5 fee will be refunded!
-
Update Hay and Straw Directory - Many farmers throughout the state of Maine are experiencing reduced hay yields. If you have excess or are in the position to sell hay or straw, consider using the Maine Hay and Straw Directory. If you are looking for hay to buy check this site. It is free to use. More information is available online, or call Cooperative Extension 1.800.287.1426.
- NH Weekly Market Bulletin is put out by the NH Department of Agriculture. You can subscribe up to view this weekly bulletin that includes interesting articles, an agriculture exchange (list farm equipment, livestock and farm supplies) as well as price reports on wholesale eggs, retail grain, bulk grain. Northampton Cooperative Auction and Flame Livestock Auction prices are also printed.
-
Testing Forage Quality - YouTube video from UMaine Extension discusses the nutritional importance of forage quality and recommended sampling techniques.
|
|
|
Featured Resources Videos:Gabe Brown: Farming in Nature's Image YouTube video. presented by NCATATTRA. Gabe talked at the 2015 Grazing Conference here in Maine. He's the beef producer from North Dakota.
Grading Feeder Cattle YouTube video presented by UK College of Agriculture Food and Environment. Part 1 "The Basics" Discusses USDA feeder cattle grades Part 2 "A Practical Exercise" Use to test your knowledge of feeder cattle grades
Webinars:
Grazing Management (BF231) Improve Your Triple Bottom Line Through Grazing presented by Northeast Beginning Farmer Project
Publications:
Visit the UMaine Extension Cooperative Extension online Publications Catalog for agriculture information, such as:- Selling Beef in Maine #1048 Are you a beef producer interested in learning more about the different markets available to you to sell your beef? This bulletin discusses the risks, benefits, and requirements for selling beef in Maine. 2 pages. © 2015 by University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Download it for free or a buy a color copy $0.50.
- Managing and Marketing for Pasture Based Livestock Production #2206 Provides an introduction to pasture-based livestock production, including sustainability, benefits, and the science and art of pasture-based systems. covers defining vision, mission, and goals; using resource inventories in farm planning; allocation of farm resources; and direct marketing; as well as marketing feeder cattle, dairy, and hay. 116 pages, 2006. $21.00
|
|
|
Upcoming Events
- January 12 - 14, 2016 Maine Agriculture Trades Show, Augusta
- January 13, 2016 Beef Educational Program, Awards Presentation and Annual Meeting at the Maine Agriculture Trades Show, Augusta
- January 14, 2016 Grazing Management (BF231) Improving Your Triple Bottom Line Through Grazing Webinar. 6:30 pm to 8 pm at your computer. Click here to register.
- February 21 - 23, 2016 Annual Meat Conference, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Nashville, TN. Comprehensive education sessions include a variety of ways to explore the latest developments in meat retailing today. Gain tools, insights, inspiration and new ideas to differentiate your unique products and services, fortify your marketing ROI, increase sales and build customer loyalty.
- March 16-17, 2016 Northeast Pasture Consortium. Harraseeket Inn, Freeport, Maine. 20th Annual Event connecting agricultural professionals - NRCS, Cooperative Extension, Ag. Research Service - with farmers to learn and share about pasture.
- March 19, 2016 Grazing Conference
- April 2, 2016 Livestock 101 at the University of Maine Witter Center, Orono.
- May 20 - 22, 2016 Northeast Livestock Expo, Windsor
|
Maine Beef Producers Association
Join the Maine Beef Producers Association
The Maine Beef Producers Association is accepting dues for the 2016 year. Annual dues are $35. for an extra $25 you can get a year subscription to County Folks. For more information on this organization and for membership application go to http://www.mainebeefproducersassociation.com/forms.html
|
|
|
|
Newsletter Subscription Information
The Maine Beef Newsletter (MBN) is now received by over 650 readers, has been offered as an educational resource by University of Maine Cooperative Extension since 2011. As of January 1, 2015, the MBN transitioned to electronic-only delivery. There will still be four ways to receive the MBN from UMaine Extension:
1) Maine Beef Newsletter remains available online for free! You can sign up to receive the newsletter through your email or view the archived issues anytime at http://bit.ly/PPfarming If you currently do not have an email, you can get one for free from several email hosts. If you do not have a computer, community libraries have computers for you to use to access information on the Internet and to view your email.
2) Those with no email can opt to pay an annual subscription to receive the newsletters monthly for $15/year. If you are interested in subscribing send a $15 check made out to UMaine Extension to Piscataquis County Cooperative Extension, 165 East Main St., Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426.
3) A third option is to come into the Piscataquis or Penobscot County Extension Office and pick up a free printed copy of the newsletter.
4) Maine Beef Producers Association members who do not have an email on file will receive a printed copy of the newsletter as a benefit of their membership.
We appreciate our readers referring others to the newsletter, and sharing it with your family and friends.
Thank you for your continued support of the MBN, providing valuable agricultural information from Extension for beef producers and those interested in the beef industry in Maine since 2011.
|
|
|
Mission
University of Maine Cooperative Extension is the major educational outreach program of the University of Maine with offices statewide. UMaine Extension provides Maine people with research-based educational programs to help them live fuller, more productive lives.
______________________________________________
Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.
|
Quick Links
|
|
Local Weather Anytime Many farming activities are driven by the weather. Our local National Weather Service in Caribou has meteorologists on staff 24 hours a day. They are willing to talk with you about rain predictions for your town. Give them a call at 492-0180. Or check out their online detailed maps at http://www.weather.gov/car/.
|
|
Contributors
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
Rick Kersbergen, Extension Educator
Goal
The goal of the Central Maine Farming Newsletter is to provide timely information on the production and marketing of crops and livestock grown in central Maine.
|
The University of Maine does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, 207.581.1226.
Photos by Donna Coffin unless otherwise noted.
|
|
|
Open Monday - Friday
8 am to 4:30 pm
307 Maine Ave.
Bangor, ME 04401
207.942.7396 or 800.287.1485 (in Maine)
|
Open Mon, Thurs, Fri
8 am to 4:30 pm,
Open Appointment on Wed, Closed Tuesday
165 East Main St.
Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 207.564.3301 or 800.287.1491 (in Maine)
|
Open Monday - Friday
8 am to 4:30 pm
992 Waterville Road
Waldo, ME 04915-3117
207.342.5971 or 800.287.1426 (in Maine)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
