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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.
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Calves 4 Kids... Accepting Applications
The Maine Beef Producers Association is once again accepting applications for the Calves for Kids program. The deadline is April 1st, 2016.
Youth applying will be asked to come for an interview before the Calves for Kids committee at a later date. This program, started in 2007, has given 20 youth in the State of Maine a heifer calf.
The program gives a youth an opportunity to have a registered beef heifer to show and start a herd. The youth's obligation is to breed the heifer to a registered bull and give back to the program the first heifer calf. If they do not get a heifer calf born after a few years they are obligated to pay the MBPA $1000. Of the 20 heifers that have gone to youth so far, 11 were either donated or bought by MBPA and the other nine have come back from the youth.
In 2014, during the Spring Feeder Calf Sale at NELE, it was announced that there were two calves to be given to youth. Shelby Walker received a Charolais heifer that day from Roger Flannery. It was announced that Ashton Caron would be receiving a Belted Galloway heifer from Morgan Allen in July. At the Fall Feeder Calf Sale one more calf was given to Jared Kimball. That calf was a shorthorn that was bought from Rupert Pratt with money received from the sale of Alexander Clark's animal.
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Livestock 101
Hands-on livestock methods for small-scale livestock producers, 4-H project leaders, and older 4-H youth, who are just starting out or thinking about raising livestock. Sponsored by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, University of Maine J. Franklin Witter Teaching and Research Center, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.
Free workshop with required preregistration since there is a limited amount of space. No meals or refreshments will be provided so please have your lunch before attending.
PLEASE come prepared. You will need rubber boots that can be washed before going into the barn area. You will also need warm clothing for the sessions will be held out in the barn.
We will have six 25 minute sessions based on preferences of those attending. Attendees will be asked to prioritize the sessions they want to participate in. You may or may not be able to attend all preferred sessions. Session options include: - Sheep Restraint and Handling
- Sheep Hoof Trimming
- Cattle Body Condition Score and Weight
- Calf Taking Vital Signs
- Injection Techniques
- Grain and Hay Quality
- Growth Curves
- DIY Poultry Waterers & Feeders
- Poultry Handling
- Worming Schedules of sheep, goats & horses
Speakers include staff from UMaine Extension, UMaine, MDACF and MOFGA.
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USDA Graded Feeder Cattle Demonstration at NELE before the Preconditioned Feeder Calf Sale
USDA Graded Feeder Cattle Demonstration by Levi Geyer, Northeast Regional Supervisor / OIC, USDA AMS Livestock Poultry and Grain Market News, New Holland, PA.
This is your chance to learn how to evaluate your cattle based on USDA standards to determine value and make better management decisions. The demonstration will be followed by a discussion of "Marketing techniques, and available information to assist producers in making marketing decisions".
Saturday, May 21, 10 am demonstration. Northeast Livestock Expo, Windsor Fair Grounds Note new time, the sale will start at noon.
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Reproductive Benchmarks
How does your herd compare to other herds across the country? Between 2010 and 2014 individual herd data was collected from over 88,000 cows exposed to bulls and processed as part of the Cattle Herd Appraisal Program System (CHAPS). Below are some of the benchmark values for these herds.
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93%
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Pregnancy Rate
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2.5
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Average daily gain (lbs.)
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93%
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Calving Rate
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84
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Average birth weight (lbs.)
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3%
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Calf Death Loss
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5.6
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Frame score
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16%
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Replacement Rate
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5.5
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Cow age
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191
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Days of age at weaning
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1,418
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Cow weight
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558
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Average weight at weaning
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5.9
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Cow Condition
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Updated 3/29/2015
Source: CHAPS2000 http://www.chaps2000.com/benchmarks.htm
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Items of Interest |
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Featured Resources Videos:
Maine Food System: Growing Maine - This is where you can hear stories from Maine farmers and food producers. Learn right from the source about:
- Who makes decisions in local family farms and food producers?
- What's really important to help a family business succeed?
- "Why do they do that?" Behind the scenes of local food production.
How to Frost Seed - YouTube video from UMaine Extension
Tutorial:
A new online tutorial, Managed Grazing Tutorial,by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) goes in-depth into how changing the way grazing animals are managed can improve both the condition of your land and your bottom line. The lessons include these subjects: Grazing Management: Inventory; Managed Grazing Infrastructure: Fencing and Water; Managing the Mature Stand;Intensifying Managed Grazing and Stockpiling Grass. For more information about the tutorial, contact NCAT Livestock Specialist Dave Scott at 800-346-9140 or daves@ncat.org.
Webinars:
The eXtension Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of Catalog, the gateway to a comprehensive listing of online courses, webinars, workshops, and eBooks available throughout the Cooperative Extension System. This link takes you to the Beef course listings. Visit the UMaine Extension Cooperative Extension online Publications Catalog for agriculture information, such as:- Is Your Well Water Safe to Drink? #7028 Your well may contain bacteria or viruses, or chemicals such as arsenic, radon, or uranium. The only way to be sure that your well water is safe is to test it. This user-friendly pamphlet outlines simple steps for having your water tested and includes a well testing schedule and a list of Maine water testing labs. 2006. From Maine CDC. Click here to order a free copy.
- 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 Click here to order copy.
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Upcoming Events
- March 23, 2016 Maine Grain Conference, Presque Isle.
- Mar - April, 2016 Beginner Farmer Workshop Series sponsored by the Knox/Lincoln SWCD. Click here for pdf flyer with details.
- April 1, 2016 Deadline for Calves 4 Kids. Click here for more information.
- April 2, 2016 Livestock 101 at the University of Maine Witter Center, Orono. 11:45 am to 3:15 pm. Preregistration is required for this free hands-on workshop on livestock methods for small-scale livestock producers, 4-H project leaders and older 4-H youth who are just starting out or thinking about raising livestock. Sponsored by the UMaine Extension, UMaine J. Franklin Witter Teaching and Research Center, Maine Dept. of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.
- April 9, 2016 Cultivating Our Community (pdf) From Cupboards to Cafes: Soluntions to Bring Your Farm to Everyone's Table, 10 am to 3 pm followed by a mixer at 3:30 pm at East Sangerville Grange. Sponsored by the East Sangerville Grange, Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District, UMaine Extension, Healthy Commuity Project and Piscataquis County Economic Development Council. $10 at the door. RSVP info@piscataquisswcd.org or 207.564.2321 ext. 3.
- April 13, 2016 Maine Beef Producers Association meeting, 6:30 pm MDACF, Deering Building, Augusta. Call Cindy Kilgore to get into building 207-215-4968. Open to all interested people.
- April 16, 2016 Deadline to wean calves for Spring Preconditioned Feeder Calf Sale
- April 21, 22, 23, and 24th, 2016 26th Annual National Belted Galloway Sale and Fryeburg Youth Show on at Fryeburg Fairgrounds. Youth events going on all weekend and the sale at 1:00pm on the 23rd. Contact Scot Adams 431-3510 or email mnshadowfarm@gmail.com.
- May 20 - 22, 2016 Northeast Livestock Expo, Windsor Fair Grounds, Windsor.
- May 21, 2016 USDA Graded Feeder Cattle Demonstration, NELE, 10 am. before the preconditioned feeder calf sale, Windsor.
- May 21, 2016 Spring Pre-conditioned Feeder Calf Sale sponsored by the Maine Beef Producers Association at NELE - Note sale time is NOON. Spring protocol here.
- July 30, 2016 Beef Basics Workshop at Aldemere Farm, 70 Russell Ave, Rockport. A two-day training workshop for farms that have beef cattle and/or individuals who are looking for information necessary for starting a beef cattle farm. Many guest speakers will share their knowledge and expertise related to beef cattle farming. Course topics to include: Beef Fitting & Showmanship (2 day course) Show Sheep 101 Field & Forage Classes Beef Basics Topics: Basic Medical Needs for Cattle, Cattle Handling and Haltering, Cattle Selection.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Quick Links
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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/.
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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.
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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.
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Open Monday - Friday
8 am to 4:30 pm
307 Maine Ave.
Bangor, ME 04401
207.942.7396 or 800.287.1485 (in Maine)
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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)
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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)
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