Prospects for Winter Backgrounding 2023-2024

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Oct. 30, 2023

After several years of cattle selling at frustratingly low price levels, continued herd liquidation has led to tight supplies and much higher calf prices in 2023.  While markets have pulled back in recent weeks, calves and heavy feeders are moving at prices $50 to $70 per cwt above what was seen a year ago.

Dairy Margin Coverage Provides Some Help in Challenging Milk Market

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Jul. 28, 2023

Dairy producers continue to struggle with decreasing farm-level milk prices and high feed costs. For the first five months of 2023, the US All Milk price averaged $21.16 per cwt, which was more than $4 per cwt lower than the first five months of 2022. In fact, US All Milk dropped below $20 per cwt in May for the first time since October 2021.

Highlights of the 2022 Kentucky Equine Survey

By Jill Stowe | Professor
Published on Jul. 28, 2023

The University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Horse Council, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, recently collaborated on the 2022 Kentucky Equine Survey.

Stocker Outlook for 2023

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Mar. 30, 2023

Spring has officially arrived in the Commonwealth, which always brings questions about stocker profitability.  Calf prices typically increase seasonally as we move into spring, but have increased at a larger-than-normal rate since the end of 2022.

Bale Grazing Grant Comes to Kentucky and Beyond

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Mar. 30, 2023

“Bale Grazing: A Practical, Low-Cost, and Environmentally-Sound Management Strategy to Winter Beef Cattle”, is a NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant that has been funded for six states – Kentucky, North Carolina, West Virginia, Missouri, Virginia, and New York (see figure 1).  The grant started in 2022 and will end February 2028. 

Cow-Calf Profitability Estimates for 2022 and 2023 (Spring Calving Herd)

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor, Jonathan Shepherd | Extension Specialist, and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 28, 2023

The purpose of this article is to examine cow-calf profitability for a spring calving herd that sold weaned calves in the fall of 2022 and provide an estimate of profitability for the upcoming year, 2023.  Table 1 summarizes estimated costs for a well-managed spring-calving cowherd for 2022.  Every operation is different, so producers should eva

U.S. Beef Cow Herd at Lowest Level Since 1962

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 2, 2023

USDA-NASS released their January 1, 2023, cattle inventory estimates on the afternoon of January 31st. There was really no question that the beef cattle herd had gotten smaller; it was really just a question of how much smaller it had gotten.

Prospects for Winter Backgrounding 2022-2023

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Oct. 31, 2022

Feeder calf prices in Kentucky showed a great deal of strength for much of 2022. In August, a 550 lb steer was selling in the low-mid $180’s per cwt on a state average basis. However, worsening drought conditions have combined with seasonal tendencies and that same weight steer calf is now selling for $15 to $20 less per cwt.

Mid-Year Cattle Report Continues to Show Decreasing Cattle Inventory

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Aug. 3, 2022

In late July, USDA-NASS released their mid-year estimates of U.S. cattle inventory. As expected, the report showed lower inventory across most all cattle types. All cattle and calves were estimated to be down by just under 2%, while beef cow inventory was estimated down by 2.4%.

High Path Avian Influenza Update and the On-Farm Financial Impacts from an Outbreak

By Jordan Shockley | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Jun. 30, 2022

In 2014/15, the U.S. poultry industry experienced one of the most significant animal health emergencies due to high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as “bird flu.”  There were 232 confirmed cases in poultry flocks that impacted over 50 million birds during this time.