Prospects for Winter Backgrounding 2024-2025

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Oct. 31, 2024

Tight cattle supply has largely driven cattle markets in 2024. Markets did see a small pullback in late summer but have actually improved counter-seasonally over the last few weeks. Calf prices are higher than they were this time last year and about $100 per cwt higher than they were in fall of 2022.

Butterfat Continues to be a Major Driver of Milk Value

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Apr. 29, 2024

Kentucky dairy producers are ultimately paid based on the amount of skim milk and butterfat they produce. Needless to say, these two values greatly impact returns for dairy operations and the impact of butterfat has gotten larger over time.

Spring 2024 Farm Observations Across Kentucky

Published on Apr. 29, 2024

The Kentucky Farm Business Management Program is a program of the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky.

Stocker Outlook for 2024

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Mar. 28, 2024

Temperatures are getting warmer, the grass is getting greener, and the calf market is starting to take off.  These are tell-tale signs of spring in Kentucky, and we are experiencing all three.

2024 Commodity Marketing Calendar

Published on Mar. 1, 2024

Our Commodity Marketing Calendar is an essential tool for any farm looking to maximize their profits and stay ahead of market trends. This comprehensive calendar provides detailed information on key events and factors that can impact commodity prices, helping businesses make informed decisions about when to buy or sell.

Cow-Calf Profitability Estimates for 2023 and 2024 (Spring Calving Herd)

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor, Jonathan Shepherd | Extension Specialist, and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 28, 2024

The purpose of this article is to examine cow-calf profitability for a spring calving herd that sold weaned calves in the fall of 2023 and provide an estimate of profitability for the upcoming year, 2024.  Table 1 summarizes estimated costs for a well-managed spring-calving cowherd for 2023.  Every operation is different, so producers should eva

U.S. Beef Cow Inventory Continues to Decline

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 2, 2024

USDA-NASS released their January 2024 cattle inventory estimates on the afternoon of January 31st. Estimates came in pretty close to expectations and confirmed that the cowherd had continued getting smaller during the course of 2023. It was really a question of how much contraction had occurred.

5 Commandments for Bale Grazing in the East

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Jan. 30, 2024

Bale grazing in the eastern U.S. has its challenges compared to traditional, more Northern regions where the system is used. To be successful in areas with more moderate winters, you need to do a few things differently. In my experience, there are a number of fundamental concepts that need to be followed to make bale grazing work well here.

The Economic Value of Applying Broiler Litter in the Fall 2023

By Jordan Shockley | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Nov. 29, 2023

Spring application of broiler litter is ideal for maximizing the economic value but faces challenges that include wet soil conditions, lack of time to spread litter near planting, and availability of litter in the spring.

Capital Investment Analysis

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on Nov. 29, 2023

Several years ago, a farmer I knew fairly well gave me a call. He was considering an investment in some new haying equipment and wanted to pick my brain, a task that usually doesn’t take very long. This is a good farmer. He grows high-yielding, high-quality crops and cattle.