Management

Members, don't forget to complete your NAIS Animal Premise ID Form.  Click here for the form from the Florida Department of Agriculture.

From the Polk County Livestock Report – a bi-monthly publication of the UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service by Livestock Agent, Bridget Carlisle. May-June 2009 Issue.  To subscribe to the Polk County Livestock Report newsletter, please email your Livestock Extension Agent, Bridget Carlisle at bccarlis@ufl.edu.

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Free Soil and Plant Tissue Testing for Established Pastures in the Peace River, Manasota, and Alafia River Basins
Soil and plant tissue testing are excellent tools for identifying lime and fertilizer requirements in pastures. The University of Florida-IFAS Range Cattle Research and Education Center in Ona will be offering free testing for the first 200 samples of soil and plant tissue received between April 1 and June 30, 2010. In addition to the test results, participants will receive fertilizer recommendations and copies of educational materials related to fertilization management. Both soil and plant tissue samples must be submitted together to qualify for the program.  If you would like to participate or have questions about the program, please contact Bridget at bccarlis@ufl.edu or (863) 519-8677.
 
Shortening Calving Seasons
Six cow herds with long calving seasons were converted to a short season. Average calving season was reduced from 273 days to 85 days. This resulted in 92% of cows calving in the desired season compared to 46% before the season was shortened. The average time taken to arrive at the shorter season was 3.8 years. One objection raised by some to shortening the calving season is that cows have fewer opportunities to breed and therefore fewer will calve over a year with a short season. However, in these herds the average of cows calving after the short season had been attained was 89%, compared to 87% for the last year before the change was initiated. Averaged over the six herds, cost of production was reduced and income increased with a shorter calving season. (Univ. of Arkansas; Beef Cattle Research Update, March, 2010)
 
Online Website Ready for 2010 Small Farms Conference
As the follow-up to Florida’s first statewide Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference, organizers are completing preparations for a second event in summer 2010.  To this end, the online website for the Conference is now operational and ready for viewing by potential exhibitors and guests who are making plans to attend.
Once again held at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, the event will take place July 31 and Aug. 1. Attendance is expected to top 1,000 farmers and agricultural professionals this year. Features will include speakers, educational sessions, exhibits of products and technologies, livestock displays, demonstrations, networking opportunities, meals of fresh foods from FL small farmers, and more.
Early registration is encouraged and the ‘Early Bird’ registration deadline is July 12, 2010.  There are a limited number of scholarships available for FL small farmers.  For more information, visit the link to the conference on the Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Web site at http://smallfarms.ifas.ufl.edu.
The Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference is hosted by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and Florida A&M University’s College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture.
 

Service Provider Directory
Cattle producers depend on various services and products in their ranching operation, but sometimes it is difficult to locate a service provider or product. The South Florida Beef Forage Group has developed an extensive “Service Provider Directory” to help ranchers find what they need while allowing service and product providers market themselves. The directory includes providers in various categories that include, but are not limited to: hay, grass planting material, day workers, custom tractor work, hauling/transport, welding, fencing, to name a few. Providers are listed by category then county. Visit the website at http://sfbfp.ifas.ufl.edu/spdindex.html or contact me at (863) 519-8677 Ext. 104. 
If you have a service or product that you would like to list in the directory, please call me at the number above or email me at bccarlis@ufl.edu and I will be glad to have you added to the list.