Custom rates for grains, hay, and other types of farm machinery operations. These custom rates are based on reported rates from surveys in Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas. The rates calculated here are averages for these states and are adjusted to account for changes in fuel price, machinery costs, and wages from the time of the reported surveys. (Revised June 2008 because of increased fuel prices.)
The purpose of this publication is to help landowners evaluate if corn productio would be profitable relative to hay or pasture on a portion or their land.
Rotational grazing has long been used by livestock producers as a way to use pastures more efficiently. Horses expecially tend to be selective grazers, and the use of smaller paddocks encourages them to eat more of what is available.
There are two main sections in this publication: 1) “Agronomic Basics of Spring Nitrogen Fertilization”, and 2) “Potential Profitability of Spring Nitrogen Applications”. The first section provides basic guidance and information for applying nitrogen to hayfields in the spring. The second section describes the methods used to determine the profitability of applying nitrogen to spring hayfields, discusses assumptions used in this determination, and provides a summary of the potential profitability given various price scenarios. Three prices for nitrogen and five prices for hay are evaluated as well as multiple nitrogen response rates for tall fescue and orchardgrass hayfields.
2008 Kentucky Tobacco Production Guide.
Kenny Seebold (ed), Bob Pierce (co-ed), Greg Halich, Laura Powers, Willl Snell, Andy Bailey, J.D. Green, Gary Palmer, etc..
January, 2008.
(Adobe Acrobat format.)
This is an Inter-departmental Extension publication in the College of Agriculture at the University of Kentucky. Articles are contributed by people in the following departments: Plant Pathology, Plant and Soil Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Entomology, and Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering.
Livestock Safety Handling Checklist.
Steve Isaacs, Laura Powers, G.T. Lineberry, Roy Burris, and Ted Scharf.
December, 2007.
(Adobe Acrobat format.)
This checklist for safely handling livestock includes the following areas:
I. Assess environmental conditions
II. Understand animal behavior
III. Maintain appropriate and adequate handling equipment and facilities
IV> Practice safe and efficient handling techniques
The unusual weather conditions of 2007 created many management problems for Kentucky beef producers. The late spring freeze severely damaged the first cutting of hay, reducing yields by as much as 50%. Then hot, dry weather limited pasture growth and left many producers very short of hay and out of pasture. Producers struggle to cope with both of these problems at the same time. While good management decisions can not make it rain, they can help producers hang on in the most economical manner possible.
One opportunity that Kentucky cattle farmers have in reducing their hay demand is to apply nitrogen to select pastures and stockpile for fall and winter grazing. By increasing the total pasture production during this time period, the amount of hay required will be reduced. The challenge is to determine this optimal point given the economic and agronomic conditions present this summer.
This article has a twofold purpose. One purpose is to look at sowing wheat as a
viable cropping alternative for 2006. The second purpose is to stimulate crop
producers to begin looking at the various cost categories where cost cutting
measures may be required.
Provides background on the economics of forage
management decsions and introduces the Hay Storage Decision Tool and
the Pasture and Forage Improvement Investment Tool.
Discusses the economics of various hay storage options
Pasture and Forage Improvement Investment Tool.
Kenny Burdine, Richard Trimble and Steve Isaacs.
April, 2005.
(Microsoft Excel format.)
The Pasture and Forage Improvement Investment Tool is intended to evaluate numerous investments that the beef operator may consider. The decision aid can be easily applied to any investment with a multi-year life.
Radio Script - Determining this taxable income requires
the farmer to keep up with all income and expenses for the farm business. Farmers can eliminate many tax preparation problems if they improve their ability to manage this income and expense information.
The data for this study are drawn from the detailed financial records of producers cooperating with the University of Kentucky - Kentucky Farm Business Management Program. The data are not drawn from a random sample of farms in the state. . . . It should be noted that farms included in this study are representative of commercial farms producing major commodities and livestock, not all farms in Kentucky.
The data for this study are drawn from the detailed financial and production records of producers cooperating with the Kentucky Farm Business Management Program. The data are not drawn from a random sample of farms in the state. However, these data are the most accurate and detailed farm financial data which are available to researchers and educators. Every attempt has been made to select a set of farms for these research studies which are “typical” operations and have complete financial information available for analysis. These data are carefully cross-checked by our farm management specialists before inclusion in this analysis. It should be noted that farms included in this study are representative of commercial farms producing major commodities and livestock, but not of all farms in Kentucky.
The data for this study are drawn from the detailed financial and production records of producers cooperating with the Kentucky Farm Business Management Program. The data are not drawn from a random sample of farms in the state. However, these data are the most accurate and detailed farm financial data which are available to researchers and educators. Every attempt has been made to select a set of farms for these research studies which are “typical” operations and have complete financial information available for analysis. These data are carefully cross-checked by our farm management specialists before inclusion in this analysis. It should be noted that farms included in this study are representative of commercial farms producing major commodities and livestock, but not of all farms in Kentucky.
The data for this study are drawn from the detailed financial and production records of producers cooperating with the Kentucky Farm Business Management Program. It should be noted that farms included in this study are representative of commercial farms producing major commodities and livestock, but not of all farms in Kentucky.
Farm Business Management Groups were organized byinterested farmers in 5 Extension areas in Kentucky. Through the joint efforts of farmer members and the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, these farmers receive a business analysis of their individual ooperations and a comparative analysis with similar type farms. Findings from these groups reveal problems and opportunities in agriculture by area of the state, by type of farm operation, and by farm enterprise.
This decision tool has been created to help producers budget for corn and soybean production in 2008. To navigate through the tool, please click on the tabs below. Be sure to review the "Instructions" page for important information about these budgets.
The ability to track and monitor production expenses is critical to making profitable management decisions. This budget has been developed as a starting point to help tobacco farmers analyze expenses to make imporved management decisions.
The ability to track and monitor production expenses is critical to making profitable management decisions. This budget has been developed as a starting point to help tobacco farmers analyze the profitability of their tobacco crop.
The purpose of this publication is to help producers evaluate their options between planting corn and soybeans in 2007. Multiple budget scenarios are used to help producers identify the situations under which continuous corn (defined here as two or more years) may be profitable.
Forage Enterprise Budgets.
Kenny Burdine, Dick Trimble, Garry Lacefield, Ray Smith, Bill Witt, Tom Keene.
September, 2006.
(Microsoft Excel (macros) format.)
The purpose of these budgets is to serve as a management and decision-making guide for current and prospective producers of these enterprises.
Equine Enterprise Budgets.
Kenny Burdine, Bob Coleman, Steve Isaacs, Reka Nagy, Stephanie Goode, and Dick Trimble.
July, 2006.
(Adobe Acrobat & MS Excel format.)
The Equine Budgets actually consist of four separate budgets, each designed for a unique type of operation. The four individual budgets are (1) Broodmare Marketing Yearlings, (2) Boarding Operation, (3) Horse Owner on Owned Land, and (4) Owner Boarding.
The Field Crop budgets include 12 common field crops grown in Kentucky. They include: Alfalfa, No-Till Corn, Conventional Corn,
Popcorn, Corn Silage, White Corn, Grass Legume Hay, Grain Sorghum, No-Till Soybeans, Barley/Soybeans Double Crop, Wheat/Soybeans Double Crop, and Wheat.
These budgets reside in a Microsoft Excel file “budgets_FieldCrop.xls”. The user is able to change the
default information in the budgets to reflect their production practices to generate a budget that is representative of their own situation.
Revised 12/23/04.
To determine a fair and equitable share lease, all parties should place a value on the resources they contribute, total them, and share in the revenue in the same proportions that they share in the costs. To help growers and landowners in this process, the University of Kentukcy College of Agriculture has
prepared an enterprise budget to allow users to change input costs and to assign those costs to each party in the proportion they will be shared.
This publication contains budgets for production of single and double cropped soybeans in Kentucky. The purpose of these budgets is to serve as a management and decision-making guide for current and prospective producers of these enterprises.
This publication is based on the stockpiling decision-aid distributed in 2007. Results from this publication are based on agronomic and economic conditions currently present in Kentucky.
A response guide table is provided to help the user choose the appropriate response rate to nitrogen given the local soil and climatic conditions. This year all three response levels (low, medium, and high) are evaluated as there is considerable variation in soil moisture conditions throughout the state. Use caution when choosing the response rate as it has a significant impact on the results, and possibly contact Lloyd Murdock, Garry Lacefield, or Greg Schwab to get an up-to-date assessment for your part of the state.
As an important note, nitrogen prices are extremely volatile right now. I’ve called over a half-dozen suppliers throughout the state and prices have ranged from $.80-$1.12 per unit of N. In some cases ammonium nitrate is cheaper than urea. So stress that you should shop around this year and get quotes before deciding whether to apply nitrogen in August.
Prospects for 2008 appear to be somewhat limited, assuming you can find N between $.80-1.00 per unit. For mostly-pure fescue stands, hay prices will need to reach $75/ton before nitrogen applications will pay assuming a high response rate, and $100/ton before nitrogen application will pay with a medium response rate. There are few instances were nitrogen applications will pay on fescue-clover stands given current prices.
This decision-aid has been constructed to help burley tobacco producers decide if irrigation would prove profitable in during drought-years. It takes into account potential crop insurance payments, yields for both irrigated and non-irrigated tobacco, and other production related variables. It can be used in both situations where farmers have their own irrigation equipment or where a custom irrigation provider would have to be hired.”
“This decision-aid has been constructed to help dark-cured tobacco producers decide if irrigation would prove profitable in during drought-years. It takes into account potential crop insurance payments, yields for both irrigated and non-irrigated tobacco, and other production related variables. It can be used in both situations where farmers have their own irrigation equipment or where a custom irrigation provider would have to be hired.”
A descriptive summary of results based on the “Wheat Damage Decision Aid” below. Designed to help producers evaluate whether they should keep freeze damaged wheat stands or replant to corn or full-season soybeans
High grain prices in 2007 are providing new opportunities for Kentucky farmers. One of these opportunities is the production of corn on ground that has primarily been used for hay or pasture. This publication is designed to help these producers evaluate if planting corn on sod ground would prove profitable in 2007.
The key to economic success for the cow-calf operation is cost control. According to a recent study of beef farms participating in the Kentucky Farm Business Management Program , feed costs make up more that 40% of the total cost of producing a weaned calf. Over 80% of feed costs are made up of homegrown feed, the majority of which is undoubtedly hay. Anything producers can do to reduce the costs associated with hay production and harvesting should help improve the profitability of their beef business.
The Improved Grass Legume Hay Enterprise Budget Decision Aid is a simple tool designed to help producers determine the cost of hay production in their operation.
This decision tool is designed to simulate different summer grazing strategies so that producers can make profit maximizing decisions based on current market outlooks.
Hay Storage Decision Aid.
Kenny Burdine, Richard Trimble and Steve Isaacs.
April, 2005.
(Microsoft Excel format.)
A simple tool that is designed to help producers determine the best hay storage method for their operation.
ting with the Kentucky Farm Business Management program. The data are not drawn from a random sample of farms in the state. However, these data are the most accurate and detailed farm financial information available and represent the closest approximation to “real world” farm financial data that are available to researchers and educators. Every attempt has been made to select farms for these research studies that are “typical” and have complete financial information available for analysis. These data are carefully cross-checked by our farm management specialists before inclusion in this analysis. It should be noted that farms included in this study are representative of commercial farms producing major commodities and livestock but not of all farms in Kentucky.
However, depending upon the sources of income that are available to fund the family, it can have a significant impact on the sustainability of the farm. This is especially true when there are limited or no sources of off-farm income, indicating that the farm must provide funds for farm operating expenses, debt repayment, capital replacement, and funds to support the family. The level of family living can be dependent on several factors including family size, age and available funds. In an effort to account for these differences family living expenses will be examined by looking at the average per farm in Kentucky, family size, age of children, and the size of farm.
This study is based on data from the Kentucky Farm Business Management Program and includes financial information obtained from the records of the farmer-members who participate in the KFBM program and track family living expenses. Average family living expenses will be analyzed based on trends from 2002-2006, size of family, age of children, size of farm, and age of operator.
The data for this study are drawn from the detailed financial records of producers cooperating with the Kentucky Farm Business Management Program. The data are not drawn from a random sample of farms in the state.
