Your monthly news & updates
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News and events for the Maine Beef Producers from the 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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What's New?
- You Can't Improve What You Don't Measure
- What 83 Years of Records Can Do
- Extension Survey on Ag Leadership
- From Meat Case to Home-What Happens to Beef?
- So You Want to Farm in Maine?
- SeaLyon Farm 2018 Farmer/Veteran Field Day
- Items of Interest
- Featured Resources
- Upcoming Events
- Newsletter Subscription Information
- Mission and Quick Links
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Livestock producers are reminded of the importance of collecting all sorts of measurements: weaning weight, sale weight, pasture height, days on pasture, pounds per acre, etc. All data is important, but if you don't measure the cost of doing business, then the chance of your farm making a profit is greatly at risk.
Dr. Mike Baker, Beef Specialist at Cornell recently discussed the value of beef farm business summaries as a way to help farmers analyze the data they collect for their farm.
Using the Univ. of Minnesota Center for Farm Financial Management FINBIN database Dr. Baker showed how farms in the lowest 20% profitability compared the the highest 20% profitability farms and where they differed in costs and productivity.
Price received for calves was the same, but incomes in the high profit farms were higher since they sold more weight per brood cow. The low profit farms had higher calf death rates, and higher pregnancy loss. On average high profit farms sold 564 pounds per cow compared to 540 pounds per cow. When sales of culls were included the high profit farms had income that was $254 more per cow.
The difference in costs between low and high profit farms was $122/cow. Feed costs represented the greatest difference, but labor, supplies, vet & medicine, and overhead expenses were also higher for the low profit farms.
The bottom line is that the 20% most profitable farms returned an additional $375/cow compared to the 20% least profitable farms.
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What 83 Years of Records Can Do
This summer Colt Knight and Donna Coffin had an opportunity to tour a number of livestock farms in Tennessee during the NACAA conference. One farm we stopped at was Robert Elliott & Sons Angus in Adams, TN.
They have been keeping records on weaning weights, calving-intervals and identifying cows and sires that had problems. But in addition to keeping records, they used them to make improvements to their herd by culling cows and bulls that did not contribute to their bottom line. Animals with slow growth, slow breeding, bad udders, foot problems and bad dispositions were culled. All animals had to do well on grass.
They started their record system by paper and pen and moved to computer record. They select for a balance of traits that leads to superior performance. Animals in their sales have performance pedigrees as well as genomic enhanced EPDs.
As a result the farm's herd changed. Pounds weaned per cow went up and the farm's profit increased. They believe in measuring economically important traits because you can't manage what you do not measure and they have been doing it successfully for over 83 years.
Source: Robert Elliott & Sons Angus, Adams, TN
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Dear Producer,
A team from UMaine Extension is considering revising and presenting the Ag Leadership Training that was conducted throughout the 1990's for farmers and for others involved in the agricultural industry. The team includes Donna Coffin, Leslie Forstadt, Gary Anderson, Tori Jackson, Dave Marcinkowski, Colt Knight, Lily Calderwood, Dick Brzozowski and Kathy Hopkins.
In a recent survey conducted at the Maine Ag Trades Show, only 58% of respondents felt that the leaders of their respective local and statewide associations had adequate leadership skills.
We would like to identify the leadership needs your local or statewide association need to help make them more effective. This will help us create future training opportunities to increase the effectiveness and leadership capacity of ag associations and its members.
As an example of ag leadership, consider this example: There is a bill in the legislature affecting your commodity. Producers would like to get factual information to legislators about this industry and the impact this bill will have. How do you organize commodity producers to put together an informational packet that provides that factual information, how do you work with individual legislators to answer their questions about the impact of the bill and how do you organize your producer group to provide written and verbal testimony on the bill when it comes up for a public hearing? This is just one broad example of how leadership training can be helpful in getting a message across to policy makers.
Please take a few moments to share your thoughts and respond to the survey
here:
Thank you for your time!
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From Meat Case to Home - What Happens to Beef?
Consumers say they are more concerned about how food animals are raised and how the meat is produced and marketed, but what happens once they pick it up from the meat case in stores?
A recent survey found that there was a 92% chance that meat could be temperature abused during transport from retail to residence. Consumers will typically leave fresh beef in their cart for 20 minutes before check-out, take 60 minutes to return home.
Depending on how much time has elapsed, going from case to home can adversely affect color, smell, and off-flavor of the product. Placing meat inside a cooler bag with ice can greatly reduce undesirable factors resulting from transportation. The study found"a continued need for consumer outreach and research of handling behaviors for meat."
Source:
Griffing, D.S., S., R., Wilkerson, C. L. Bratcher;
The Impact of Consumer Handling Behaviors in Retail Locations and during Vehicular Transport on Fresh Red Meat Temperature, Color and Palatability
, J. of Animal Sci. Vol. 96, Iss. Sup. 1, March 2018, P. 30-31.
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Plans are underway to offer the So You Want to Farm in Maine? series at multiple sites throughout Maine. We will also offer it as a live feed and archived sessions.
This is the business planning course that meets FSA Borrower Training requirements. The goal is for you to finish the course with a farm plan to help to decide where you are going with your farm and how you are going to get there.
The Bangor edition will be the first four Tuesdays in October from 1 to 4 pm at the Penobscot County Extension Office. It will be live streamed and archived for those unable to attend in person.
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Sponsored by The United Farmer Veterans of Maine
and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)
This event is still in planning stage but the date, times and locations are:
SeaLyon Farm LLC, 788 Alna Road, Alna, Maine 04535. POC: Marcia Lyons at
mlyons@sealyonfarm.com
or 443-924-0352, text or call.
Event: 0900 - 1600, must RSVP, includes lunch.
This will be a rewarding event to attend organized by Board Member, Richard Brzozowski of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and sponsored by NCAT. Don and Marcia Lyon are supplying most of the specifics with more information to come shortly. There will be a variety of activities, tours, demos, speakers and presentations. Limited registrations available.Please register now!
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Firewood Scout
- Maine is part of this site developed by the USDA Forest Service Wood Education & Resource Center to help residents and visitors to buy and use firewood locally, in an effort to slow the spread of invasive forest pests. You too can get your firewood business listed. Note: Emerald Ash Borer has been found in Maine.
Maine Hay Directory
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is available to help farmers with hay to sell and farmers looking for hay to buy. Be cautious of hay scams.
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Webinar:
Direct farm marketers are invited to participate in a free “lunch and learn” webinar series. “In a world where, ‘If you aren’t on the web, you aren’t,’ the webinars will help direct farm marketers learn about online marketing tools and strategies to improve the effectiveness of their marketing efforts,” says Megan Bruch Leffew, University of Tennessee. Webinars are held the fourth Tuesday of each month (except December) from June 2018 – June 2019 at noon-1 p.m. Eastern. The series will cover a variety of topics related to marketing through websites, social media and email. A listing of topics and speakers and archived sessions is available on the Center for Profitable Agriculture website:
ag.tennessee.edu/cpa/Pages/webinars.aspx
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Podcast:
Video:
Meat Storage Life
This animation project was funded by the Beef Checkoff and done in collaboration with The Colorado State University Center for Meat Safety and Quality in the Dept of Animal Sciences. The Meat Safety and Quality team provided expert resources, project oversight and quality control, and animation materials during the development lifecycle.
Publications:
Visit UMaine Extension online Publications Catalog for agricultural publications such as:
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- September 8, 2018 4th Annual Northern Maine Rural Living Day, Houlton Civic Center & Fairgrounds, Houlton. Pre-registration is $10 per person and $15 day of the event. 12 classes to choose from plus ongoing demonstrations. A locally grown harvest lunch will be available for purchase at the event. Dr. Colt Knight will be doing a session on Ruminant Health and Nutrition.
- September 28, 2018 SeaLyon Farm 2018 Farmer/Veteran Field Day, Sponsored by The United Farmer Veterans of Maine and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) This event is still in planning stage but the date, times and locations are: Save the Date Details: SeaLyon Farm LLC, 1788 Alna Road, Alna, Maine 04535 POC: Marcia Lyons at mlyons@sealyonfarm.com or 443-924-0352, text or call Event: 0900 - 1600, must RSVP, includes lunch.
- October 5, 2018 Club Calf, Bull & Heifer Sale 1pm at Fryeburg Fair Grounds. The Maine Beef Producers Association is proud to host the annual Club Calf, Bull, and Heifer Show & Sale at the Fryeburg Fair again this year. Entries will be accepted up until the day before the sale. Please contact Ed Carter (Cartersminiacres@gmail.com) for information on consigning, purchasing, and other sale-related matters.
- October 2,9,16, & 23, 2018 So You Want to Farm in Maine, 1 pm to 4 pm at the Penobscot County Extension Office in Bangor, live streamed and archived. FSA borrower training. Will also be offered in other locations in Maine. So Click here for more details.
- October 20, 2018 Women in Meat Northeast, Petersham, MA sponsored by League of Women in Meat.
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Maine Beef Producers Association
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Join the Maine Beef Producers Association.
The Maine Beef Producers Association is accepting dues for the 2018 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
The Maine Beef Producers Association just started a new Facebook page. Like and follow to get the fastest information from Maine Beef Producers Association.
Facebook
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Newsletter Subscription Information
The Maine Beef Newsletter (MBN) is now received by over 660 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
The 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.
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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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/.
Need Pesticide Credits
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Contributors
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
Colt Knight, Extension Specialist
Rick Kersbergen, Extension Educator
Goal
The goal of the Maine Beef Newsletter is to provide timely information on the production and marketing of beef grown in central Maine.
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: Donna Coffin unless indicated otherwise.
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Piscataquis County Office
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Maine Beef Producers Association
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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
Piscataquis County Office -
website
Open Monday, Thursday, Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
Open By-chance on Wednesday, Closed Tuesday
165 East Main St Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 207-564-3301 or 800-287-1491
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