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News and events for Maine Beef Producers from 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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Make Sure Your Farm Counts!
NASS conducts a census of all agricultural operations every five years as well as other agricultural surveys. We need to know about all types of agricultural operations of all sizes.
The Information you provide is kept confidential by law and will not be
disclosed to any other government or private entity.
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The 11th annual Northeast Livestock Expo (NELE) will be held May 19-21 at the Windsor Fairgrounds in Windsor, ME. Three days of activities are planned including the popular Kid's Day on Friday, weekend- long educational and competitive Youth events, an open Boer Goat show, as well as auctions of both Feeder Cattle and Boer Goats on Saturday.
With significant support from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, Maine Ag in the Classroom and many other sponsors, approximately 2,500 Maine elementary school students will be on hand Friday for agriculture and general education presentations at more than 40 stations as part of Kid's Day.
Youth livestock events get started Friday with beef and sheep clinics plus the fun and entertaining Farmer Olympics. More educational activities are in store Saturday including presentations on animal nutrition, health, and safety, Agvocacy, meat goat production and a dairy fitting presentation. Also Saturday, competition gets under way with the Youth Sheep Show and the team Cook Off, followed on Sunday by the Youth Beef and Dairy Show and the ABGA Boer Goat Show.
The Maine Beef Producer's Association Spring Feeder Cattle Auction will be h
eld Saturday starting at 11 am. This is a pre-conditioned sale with cattle meeting requirements for weaning, vaccinations and parasite prevention. Many are also grass fed and/or For more
Also on Saturday at 10 am will be a goat production, nutrition and selection seminar led by Dr. Fred Homeyer, Robert Lee, TX, followed by the Purebred and Commercial Boer Goat Auction starting at 12:30 pm. For seminar, Boer Goat Sale and ABGA Show information, please contact Curtis and Linda Prime, ph. 207-242-3341 or
crlprime@aol.com
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 Spring Preconditioned Feeder Calf Sale Sponsored by the
Maine Beef Producers Association
The Maine Beef Producers Association (MBPA) is sponsoring a preconditioned feeder calf sale at the Northeast Livestock Expo on Saturday, May 20th at 11 am at the Windsor Fair Grounds, just off Route 32 in Windsor
www.northeastlivestockexpo.com
Cow Calf producers have taken the time to precondition their calves for this sale. Preconditioning reduces the incidence of respiratory disease, enteritis and pinkeye by increasing the immunity of the calf in preparation of the stress of weaning and shipping. Dehornings and castrations are healed.
Some cow calf producers consigning animals to the sale have also signed affidavits attesting that their animals have been raised under the MBPA Natural Meats program protocol of never having received hormones, antibiotics, or feeds or feed supplements containing animal-by-products. And/or their animals are 100% grass (forage) fed, no grains, grain-by-products, grain crops, grain crop silages, or other prohibited feeds under the USDA grass fed guidelines have been fed.
Click here for protocol, check in form and affidavit forms.
The MBPA are expecting 50 - 60 head weighing from 400 to 900 pounds to be sold at the May 20th sale at 11 am. If you are interested in buying a few or a lot of animals or have questions contact Sale Manager, Pete Dusoe at 207-416-5441 or
pbdusoe@roadrunner.com.
Please note Pete will need assistance on Friday morning in setting up. If you can help call him to check on time needed.
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Beef Sustainability Regional Data Collection - Producer Surveys
Dear Beef Producer,
You have probably noticed in recent years the emergence of the term, "sustainable beef." What this means and why we even need to discuss it is certainly topic for debate; however, major retail purchasers of beef in the United States have made declarations that they will begin sourcing "sustainable beef" in the coming years. The term also appears frequently in questions posed to beef producers by our consumers. This means it will impact us whether we want it to or not. Too often beef has let others define our story, and when it comes to some of the key themes of sustainability, the U.S. beef community has a great story to tell. To help tell that story, we are conducting research to document what you are currently doing to be good stewards of the land, responsible caretakers of your animals, and contributors to your local communities.
To demonstrate the many different ways that beef is produced across regions, the beef sustainability research team needs your help so that we can accurately represent the beef industry in the Northeastern region. To help us accomplish this goal, we are asking you to take one of the following surveys that is most applicable to your operation. We hope you will take a few minutes to help us in these sustainability efforts.
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Please note that your participation in this survey is completely voluntary, anonymous, and confidential. Be assured that your responses will be kept confidential and will not be traceable to any individual operation. Furthermore, all responses will be reported in aggregate form only.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Sara Place with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association directly at splace@beef.org. Thank you for your commitment to the future of U.S. beef cattle industry!
Sara E. Place, Ph.D.
Senior Director, Sustainable Beef Production Research
National Cattlemen's Beef Association
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Northeastern Region Hay Stocks Report
Hay stocks on Maine farms: Hay stored on Maine farms as of May 1, 2017 totaled 22,000 tons, down 15% from the previous May. Disappearance from December 1, 2016 - May 1, 2017 totaled 120,000 tons, compared with 113,000 tons for the same period a year earlier.
Hay stocks on all farms: All hay stored on United States farms as of May 1, 2017 totaled 24.4 million tons, down 3 percent from the previous May. Disappearance from December 1, 2016 - May 1, 2017 totaled 71.4 million tons, compared with 69.9 million tons for the same period a year earlier.
With the exception of Nevada, hay stocks in most western States are estimated lower than in 2016. The majority of the eastern States reported higher stocks compared to the previous year due to a mild winter with no need to extend supplemental feeding.
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Beef Quality Assurance at Fryeburg Youth Show a Success
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Photo: Cindy Kilgore
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Beef Quality Assurance is important to everyone who handles cattle, be it beef or dairy. This is the take home message a class of youth and parents learned April 20th, during the Fryeburg Youth show. The seminar was given by Cindy Kilgore, Livestock specialist, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation an
d Forestry and Dr. Colt Knight, Education Professor and Livestock Specialist for University of Maine Cooperative
Extension. Topics included proper injection technique and location, withdrawal times, bio-security, working with your veterinarian, and low stress cattle handling. The purpose of these classes is to give the beef producer the knowledge and tools to provide the best beef possible to raise consumer confidence in the industry. That is beef raised properly, good injection technique to avoid lesions, adherence to withdrawal t
imes, and care in handling to avoid bruises and dark cutters. All participants practiced injection techniques, scored on the BQA test and will receive a certificate of completion. The students can exhibit these certificates at the fairs and expos to show the public they are employing beef quality assurance practices in the raising of their market steers.Sixty-five youth and adults have been trained in BQA so far this year.
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UMaine Extension Beef Survey
As a new staff member Dr. Colt Knight is looking for help from Maine's beef producers. He is inviting all those interested in beef production in Maine to complete this anonymous survey (just click here for survey.)
Responses will help determine the topics of future UMaine Extension programs and projects.
Thanks in advance for your help.
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Items of Interest
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USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue announced recently that the first shipment of fresh U.S. beef has arrived in Brazil following a 13-year hiatus. The entrance of American beef into the Brazilian market ushers in promising long-term economic opportunity for U.S. beef producers.
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Maine Meat Cutting School sponsored by
University of Maine Cooperative Extension with
Central Maine Meats, West Gardiner Beef and Weston's Meat Processing had 10 students complete the 5-day school.
Instructors were
Dr. Gregg Rentfrow, Meat Science Specialist with University of Kentucky,
Dr. Robson Machado, Food Safety Specialist with University of Maine and
Dr. Colt W. Knight, Livestock Specialist with University of Maine. Evaluations showed students increased their knowledge and confidence in cutting meat professionally.
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Service is asking the public to comment on possible actions USDA should take regarding the disposition of the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices Final Rule. Comments will be accepted until June 9, 2017.
- Back to Grass: The Market Potential for U. S. Grassfed Beef, 2017 study released by Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture.
- UMaine Extension positions: Scientific Research Assistant in Aroostook, Temporary Field Teacher in Oxford, Food System Aide in Penobscot, 4-H & Maine Families Parent Education in Knox-Lincoln Counties, 4-H in Franklin & Aroostook, Field Teacher at Bryant Pond, Plant Pathologist in Orono and Ornamental Horticulture Specialist in Orono.
- MOFGA has two positions open: Organic Dairy & Livestock Specialist and Organic Crop & Conservation Specialist.
- Maine Large Animal Veterinarian List released by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
- Farmers Tax Guide IRS 225 for preparing 2016 tax returns.
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Testing Forage Quality - YouTube video from UMaine Extension discusses the nutritional importance of forage quality and recommended sampling techniques.
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Featured Resources
App:
CropCents is a mobile app that calculates actual costs to produce home raised feeds for crop, dairy, and beef producers.
This version automatically sets the default value for labor hours and it is very user friendly. Most livestock producers do not know the actual costs to raise their home raised feeds. An accurate accounting of home raised feeds is a better approach versus using the market prices to calculate income over feed costs. Penn State Univ.
Videos:
Rotationally Raised Livestock I: In this week's episode of Rotationally Raised, "Livestock I: Feeding Small Grains" PFI farmers share their experiences with feeding small grains to livestock. They talk feed formulations, what to feed at different growth stages and how to buy a grinder-mixer. Practical Farmers of Iowa.
Rotationally Raised Livestock II: In this week's episode of Rotationally Raised, "Livestock II: Grazing Summer-seeded Cover Crop Mixes" PFI farmers talk about the multi-species cover crop mixes they plant after small grains harvest to feed livestock and improve soil.
Visit the UMaine Extension Cooperative Extension online
Publications Catalog
for agriculture information, such as:
- Forage Production for Pasture-Based Livestock Production # 2205, Covers plant morphology (and effects on management), ecology of plant communities in forage-livestock systems; soil fertility and fertilizers; nutrient management; environmental impacts of grazing; pests, weeds, and diseases; and establishing forage stands. 141 pages., 2006. From NRAES $25.00
- Managing and Marketing for Pasture-Based Livestock Production # 2206 Provides an introduction to pasture-based livestock production, including sustainability, benefits, and the science and art of pasture-based systems. covers defining vision, mission, and goals; using resource inventories in farm planning; allocation of farm resources; and direct marketing; as well as marketing feeder cattle, dairy, and hay. 116 pages, 2006. From NRAES $21.00
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Upcoming Events
- May 16, 2016 Pasture Walk and No-till Drill Demonstration from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (rain date May 17) at Kennebec Cheesery, 795 Pond Road, Sidney. The program is free; pre-registration is required by May 15. To register or to request a disability accommodation, call the Kennebec County Extension office, 207.622.7546, diana.hartley@maine.edu.
- May 23, 2017 Buying Local Meat, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Extension, Falmouth - 781-6099 or in Maine 1-800-287-1471
- May 24, 2017 Forgotten Farms, a documentary about dairy farms in New England at 7:15.Maine Farmland Trust is sponsoring a viewing at Railroad Square Cinema, 17 Railroad Square, Waterville.
- May 30, 2017 Buying Local Meat, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Bucksport Adult Ed - 469-2129
- June 9, 2017 Pond Construction and Maintenance Workshop, Dover-Foxcroft. FMI contact the Piscataquis County SWCD at 207-564-2321 ext. 3 or info@piscataquisswcd.org.
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Maine Beef Producers Association
Join the Maine Beef Producers Association
The Maine Beef Producers Association is accepting dues for the 2017 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.
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Newsletter Subscription Information
The Maine Beef Newsletter (MBN) is now received by over 700 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
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.
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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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Quick Links
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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/.
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Contributors
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
and
Colt Knight, Extension Livestock Specialist
Goal
The goal of the Maine Beef Newsletter is to provide timely information on the production and marketing of beef grown in Maine.
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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 by Donna Coffin unless otherwise noted.
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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 (in Maine)
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Open Mon, Thurs, Fri
8 am to 4:30 pm,
Open Appointment on Wed
, Closed Tuesday
165 East Main St.
Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 207.564.3301 or 800.287.1491 (in Maine)
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Open Monday - Friday
8 am to 4:30 pm
992 Waterville Road
Waldo, ME 04915-3117
207.342.5971 or 800.287.1426 (in Maine)
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