Johnston County Goat Producer's Association Buck Collection And Eastern Carolina Cattlemen's Conference.pdf

Buck Collection:

The Johnston County Goat Producer's Association is hosting a buck collection on November 18th at the Smithfield Livestock Arena. Biogenics will process the semen, which will be available for pick-up on Monday. Preregistration with Dan Wells (contact details provided) is required.

Eastern Carolina Cattlemen’s Conference:

The conference will take place on December 4th in Clinton starting at 8:30 am. See attached sheet for more information.

Cape Fear Regional Cattle Conference:

Scheduled for January 17th at the Farmers Market in Robeson County, starting at 4:30 pm. Topics include fencing demonstrations and a herd health presentation. The cost is $5.

Livestock News and Events:

NC State Fair & Southeast Regional Livestock Judging & Skill-A-Thon Contests: Mary Vorder Bruegge placed highly in both sheep judging and skill-a-thon contests at the NC State Fair. Contact Mandy Harris for information on getting involved.

Forage Management Tips:

Recommendations for fall grazing, winter annual pasture management (including potential nitrogen applications), hay testing before winter feeding, and limiting grazing on winter pastures are highlighted.

Animal Waste Management:

Information about initial animal waste certification training, calibration and sludge surveys, and recordkeeping forms available on the DEQ website is provided. Animal waste operators need to maintain six hours of continuing education credit every three years.

Hay Directories:

Three hay directories are listed: North Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Hay Alert, Southeastern NC Hay Directory, and Cumberland County Hay Directory. Farmers can list their hay for sale in these directories.

Pasture to Row Crops Conversion:

Record high grain prices have led some farmers to consider converting pasture land to row crops. Dr. Ron Heiniger emphasizes the need for careful economic analysis and consideration of alternatives before making such a significant decision, taking into account factors like land suitability, input costs, potential yields, and market price fluctuations.