Jefferson County
Cattle genetics improvement program
Application Form – 04/05
If any information is not supplied on this application, the application will be considered incomplete and it will
not be considered for funding.
Name ____________________________________ SS#______________ Date ________________
Home Address____________________________________________________________________
Farm Address__________________________________ FSA Farm # ________________________
Telephone: Home __________________ Work __________________ Cell ____________________
E-Mail Address ____________________________________________________________________
Is at least 20 percent of gross household income from a farming operation? ____Yes ____ No
Have you applied or been approved for funding for this program in another county? ______ Yes ______ No
RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY
Amount requested: $ _____________________
Program(s) applying for:
_______ Bull Purchase.
_______ Beef Semen Purchase
_______ Dairy Semen Purchase
I hereby request funding for the Jefferson County Cattle Genetic Improvement Program and agree to follow
all the attached guidelines and requirements. I also understand that if I fail to meet the requirements
contained here in I may forfeit any future funding through Phase I opportunities. I understand that I assume
all responsibility and liability for implementation of this program and any results that may occur from my
individual purchase or decision.
Applicant's Signature: ____________________________________ Date ____________
Social Security # _______________________
Application deadline: September, 2005
Return Application to:
Jefferson Co. Extension Service
810 Barrett Ave
Louisville, Ky 40204
Phone- 502-569-3444
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Application # ______________
DATE: ___________________
Hours M-F 8AM-4:30PM.
CATTLE GENETICS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
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(Approved February 16, 2001)
(Amended December 17, 2004)
The following guidelines and recommendations have been developed for the implementation of Cattle
Genetic Improvement Programs utilizing Jefferson County Agricultural Development Funds. This document
provides some uniformity to county or multi county projects that address cost-share assistance for
purchasing high quality genetics, as it relates to sires.
Guidelines are considered to be minimum standards and shall be incorporated into cost-share programs.
The applicant or county council can implement stricter requirements (i.e. lower cost-share amounts than the
state maximum), except for the EPD requirements, which are standard statewide per the amendment on
July 18, 2003.
If you require additional information concerning these requirements, please contact the Governor’s Office of
Agricultural Policy at (502) 564-4627.
I. Eligible Cost Share Items
The following are eligible for funding:
1.
Bull purchase
2.
Semen purchase, including estrus synchronization and the AI procedure
3.
Bull leases – producer-to-producer or leasing company to producer [This program is not intended
for funding the development of leasing programs that include utilizing funds to purchase a group of bulls for
lease to local producers.]
We require that a bull lease includes possession of the bull and that it not be moved from farm to farm, in
an attempt to alleviate any potential herd health problems.
Producer Funding Guidelines
1.
Fund distribution to producers will be on a reimbursement basis.
2.
The producer shall supply a numbered and dated receipt indicating buyer and seller information in
order to be eligible for payment. Payment shall only be made for eligible cost-share items identified in
Section I of these guidelines.
3.
Producers who intend to take part in the program shall supply a Social Security (SSN) or Tax ID
TIN) number and Farm Serial Number (FSN) to receive payment. Both of these numbers must be supplied
to the Agricultural Development Board.
The Agricultural Development Board recognizes every applicant’s right to privacy and understands it’s
obligation to keep applicant/producer information confidential. Any information provided to the Agricultural
Development Board or Program Administrator on individual producer applications for model programs, such
as the applicant’s address and Social Security / Tax Identification Number, will be kept confidential by
authority of the Agricultural Development Board as granted in KRS 248.701 to 248.727 and by KRS 61.878.
The Agricultural Development Board does not disclose any nonpublic personal information regarding
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applicants/producers, past or present, except as permitted or required by the Kentucky Open Records Act,
KRS 61.870 to 61.884 or other law(s).
4.
[For capital construction projects] Producers shall provide an annual report on the program and
maintain ownership of the property for 5 years past the participation date in the program.
5.
Should the producer fail to utilize funds by the program administrator’s reimbursement deadline,
said funds shall be reallocated to the next available application. Additionally, the producer must reapply to
be considered for cost-share funds.
6.
Ownership Requirements:
a)
Ownership of bulls must be maintained for a minimum of two successive breeding seasons, not in
the same year.
b)
Emergency early release is possible in case of physical or disposition problems and must be
approved by the local administrative board. Loss due to natural disasters or situations beyond producer’s
control will not keep him/her from future participation.
7.
Expected Progeny Differences (EPD) Requirements:
a)
Expected progeny differences (EPDs) must be certified to meet the requirements set forth in the
state EPD guidelines posted on the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy website. EPDs shall be certified
by documentation from a breed association before funds may be reimbursed.
b)
When selecting bulls for Terminal Cross, the bull EPDs shall meet the birth weight and either
weaning weight or yearling weight guidelines, depending on your targeted market. When selecting a
Balanced Trait bull, the EPD requirements must be met for birth weight and either weaning weight or
yearling weight guidelines. Heifer Acceptable bulls will only have to meet a maximum birth weight EPD.
c)
When selecting for dairy breeds, we recommend using the Net Merit $ score. This score is an
economic index based on milk, fat, protein, somatic cell score and productive life. All sires must be in the
upper 20% for their respective breeds.
8.
All bulls purchased or leased through this program must pass a Breeding Soundness Evaluation
(BSE) prior to receiving cost-share funds. The cost of a BSE should be negotiated between the buyer and
seller and can be included in the total cost of the bull purchase.
9.
Reporting requirements:
a)
An annual report from each participant in this program is required.
b)
Producers must certify the animal purchased is still on the farm at the end of each reporting
period and shall be informed about the possibility of spot checks.
c)
Exact reporting requirements shall be determined at the state level and shall utilize the reporting
forms available from the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy. Reporting shall include adequate
information to evaluate the progress of the overall program and can include additional information along
with the state reporting forms.
10.
If a producer fails to meet the requirements of the agreement, then they will not be eligible for any
future funding opportunities through this program.
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Producer Certification Form
(Producer: Please retain a copy for your records. Administrator: Please keep with producer’s
application.)
The overall mission of the Agricultural Development Fund is to help the agriculture community diversify
their agricultural operations and increase net farm income. To that end, Model Programs were developed
to provide cost-share assistance to individual producers through a local program administrator. To judge
the success and impact of these programs, as well as monitor the distribution of these funds, the
Agricultural Development Board requires the below information. This information is required for a producer
to receive funding.
All confidential information provided by the applicant shall be protected by the Agricultural Development
Board and the County Agricultural Development Council, as outlined in the model program guidelines and
the Kentucky Open Records Act, KRS 61.870 to 61.884.
Funds Received through This Model Program
Please list all funds received through the Cattle Genetics Improvement model program by year in this or
any other county.
- _______I have received no funds from this or any other County in Kentucky for the cattle genetics
(initials)
improvement Model Program
If this form is being used for the Cattle Genetics Improvement Program, then please list the number of bulls
received, in addition to the above funding information: ______________ bulls.
(number)
Note: Please refer to the model program guidelines for 12-month term maximums and lifetime program
maximums.
I, _______________ hereby certify that I have read all of the terms and requirements for this program and
agree to follow the guidelines. I understand that I am required to provide all of the above information prior
to participation in this program.
I also certify that I have not received funds for this model program from another county within the last 12
months.
I agree to use the funds I receive in the manner intended by the Agricultural Development Board and the
Program Administrator. I further agree to provide copies of invoices, receipts, cancelled checks, etc. to the
Program Administrator.
I will report the progress and results of these improvement practices and any resulting economic value to
my operation.
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Appendix B: EPD Guidelines
http://agpolicy.ky.gov/funds/documents/epd_standards.doc
Beef Sire Selection Recommendations
Darrh Bullock, Les Anderson, John Johns and Roy Burris
University of Kentucky Beef Extension Specialists
Introduction
The Cattle Genetics Improvement Program has assisted Kentucky’s beef producers in utilizing better
genetics in their breeding program through increased educational efforts and providing cost-share dollars
for bull purchases. Many beef producers have taken advantage of this program and they are starting to
see the benefits of buying a better bull. The initial phase of the Genetic Improvement Program was to help
producers understand the use of two primary tools available for sire selection: Expected Progeny
Differences (EPD) and Breeding Soundness Exams (BSE). The next phase of the program will be to assist
Kentucky’s beef producers to target specific bulls for their operation, based on individual resources,
management practices and marketing objectives.
The attached chart should be used to determine if a bull qualifies for cost-share based on his EPDs. The
following information is to assist beef producers in finding the right bull for their operation.
The overall goal of the beef operation should be to increase net income. Net income is a balance between
how much is spent on the operation and how much income the operation generates. Therefore, beef
producers need to focus on increasing income while minimizing additional cost or reduce cost while trying
to maintain income. Although this practice pertains to the entire beef operation, this article will concentrate
on the impact of the bull.
Two practices are available to improve the genetics of your herd: crossbreeding and individual bull
selection. Crossbreeding has a major economic impact on your herd and should be practiced by
commercial cattlemen; however, this information will focus on purchasing beef bulls.
When looking for a bull to purchase for your operation it is important to realize that as you make progress to
improve one trait you often lose ground in another trait. For example, as we select for increased growth,
which has a positive impact on income, we usually inadvertently increase the mature size and maintenance
costs of our cows through retaining replacements. Finding the balance between the productivity level of the
cow (growth and milk) and the required energy to maintain her is very difficult and, if not done properly, will
likely result in decreased reproduction. Research has shown that cow efficiency is dependent on the level
of nutrition that they receive. Larger high-producing cows are the most efficient in very lush, high nutritional
environments (Average Kentucky forages would not support this level of productivity) and smaller lowproducing cows are the most efficient in limited nutritional situations. Under optimum nutrition there are
very little differences between the breed types. Before you go buy a bull it is important to consider what
you want to produce and what resources (primarily nutrition) you have available.
Bull Purchasing
When purchasing a bull there are four primary characteristics that should be assessed: reproductive
soundness; structural soundness; visual evaluation; performance characteristics.
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Reproductive Soundness – For a bull to have any value to a beef producer he must be reproductively
sound. The best means to determine the reproductive soundness of a bull is through a breeding
soundness exam. If a bull passes this exam he should have the physical capability to breed and settle
cows. This exam does not measure desire and bulls should be observed for their interest in females in
heat.
Structural Soundness – To be an efficient breeder a bull must be structurally sound. This means that he
should move without pain or discomfort and should have appropriate angles at weight bearing joints.
Visual Evaluation – Many traits that are important to beef producers can only be evaluated through visual
observation. These include, but are not limited to: disposition, horned/polled, color, muscling, body
capacity, structure, sheath, and testicular development.
Performance Characteristics – The primary reason for purchasing a bull is the expected performance of his
calves. If replacement females will be retained then this decision should not be short sided, because
the impact will be long lasting. Breeds differ on their level of productivity; therefore, the first decision will
be on breed type. Once a breed is determined, selection between bulls for performance should be
based on the EPDs whenever possible. There is no such thing as the “Best Bull”; each individual beef
producer must make that determination based on what they want to get from the bull. The following
are some guidelines for finding bulls to meet some common needs of Kentucky beef producers.
Depending on your goals and management the right bull for you may not be included in this list. To
find out where a bull ranks in his breed refer to the EPD Percentile Table from the respective breed
association (This can often be found on the internet).
Heifer Acceptable – This is a specialty-type bull that should be used when a high percentage of first-calf
heifers are to be bred. This is one of the categories for the cost-share program and those figures should be
used for Birth Weight or Calving Ease EPDs. Typically, easy calving bulls do not express as much growth
in their calves. To maintain an acceptable level of growth, bulls with extremely low weaning and/or yearling
weight
EPDs
should
be
avoided.
The recommendation for Birth Weight/Calving Ease for the following categories depends on how many
first-calf heifers are to be bred. For increased security, choose a bull that meets the Heifer Acceptable
category. If any heifers are to be bred then avoid the worst 50% of larger breeds and the worst 35% of
smaller breeds or be prepared to watch those heifers closely during calving. If only mature cows are to
be bred then avoid the worst 510% of the bulls for BW/CE.
Terminal – This is a specialty-type bull that should be used when replacement females will not be retained.
The purpose of this bull is to produce calves with exceptional feeder calf performance. Therefore, milk can
be disregarded and growth should be emphasized. Upper extremes should be avoided if the cow size is
large and there is danger of
producing carcasses that are heavier than the accepted standard.
Balanced Trait – This category is different than the broad category used for the cost-share program. Bulls
that fit these recommendations should provide moderation for birth weights/calving ease, growth and
milking ability. The purpose of this bull would be to produce calves that are acceptable feeder calves, while
keeping the mature size and milk level of replacement females in moderation. Selecting bulls that rank
between the 25% and 75% level in their breed for both
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growth and milking ability should achieve this goal.
Low Maintenance – This category is for producers that will be retaining and/or selling replacement females
that they desire to have lower maintenance requirements. Unfortunately, beef breeds do not currently
compute cow maintenance EPDs. Typically, cows that have smaller mature size and less milking ability
have lower maintenance requirements. Selecting bulls with below average growth and milk values should
produce replacement females that will have lower maintenance requirements. The trade-off is that their
siblings, which will be sold as feeder calves, will have less growth
as well. It is recommended to avoid the lowest extremes for either growth or milking ability.
High Productivity – Producers with extremely good management may consider bulls that will greatly
increase individual calf productivity. This is easily accomplished by selecting bulls that are in the upper
third of their breed for both growth and milk. Feeder calves produced from this mating should exhibit good
growth and replacement females should have exceptional milking ability. The trade-off is that these cows
will be larger and have higher maintenance costs. If these cows do not receive adequate nutrition then
they will lose body condition and there will likely be reduced reproduction rates. This option is not for
everyone and total herd performance should take precedence over individual calf performance.
Carcass Merit – Producers that will be retaining ownership of their calves and that are being paid for
carcass merit should place additional emphasis on those traits. A Carcass Merit bull may easily fit one of
the above categories, but would have the added responsibility of producing calves with acceptable carcass
characteristics. Traits of economic importance would be carcass weight, marbling (% intra-muscular fat)
and % retail product. The pricing scheme that the calves will be sold under will determine the level of
emphasis to be placed on each trait. For example, if the calves are to be marketed on a “High Quality Grid”
then emphasis would be placed on increasing marbling, while maintaining acceptable carcass weights.
Also, remember that as you increase carcass weight you also increase mature cow size of
replacement females.
Conclusions
Crossbreeding and bull selection have very important long-term economical impact on your herd. Selecting
the right bull for your operation is a decision that includes setting production goals, analyzing your
resources and management, and then locating the bull that best fits your situation. If done properly this
process will take time and effort on your part, but the rewards can be significant.
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2005 Kentucky Purchase/Lease/AI Program Qualifying Requirements
Maximum Birth Weight (BW) or minimum Calving Ease (CE)*; minimum Weaning Weight (WW) or
Yearling Weight (YW) Expected Progeny Differences for each of three sire types.
Heifer Acceptable
BW (CE)
Breed
Angus
Terminal
BW (CE)
WW
YW
Balanced Trait
BW (CE)
WW
YW
7 (CE)
-5 (CE)
35
65
1 (CE)
29
54
Beefmaster
-.4
.8
1
3
0
1
3
Brangus
.3
3.6
21
33
2.5
11
18
Braunvieh
-3.0
1.8
3
3
-.1
3
3
Charolais
-2.4
3.8
15
26
2.3
5.3
10
Chiangus
0.0
7.3
34
57
5.3
20
36
Gelbvieh
113 (CE)
98 (CE)
37
66
101 (CE)
29
54
Hereford
2.1 (CE)
-6.5 (CE)
36
61
-2.9(CE)
26
44
Limousin
9 (CE)
0 (CE)
35
65
4 (CE)
25
50
Maine-Anjou
0.2
6.2
39
79
4.8
31
67
Red Angus
6 (CE)
-2 (CE)
29
51
0 (CE)
19
33
Red Poll
-.1
2.6
2
1
.8
1
0
Salers
-.4
2.6
7
11
.9
7
11
Santa Gertrudis
0
2.0
5
6
.4
5
6
Senepol
-.9
2.4
5.8
7.2
1
-1.5
-2.1
Shorthorn
.1
4.9
16
26
2.8
9
15
Simmental
11.8 (CE)
.7 (CE)
34
57
4.6 (CE)
25
43
Tarentaise
4 (CE)
-4 (CE)
2
9
0 (CE)
2
9
*Calving Ease EPD ranks bulls on their ability to avoid calving problems when bred to heifers, higher
values indicate greater calving ease and are desirable. This EPD is preferred over Birth
Weight when available.
Please refer to each breeds’ EPD Percentile Table to determine where a bull ranks within his breed for
each of the traits. This will assist in determining the level of productivity to expect in
the bull’s calves.
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For additional information or for additional breeds, contact your county Agriculture and Natural Resources
Extension Agent or Dr. Darrh Bullock, 804 WP Garrigus Bldg, Lexington, KY 40546; (859) 257-7514;
dbullock@uky.edu
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