Note: This site is for reviewing legacy plan of work data from 2007-2011. If you are looking for the current plan of work interface, visit pow.nmsu.edu.

Profitable Livestock Production (Roosevelt County)

Plan Goal

Improve the profitability of livestock production by enhancing decision-making skills of livestock owners and managers.

Situation Statement

Livestock production in New Mexico is only marginally profitable. Livestock producers and rural economies recognize the impact of livestock production on the state’s economy. Beef cattle and calves (100,000) are major farm and ranch livestock contributors to the economy. A stocker-yearling grazing cattle industry of approximately 75,000 head exists primarily in Roosevelt County.

Target Audience and Actions

The target audience is composed of approximately 80 beef producing operations in Roosevelt County. In order to service the educational needs of these communities of livestock producers, county efforts will be conducted. Statewide and regional programs will include the Cattle Grower’s Short Course, Southwest Beef Symposium, Cattlemen’s College, and Cow-calf Standardized Performance Analysis program and the New Mexico Ag Expo. Additionally, management recommendations will be incorporated into Extension publications, event proceedings, and popular press.

Short-Term Objectives

Increase awareness of novel management practices and knowledge of current issues by 20% for 10% of New Mexico livestock producers through educational programs and direct communications. Increase the number of producers using technology by 15 to evaluate production and financial aspects of cow-calf enterprises through participation in SPA workshops. Seventy-five percent of attendees surveyed at the Southwest Beef Symposium, Cattle Grower’s Short Course, and SPA workshops will perceive the monetary value of education gained exceeds the cost of attendance.

Medium-Term Objectives

Improve decision-making skills of 25 livestock producers through educational programs and seminars such that they are more confident in livestock management. County cow-calf operations will improve profitability by following management recommendations made at Standardized Performance Analysis workshops.

Long-Term Objectives

Improve profitability of cattle and sheep enterprises by lowering production costs and/or increasing gross revenue.

Evaluation Plan

Maintaining a communication log to document producer acknowledgement of improved management practices. Measure the increase in the number of producers using SPA technology during this plan of work. Evaluate financial and production performance trends of cow-calf operations participating for more than three years in the SPA program. An exit survey for educational programs will be devised to capture producer perception of both the monetary value of information and improvement in decision-making skills.