Relationships between Tennessee beef cattle producers personal and farm operation characteristics and their use of recommended feeding management practices

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between Tennessee beef cattle producers personal and farm characteristics and their use of selected feeding management practices. One thousand one hundred eighteen beef producers were randomly selected from the study population and personal interviews were conducted by county Extension agents in the fall of 1985. Survey and interview schedules were developed by the University of Tennessee Beef Specialists and the Agricultural Extension Education Department. Information recorded included personal and farm characteristics of Tennessee beef producers and their use of selected recommended beef cattle feeding management practices.

The chi square (x²) test were used to determine the relationships between selected dependent and independent variables. The .05 level of probability was accepted as being statistically significant.

Major findings included the following:

1. Only two of the eight selected recommended feeding management practices were being utilized by more than 40 percent of the beef producers in this study. The two practices being used by the higher percent of producers were stockpiling fescue and supplementing protein for the beef herd during the winter.

2. Almost 75 percent of the beef producers had 75 acres of more of permanent pasture and over 91 percent had some type of cattle handling facilities.

3. Slightly over 88 percent of the beef producers had some type of contact with the Agricultural Extension Service.

4. Only 6 percent of the beef producers were utilizing the recommended practice of forage testing.

5. Full-time beef producers were more likely than part-time beef producers to use five of the eight recommended feeding management practices.

6. Beef cattle producers that had 75 acres or more of permanent pasture were more likely than producers with less acreage to use four of the recommended feeding management practices.

7. Beef cattle producers with 41 cows or more were more likely than producers with 40 cows or less to use five of the recommended feeding management practices.

8. Beef cattle producers with cattle handling facilities were more likely than producers with no cattle handling facilities to use six of the eight recommended feeding management practices.

9. Beef cattle producers that had contact with Extension were more likely than producers with no contacts with Extension to use seven of the eight recommended feeding management practices.