Cattle are big business in Alabama. At the beginning of the year, the state’s cattle inventory was 1.23 million head, ranking Alabama 25th nationally. There was a 12 percent increase in the number of cows and calves marketed during 2010, generating cash receipts of more than $395 million.

To better serve the state’s cattle producers, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) is redrawing its program regions for animal science and forages. The changes will be effective Jan. 1, 2012. For the last several years, Extension has provided education and support to cattle producers through regional Extension agents. Each regional Extension agent is responsible for working in a group of four to nine counties and is trained to specialize in the assigned subject-matter area.

Dr. Paul Brown, associate Extension director for rural and traditional programs, said the realignment will improve Extension’s abilities to serve farmers.

"The Extension Animal Science and Forages team worked to redraw the regions using current statistics regarding the distribution of beef producers across the state. This will allow regional Extension agents to work with their producers more effectively as well as enhance the scope of the educational programs they conduct," Brown said.

Ten regional Extension agents will work in animal science and forages. While the regional Extension agent has a physical office in one county, the agent is expected to be available and accessible to clients in all assigned counties.

The Extension Animal Science and Forages team will continue to offer educational programming in 2012 covering a wide range of topics, including nutrient management, herd genetics and farm management among others.

"One exciting new venture is the ACES Forage Focus Program: Growing Pastures…Growing Profits," Brown said. "While forages have always been a critical component of Extension animal science program efforts, we believe this new program will be a great asset to cattle producers as well as as other livestock and forage producers."

He noted the Forage Focus Program will be comprehensive and will target increasing producers’ abilities to establish and sustain viable forage bases for their operations.