Caldwell County Agline

Remove livestock from sudangrass, sorghum-sudangrass, and johnsongrass pastures for two weeks after the first killing frost.  This will preventing prussic acid poisoning.  All classes of livestock are susceptable to prussic acid; cattle, horses, sheep and goats.  Also,  watch for new shoot regrowth on partially frost-killed plants. Direct grazing of these fresh shoots can be toxic.  Hay made from sudangrass, sorghum-sudangrass, and johnsongrass can be safely feed after waiting two weeks.

Prussic acid is also a problem with wilted cherry leaves.  Prussic acid also called hydrocyanic acid posions the blood's ability to transport oxygen.  Symptoms include difficulty breathing, vertigo, spams and death.  The problems will appear shortly after consuming event a small amount of leaves.  Death often occurs within one hour.

Thursday January 8, 2009

Iredell County Agricultural Resource Center

444 Bristol Drive, Statesville, NC

LOCATION: From I-40 take Exit 148. Go east on US 64/90 to Bristol Drive (first street on right). Turn right and proceed 1/3 mile to entrance on right. CLick here for a Yahoo map.


3:30 pm  Registration

3:45 pm NC Cattlemen's Association Activities

4:00 pm Drought Recovery

4:45 pm New Technologies in the Beef Industry

5:15 pm Break

5:30 pm Beef Production in the New Economic Environment

6:00 pm Trends in Cattle Marketing

6:15 pm  Animal Health Product Update

6:30 pm   Sponsored Meal Compliments of

North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) has launched a marketing website for sheep and goat producers.  The site was rolled out last month.  There are already many producers who have listed their farm on the site.  Users can search the directory by county, species (meat goat, dairy goat, or sheep) or by specific breed.  This site will help interested buyers locate breeders and producers in the State.  The listing service is free.  The directory can be found on NCDA&CS's site at http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/livestock/goatandsheep/directory/

The N. C. Cattlemen's Association and N. C. Cattlemen's Beef Council are welcoming back Bryan Blinson as the new executive director.  Bryan's Parents are Keith & Peggy Blinson of Lenoir, NC.  
 
Bryan Blinson was the executive director of both associations from March 1, 1994 through November 1, 1999.  He obtained his B.S. in animal science from N. C. State University in 1984.  He left the association to work for a real estate auction business in Angier, North Carolina.  During this time he obtained a Certified Auctioneers Institute degree in 2002 from the Auction Marketing Institute in Overland Park, Kansas.  The experiences Bryan has gained in the real estate business will further assist him in dealing with issues that the future holds in store for the cattle industry.
 
Bryan's duties begin October 1, 2008, and he looks forward to working again with the members and leadership of the N. C. Cattlemen's Association and N. C. Cattlemen's Beef Council to strengthen the beef industry in North Carolina.

The 2009 Statesville Regional Beef Conference is scheduled for January 8 at the Iredell Extension Center.  The program will begin at 3:00 pm and conclude with dinner at 6:30 pm.  Mike Miller, Iredell County Extension Agent, has lined up a all-start group of beef professionals to present on a variety of interesting topics.  Below is a list of speakers and topics. Stay tuned for more information . . .

• Matt Poore- Drought Recovery/Forages/Forage ID
• Gary Hansen-New Technology in the Beef Industry
• Geoff Benson-Beef Production in the New Economic Environment
• Marcus Harward- Cattle Price Outlook/Marketing

To:  Beef Cattle Producers

Re:  Beef Quality Assurance Feeder Calf Sale, August 14 

Thanks for your interest in the BQA Feeder Calf Sale scheduled for August 14 at Harward Brothers Livestock Market in Turnersburg, NC.  This letter is to provide information on sale requirements and deadlines so you can make a decision on whether or not to participate.  You may contact our office at any time if you have questions.  The consignment deadline is June 14.

Requirements ? only farm raised calves that are less than one year of age as of August 14, 2008.  No bulls will be accepted, only steers and heifers.  All other rules of the regular graded sales will apply.  Extension and NCDA&CS personnel and the market owner will make decisions on grouping cattle to form trailer load lots if that potential exists with the cattle on hand.  No consignor will have a no sale privilege.

Sale Requirements

? Producers must have a current BQA (Beef Quality Assurance) certification.

? Farm must have a premise identification number.

? Calves will be source and age verified according to USDA specifications. Contact Bruce Shankle, NCDA&CS at 919-733-7912, ext. 251 or 704-826-8848 for information and procedures.

? Calves must be weaned and bunk broke at  least 45 days before sale.

? Final vaccinations (2^nd set of shots) must be given at least 3 weeks before the sale and no more than 6 weeks before the sale.

? 1^st set of shots should be given 2 to 4 weeks before Final Vaccinations.

? Vaccination records, dates and products must be maintained and provided to the market operator.

? Cattle will be graded, weighed and penned according to grade, weight, breed and sex. Over filled cattle will not be graded. Cattle will be graded and sold in truckload lots whenever possible.

? Sire ID recommended, but not required.

Health Requirements

The 2008 health protocol requires that all BQA Sale cattle follow a vac45 program

? The Intervet Beef Calf Health Management Protocol has been selected for this program and all consignors must use this program for their calves.

 

For more information on the specific requirements of this program contact your local livestock extension agent.

 

Health Requirements

?  Two (2) doses of modified live respiratory vaccine (Vista Once and Vista 5)

? Two (2) doses of clostridial/blackleg vaccine (Vision 7 and Vision 7 With Somnus)

? One (1) dose of pasteurella vaccine (already contained in Vista Once)

This dose can be administered in combination products in order to reduce the number of injection sites.

? One (1) dose of Haemophilus Somnus vaccine (already contained in Vision 7 Somnus)

This dose can be administered in combination products in order to reduce the number of sites.

? Parasite Control ( Safe-Guard Drench)

The last date to wean calves for this sale is July 1.  The first series of shots can be given no earlier than June 5.  Final vaccinations can be given no later than July 24.  Refer to all other health requirements above when determining when you wean and vaccinate calves to meet all requirements.

Lextron Animal Health will provide all animal health products and Lutz Farm and Garden in Catawba County has been selected to provide these products for your use.  They can be reached at (704) 462-1227. 

Mike Miller     Jeff Carpenter

Agricultural Ext. Agent   Area Specialized Agent, Livestock 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Return this consignment form to the Catawba County Extension Office no later than June 14. 

I plan to deliver _____ steers and _____ heifers to the Turnersburg Area BQA Sale on Thursday, August 14.

Delivery times will be 7 AM til 4 PM. 
 

_______________________________


(Producer)    


 

____________________

(Date) 

Return to:  Catawba County Cooperative Extension Service

            c/o Jeff Carpenter, Area Specialized Agent, Livestock

             P. O. Box 389

            Newton, NC  28658

                      (828) 465-8240

Just want to make everyone aware of the Livestock Compensation Program. This is a USDA program offered though the Farm Service Agency. Our local office is in Morganton. My understanding is this program is fairly simple and payments are timely. Basically USDA is helping livestock owners from last year's drought. The beef rates are: $10.66 per head for cows and bulls and $8.00 per head for non-adults animals weighing 500 lbs or more.

To learn more about this program contact the Farm service Agency in Morganton at 828.439.9727.

Exciting things are happening in the world of poultry and rabbit meat production in the western part of North Carolina. You are invited to attend a full day workshop in March to learn and share tips and techniques on how to succeed in this growing niche market.  Learn about best practices for farm management, tips on successful marketing, and information about regulatory requirements for direct-marketing of poultry and rabbit meat.

Plans are underway for development of a small scale inspected slaughter and processing facility to serve independent producers. Come and hear more about this effort, review floor plans and equipment lists, and help make this project a real benefit to our community!

Presenters will include fellow farm producers, cooperative extension personnel, marketing specialists, and supermarket and restaurant buyers. Our keynote speaker is Dr. James McNitt, Rabbit Production Specialist and Professor of Animal Science at the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Baton Rouge, LA.

This workshop is organized by the Independent Small Animal Meat Processors Association of Western North Carolina (ISAMPA). ISAMPA\u2019s mission includes: Promoting best practices for raising, processing and marketing small meat animals; support for the development of a small animal processing facility meeting state or federal inspection requirements, and; raising public awareness of small animal meat products humanely raised and processed in a manner that contributes to the social, economic, and environmental well being of western North Carolina\u2019s people and natural resources.

Support for this workshop comes from a USDA Value Added Producers Grant and Heifer International. A delicious lunch will be served, and admission is free (with a $10 suggested donation).

Please RSVP by March 15 by calling Smithson Mills at 828-273-9119, or by emailing smithson@smithsonmills.com. Please give your name, phone number, and email address when your register.

The factsheet on cattle handling facilities has been updated with new inforamtion.  If you have question or comments please forward them to me at seth_nagy@ncsu.edu.

When farmers expand into the value-added business, startup costs can be overwhelming.  One of the larger expenses dairy producers face when adding value to their fluid milk is the pasteurizer.  To help, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) will be loaning pasteurizers to two dairy operations in the State for one year.

The selection criteria will be based on:

    * Business readiness of the applicant;
    * Experience in the dairy industry;
    * Viability of the business plan;
    * Knowledge of value-added dairy production;
    * Suitability of available pasteurizer to the planned production;
    * Personal investment of time and money in the value-added venture.

Applications are due by February 29 and award winners will be announced March 15.  Complete rules and information are available from Ron Fish, assistant director of marketing, NCDA&CS, 1020 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699. He may also be reached at (919) 733-7887, ext. 219, or ron.fish@ncmail.net.

Kilby's Livestock Market in North Wilkesboro will host two graded sale events this year.  There will be a Stocker Sale (the only one in the area) April 2.  The Calf Sale will be Oct. 1.  Consignment forms are due two weeks prior to the sale date.

The basic rules for the sale are;

1. Calves must be at least 300 pounds and less than 1 year of age.
2. Animals must be dehorned.
3. Bull calves must weigh less than 695 pounds.
   
4. Calves must be vaccinated with Blackleg and Malignant Edema at least 14 days before the sale.

A complete list of graded sales will soon be available at (www.nccattle.com/feedercattle.html).  Also, livestock market reports are available form NC Department of Agriculture at (ncagr.com/markets/mktnews/cattle.htm).

Hopefully all of you have inventoried your feed supplies and you are in good shape to make it to April 1 with your cattle herd.  The winter has only really recently begun, even though you probably feel like you have been operating in "winter mode" since September.   Congratulations on making it thus far and I hope you all are still standing when the grass begins to return.

I have compiled another relative value calculation based on the prices for locally available by-products for your consideration.  If you are in a position to supplement your cow herd daily or 3 times per week this may offer you an opportunity to stretch your hay supplies a little further.  You may have found more economical sources of concentrates as I only checked with 2 suppliers for the prices listed below.

The ingredients are listed on the left followed by their normal values for dry matter, TDN (energy), crude protein, the local price for that commodity and the relative value of that feed based on it's nutritional value compared to the equivalent amount of corn and soybean meal.  The final column is % of value at your price and the lower numerical value indicates the best feed buy.

Some feeds have more worth than may be indicative in this example due to the manner in which they are fed.  The protein tubs and other convenience feeds may be a better option for some operations with limited labor and facilities even though they may not be the most economical source of nutrients.

Ingredient     % DM TDN% CP% ton protein & Energy %Value

Corn             90  89  10  $228     $228         100
Soybean meal     90  81  53  $373     $373         100
Cottonseed       90  96  22  $265     $287         92
Corn gluten      90  82  20  $165     $254         65
Soybean hulls    90  77  14  $167     $221         75
Whole soybeans   90  92  42  $400     $340         118
Wheat midds      90  80  18  $185     $243         76
Cottonseed meal  90  77  44  $275     $312         88
Med. Quality hay 85  55  10  $165     $149         110
Cottonseed hulls 90  42   4  $159     $108         147
Protein tub      80  75  24  $420     $225         187

I also have some good ration balancing programs available if you know of anyone that needs to troubleshoot their feeding program. With the wide variety of roughages being fed, variations in quality and limit feeding strategies being used it is critical to know you are supplying enough nutrients to winter your animals properly. With high fertilizer prices being the next big hurdle it will be very important to make sure animals are in good enough condition to rebreed and produce a calf to pay for their upkeep.

Cost share programs for hay transported from out of state are currently available on a first-come first-served basis. Check the Hay Alert website for information on eligibility or contact our office for more information.

Don?t forget the important management practices that pay big dividends ? vaccinating cows and calves for the common diseases, castrating bull calves, use of growth promoting implants, pregnancy diagnosis, good forage utilization and effective marketing strategies. A small investment in any of these could produce a $50 per head return. It?s the little things that add up to success in the long term.

Good luck and contact Cooperative Extension if we can assist you in any way.

This article was submitted by:
Area Specialized Agent
Jeff Carpenter

The Caldwell County Extension Center and all other one hundred County Centers will be holding a Horse Industry Referendum vote Wednesday March 5th.  Horse owners will be voting to continue their self-assessment of $2.00 per ton of horse feed. 

This money is used by the NC Horse Council to support the equine industry.   For full details about the referendum visit Horse Industry Referendum 2008 at the NCHC.

On January 23rd, 2008 The North Carolina Forage and Grasslands Council will sponsor a forage conference at the Southern Livestock Center located 2 miles south of Interstate 85 on Hwy 15 in Granville County.  Cost for the program will be $15, and the dinner will be made with locally produced beef.  This will be an outstanding program and will be very timely, given the widespread need to renovate pastures and develop better drought management plans in the coming year.  Registration will begin at 1 pm and the presentations will start at 1:30 pm and adjourn at 7:30 pm.

This same conference will be held in three Virginia locations, Harrisonburg, January 21; Abingdon, January 22; and Blackstone, January 24.   At the Virginia locations registration will start at 8 am and the program will begin at 9 am. 

Speakers will include University Faculty from North Carolina State University, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia University, and will also include presentations by a grass-fed beef producer, a fencing expert, and the National Resource Conservation Service. 

If you plan to attend the North Carolina conference please call Kim Burge at the NC Cattlemen's Association at 919-552-9111 or e-mail Kim@nccattle.com.  If you wish to attend one of the Virginia locations contact Margaret Kenney at 434-645-9349 or Dr. Chris Teutsch at 434-292-4331 ext. 234 for conference cost and registration information.  For additional information contact your Livestock Extension Agent at your local Cooperative Extension Center.

The 57th Annual North Carolina Cattlemen's Conference will be held at the Hickory Metro Convention Center February 22 - 23.  This years meeting is a little different than in the past.  The educational programs will be held on Friday and the committee meetings Saturday.

For a full listing of the conference and registration details visit the event home page at  www.nccattle.com/Conference.html

The sale dates are set for the feeder calf sales at the Harward Brothers Livestock Market in Turnersburg.  The sales will be August 7 and September 18, 2008.  Feeder calf sales have been around since the 1950's in Norrth Carolina.  The advantage of these special sales is the cattle are grouped & graded with like cattle from other farms.  Buyers are willing to pay a premium for getting larger groups of like cattle. 

The basic rules for the sale are;

1. Calves must be at least 300 pounds and less than 1 year of age.
2. Animals must be dehorned and castrated.
3. Calves must be vaccinated with Blackleg and Malignant Edema at least 14 days before the sale.

Consignment forms are available at the Caldwell Center. 

The Statesville Regional Beef Conference is always a great source of information for local cattlemen.  This year's meeting is planned for Thursday, January 3.  Registration opens at 3:00 pm and the first speaker will start at 3:45 pm.  The meeting will include a sponsored meal thanks to Harward Brothers Livestock Market & Schering-Plough Animal Health.  For directions to the Iredell County Center go to iredell.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=contact

The regional Conference will cover topics on; Pasture Management & Recovery From Drought, Drought Management Strategies for Cattle Operations, Fly Control Strategies, and Market outlook for 2008.  I hope you will make plans to attend. 

The College Veterinary Medicine is offering the 24th Annual Equine Health Symposium Saturday, February 23, in Raleigh, NC.  This program offers the most up-to-date information straight from NC State University veterinarians on subjects that directly affect your horse's care and management.  There will be separate symposiums for veterinarians & horse owners.  For more information and registration go to www.cvm.ncsu.edu/docs/equinemedicinesymposium

Our farm friends in Morganton at the Burke-Caldwell-McDowell Farm Service Agency Office (FSA) have a program to help livestock owners if their animals do not have enough water to drink.  Below is the press release and contact information.

DROUGHT EMERGENCY MEASURES FOR LIVESTOCK

A lack of moisture, over an extended period of time, has caused producers in Burke, McDowell, and Caldwell Counties to suffer from the effects of severe drought conditions. Farms experiencing severe drought conditions may be eligible for cost-share assistance under the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP). This disaster program is administered by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency (FSA), which provides cost-share assistance if the damage is so severe that water available for livestock has been reduced below normal to the extent that the livestock cannot survive without additional water.

A producer qualifying for ECP assistance may receive cost shares not to exceed 75 percent of the cost of installing eligible temporary measures. Cost sharing for permanent measures is based on 50 percent of the total eligible cost. Approved practices and measures may include:

• installing pipelines or other facilities for livestock water

• constructing and deepening wells for livestock water

• hauling water for livestock

Producers who have experienced severe drought conditions requiring outside assistance to provide supplemental emergency livestock water may contact the Burke-McDowell-Caldwell Farm Service Agency Office, 130 Ammons Dr., Suite 1, Morganton, NC 28655 at 828-439-9727 est. 2. Requests for assistance will be accepted from November 26 through December 17, 2007.

To be eligible for cost shares, practices shall not be started until a request has first been filed at the FSA Office and an onsite inspection of the problem area has been made by the County Committee (COC) or its representative. COC will review the inspection findings when considering the request for cost shares.

The NC Cattle Industry Assessment Referendum held on November 14th did not pass. I was very surprised when I heard the results. To help understand what happened, let's look at some numbers. There were 766 total votes cast across the state and there are about 10,000 cattle farms in North Carolina. Voting eligibility requirements stated "you must be over 18 and own at least one animal". Most of the 10,000 operations will have a minimum of two eligible voters, husband & wife. I'm also guessing the average farm probably has at least one son, daughter, or grandchild that has an interest in farming and owns a cow or two. For argument sake, let's say the average farm has three people eligible to vote or 30,000 potential voters in the State. The total vote was 766 or 2.5% of the eligible voters. Of the 2.5% who voted, the majority voted for the additional dollar assessment.

Again, to make sense of the results of the referendum, 2.5% of the eligible voters voted.  Of the 766 votes cast, greater than 50% voted for the assessment. However, the referendum required a 2/3 majority to pass. I suspect if all 30,000 plus potential voters voted, there would have easily been a 2/3 majority.

Moral of the story is, if you want to be counted, you had better vote! Below is a press release from the NC Cattlemen's Association on the vote, it states the facts of the referendum.

FUQUAY-VARINA, NC -- The North Carolina Cattlemen's Association held a North Carolina Cattle Industry Assessment Referendum vote on November 14, 2007. The results from that referendum were that it did not pass. NCCA Executive Director Bundy Plyler reported  that 766 producers voted in the state and while a majority of producers voted for the referendum, a 2/3 majority vote was needed to pass the assessment.

The N. C. Cattlemen's Association needs to take account of the situation and to report back to our Board of Directors at our annual meeting in February. This referendum would have assessed all cattle sold (beef and dairy) an additional $1.00 per head.

Proceeds from the $1 per head assessment would have been used by the NC Cattlemen's Association for producer education -- regarding beef production topics, beef production research, youth education and leadership development events, NCCA administration, beef industry leadership development, promotion and marketing of North Carolina cattle, and promoting the interests of the cattle industry. Plyler also said that the N. C. Dairy Industry would also have benefited from this program, as dairy cattle would also be assessed at the same level.

For more information, contact the N. C. Cattlemen's Association at (919) 552-9111.

The North Carolina Cattlemen's Association (NCCA) has announced that the N.C. Cattle Industry Assessment Referendum vote will take place on November 14, 2007. At the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association's joint board of directors and annual business meeting in February, during the 56th annual N. C. Cattlemen's Conference, the board of directors voted to pursue the referendum.  The N. C. Board of Agriculture has granted us permission and the date has been arranged with the N. C. Cooperative Extension Service. The county extension offices will serve as poling places across the state.

Bundy Plyler, executive director of the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association, said that the referendum language will be to assess all cattle one dollar per head for the purposes of promoting the cattle industry in North Carolina. The funds will be used for producer education -- regarding beef production topics, beef production research, youth education and leadership development events, NCCA administration, beef industry leadership development, promotion and marketing of North Carolina cattle, and promoting the interests of the cattle industry. Current beef checkoff funds cannot be used for any of these purposes. Plyler also said that the N. C. Dairy Industry would and should benefit from this program, as dairy cattle will also be assessed at the same level.

Ronnie Hammonds, president of the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association, stated that beef producers in North Carolina first started an assessment program in 1957. "The original assessment program was superseded by the beef checkoff in 1986. The beef checkoff does a fine job of increasing consumer demand for beef; however, there are many cattle production issues within the state we need to address. By federal law, beef checkoff dollars cannot be used for any purpose other than the promotion of beef or research to improve beef quality. For this reason, after a lot of discussion within the industry, we are convinced of the need to reinstate the original state assessment program."Bundy Plyler also says, "The beef checkoff is a national assessment program and must follow the guidelines set forth by federal law. The N. C. Cattle Industry Assessment is a state program and would follow the guidelines of the state's enabling act. In contrast to the beef checkoff, the N. C. Cattle Industry Assessment would have recurring referendums as well as a refund provision."

All North Carolina cattle owners over the age of 18, as of November 14, 2007, are eligible to vote during the regular business hours of their local county office of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. For more details, contact the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, or your local county office of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.

Referendum Q and A

What is the North Carolina Cattle Industry Assessment
Referendum? The Cattle Industry Assessment Referendum is a vote by the cattle owners (both beef and dairy) of North Carolina to assess all cattle one dollar ($1) per head for the purposes of promoting the cattle industry in North Carolina.

Is this an additional $1.00 per head assessment? Yes.

What is the purpose of the assessment and what will the
funds be used for? The proceeds of the assessment will be used for producer education -- regarding beef production topics, beef production research, youth education and leadership development events, NCCA administration, beef industry leadership development, promotion and marketing of North Carolina cattle, and promoting the interests of the cattle industry.

How long would the assessment be in effect? The assessment would be in effect for three years, and after the second referendum, the referendum schedule would be every six years. The program would be in place as long as a majority of producers vote to continue the program.

How would the assessment be collected? The assessment would be collected in the same manner as the national beef checkoff, in that all cattle sellers have the duty to pay the $1.00 per head assessment and all cattle buyers have the duty of seeing the money is forwarded to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture or the N.C. Cattlemen's Beef Council.

Is this assessment payment refundable? Yes, this additional $1.00 will have a refund provision, which means that if producers don't wish to pay the $1.00 assessment, they can request a refund in writing. Along with this request in writing, they will also need to include a copy of their bill of sale indicating the number of head sold and the amount of the assessment paid. When all of this information is received, a refund of their assessment will be sent to them.

Where do I vote? Voting will occur on November 14, 2007, at all county offices of the N. C. Cooperative Extension Service.

Who can vote? Any producer of cattle who sells cattle within the state of North Carolina can vote. Producers must be at least 18 years of age on November 14, 2007, and must vote in their county of residence. Under the current program all cattle sellers are required to pay the assessment, so anyone currently contributing to the present system should be able to vote if they meet the age and residency requirements. Each individual producer is allowed only one vote, regardless of the number of counties in which they produce or market cattle.

How do I prove that I am entitled to vote? Voters will need to identify themselves with a North Carolina driver's license (or other legal ID) and sign an affidavit sheet stating they are cattle owners and current residents of North Carolina.

Where can I get more information? Contact the office of the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association at 919/552- 9111, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture andConsumer Services, or the Caldwell County North Carolina Cooperative Extension Center.

Who will manage the referendum? Bundy Plyler, executive director of the N. C. Cattlemen's Association, will serve as manager of the referendum. A panel made up of representatives from the N. C. Farm Bureau, the N. C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the N. C. Cooperative Extension Service, the N. C. Livestock Auction Markets Association, and the N. C. Cattlemen's Association will tally the county votes and certify the results. A designated extension employee (preferably a livestock agent, but an agriculture agent will suffice) will manage their county's individual voting process. Board members of the N. C. Cattlemen's Association at the county level will also be available to assist with county procedures.