KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Officials have announced a public-private partnership aimed at increasing the number of beef cattle in Tennessee.

The Bristol Herald-Courier reports that the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and the Tennessee Farmers’ Cooperative have joined forces to reverse the state’s decline in beef cattle.

According to the newspaper, 100 heifers consigned by farmers will go to UTIA’s Dairy AgResearch and Education Center in Lewisburg, which will focus on improving procedures for animal production including nutrition, health, handling and reproductive management.

The state has dropped from ninth to 13th in the nation in cattle production over the last two years, partly due to economic and weather-related issues.

“Tennessee has the land capacity to support beef herd expansion and to recapture our share of the U.S. market,” said Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson.

“This project ties in with the recommendations of the Governor’s Rural Challenge to grow our industry and gives producers another tool with which to improve their operation and to maximize profits.”

UT cattle expert Kevin Thompson says development of replacement heifers is the most economically straining part of beef management.

“Replacement heifer development is expensive because of the time and resources it takes to bring a heifer to the point of production; that is, until she produces a marketable calf of her own,” Thompson said, adding that research has shown a positive correlation between proper heifer development and longevity of the animal within the herd. “This program will provide producers with the best management protocols intended to optimize development and increase the heifer’s lifetime productivity. We will be helping to rebuild Tennessee’s cattle herd, improve its quality, and increase farm profits over time.”

After spending almost a year at the center, the animals will be returned to farmers, along with the best protocols developed for replacing heifers.