SAN ANGELO — The third annual West Texas Ranchers’ Conference is set for Nov. 4 in the exhibit building at the San Angelo Fairgrounds. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. The conference concludes at 2 p.m.
“This year’s program offers a wide array of topics for the West Texas rancher,” said Jeff Ripley, Tom Green County Texas Agriculture Extension Service agent and a conference coordinator. “The topics are timely and all the presenters are top-notch experts in their respective fields.”
The Texas Department of Agriculture will offer an optional laws and regulations training and an integrated pest management training following the conference at 2:30 p.m. The training is worth two Continuing Education Units.
The conference opens at 9 a.m. with a cattle and sheep market outlook by Dr. Ernie Davis, Extension economist at College Station. James Fuqua of the Lazy U Ranch near Quanah follows Davis with ideas on planning for hard times.
Other presenters include Dr. David Bade, Extension forage specialist at Bryan, who will discuss haying and grazing annual forages, followed by Dr. Bryan McMurry, Cargill Animal Nutrition at Fort Worth, who will talk about strategic planning for supplemental feeding.
The noon meal is sponsored by Hi-Pro Animal Health and Bayer Animal Health. The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers will hold a town meeting immediately following lunch.
The afternoon session begins with a panel discussion featuring topics that include breeding heifers back, body condition scoring, and the economics of restocking. Panelists include Dr. Rick Machen, Extension livestock specialist, Uvalde; Dr. Steve Hammack, Extension cattle specialist, Stephenville; Davis and McMurry.
The final conference speaker is officer Grab Davis with the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Department. Davis will address horse theft prevention.
The conference is sponsored by the county Extension offices in Tom Green, Runnels, Irion, Concho, Sterling, and Coke counties and by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.
For further information contact Ripley at (915) 659-6524 or call any of the sponsoring county agents. This conference is free to all individuals who pre-register by Oct. 30. To pre-register, call (800) 242-7820, extension 192.
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