Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Jason Cleere, 979-845-6931, jjcleere@ag.tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION – Beginning beef cattle producers will be given an introductory cattle production overview at the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course scheduled Aug. 6-8 at Texas A&M University in College Station.
The short course, conducted by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, will feature a broad range of cattle production topics and live demonstrations.
“We have a variety of topics and presentations that will cater to both the novice and most experienced beef cattle producer,” said Dr. Jason Cleere, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist in College Station and conference coordinator.
On Aug. 6, the introduction to cattle production overview will cover topics such as when a cow is going to calve, when a calf should be weaned, when a cow should be culled, plus a discussion of pregnancy and weaning rate percentages.
A forage management program will also be featured Aug. 6 discussing lessons learned from last year’s Texas drought, featuring Dr. Larry Redmon, AgriLife Extension state forage specialist in College Station.
Meanwhile, the Cattleman’s College portion of the short course will provide participants with an opportunity to choose workshops based on their level of production experience and the needs of their ranch, Cleere said.
“These 22 concurrent workshops will feature information on introductory cattle production, management practices in the areas of forage, nutrition and reproduction, record keeping, Brush Busters, cattle handling, landowner issues and much more,” he said. “Our goal is to provide participants with information that will help them improve the efficiency and, ultimately, the profitability of their cattle operations.”
In addition to classroom instruction on Aug. 6-7, participants can attend one of the popular demonstrations on the morning of Aug. 8.
“There will be demonstrations on chute-side calf working, cattle behavior, penning, selection and brush-busting Brush Busters,” Cleere said. “These provide an opportunity for ranchers to see beef cattle production practices put to use.”
Dr. Lowell Catlett, a Regents professor, dean and chief administrative officer in New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, will be the keynote speaker during the general session Aug. 6. Catlett will provide insights and an outlook on the agriculture industry, specifically beef cattle production, plus the overall current state of the economy.
Short course participants can receive a Texas Department of Agriculture private pesticide applicator’s license during the short course and can earn at least 10 pesticide continuing education units if they are already licensed, Cleere added.
An industry trade show will be held during the event, featuring more than 120 agricultural businesses and service exhibits.
Registration is $160 per person and includes educational materials, a copy of the 600-page Beef Cattle Short Course proceedings, trade show admittance, admission to the Aggie prime rib dinner, lunches, breakfasts and daily refreshments.
Registration information and a tentative schedule were mailed to previous participants in May and can also be found on the short course website at http://beef.tamu.edu.
Producers can register online at http://beef.tamu.edu or contact Cleere’s office at 979-845-6931.
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