Forage field day in Valley Mills set May 27

Event to offer MP Brangus operation insight

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Spring Forage Field Day will take place on May 27 in Valley Mills.

The event will start with breakfast at 7:30 a.m., and the field day will go from 8 a.m.-1:45 p.m. The event is hosted by Mark Perry, owner of MP Brangus, and will take place at the MP Brangus location between Valley Mills and Waco at 800-2622 Wolf Lane.

The cost is $10, and registration is required by May 23 to the AgriLife Extension office in McLennan County by calling 254-757-5180.  Breakfast and refreshments are provided courtesy of Lone Star Ag Credit. A fajita lunch will be served.

The event is organized and presented by the County Extension Livestock Committees and AgriLife Extension offices in Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Hill, Limestone and McLennan counties.

Topics covered will include artificial insemination, embryo transfer, expected progeny differences, mineral supplementation and managing native forage.

“When producers hear AI, embryos and EPDs, they may not know how easy and available those tools are,” said Shane McLellan, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for McLennan County. “This program will share how anyone can understand and maybe use these tools in their operation.”  

For the past six years, the Spring Forage Field Day has been held on local producers’ properties and provided a look into their operations, and the 2022 program continues that trend, said McLellan.

McLellan said Perry has earned the reputation of producing quality Brangus cattle, and attendees will get an inside peek at his operation.

Spring forage field day topics, speakers

The field day will feature experts on a wide range of cattle topics as well as demonstrations. The topics and speakers are:

• Welcome and event overview — Perry, Speegleville.
• Expected Progeny Difference — Garrett Thomas, Hi Point Sales and Marketing owner, Waxahachie.
• Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer — Logan Dodd, Trans Ova Genetics client service specialist southern region, College Station.
• Importance of Correct Mineral Supplementation — Jon DeClerck, Ph.D., Purina Animal Nutrition beef consulting nutritionist, College Station.
• Replacement Female and Herd Sire Selection Demonstration — David Groschke, AgriLife Extension agent, Limestone County.
• Low-Stress Weaning of Calves — Tracy Woods, 44 Farms chief genetics officer, Cameron.
• Managing Native Forage — Vanessa Corriher-Olson, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension forage specialist, Overton.

-30-