Beef cattle conference addresses difficult decisions Aug. 9 in Pampa

Drought, high inputs and management for spring and fall calving on the agenda

A beef cattle conference will be offered Aug. 9 by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Gray County in the Gray County Annex, 12126 E. Frederic Ave., Pampa.

The program will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $10 at the door, and lunch will be provided. Participants are asked to preregister by calling 806-669-8033 at the AgriLife Extension office.

“This program is aimed at anyone raising cattle,” said Nick Simpson, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent in Gray County. “We decided to develop this program to address some difficult decisions that have been and will have to be made due to tough markets and inputs, little to no forage and short hay supplies due to drought. 

“We also, thinking about down the road, wanted to look at what these drought/input implications will mean headed into winter/spring calving.”

On the agenda

Topics and speakers will include:

– Starting Cattle Off the Right Way, Clay Burson, Ph.D., cattle consultant with Purina Animal Health.

– Cattle Market Outlook, DeDe Jones, AgriLife Extension risk management specialist, Amarillo.

– Fly Control Options, Reina Lewis, Ph.D., regional sales manager for Central Life Sciences, Lubbock.

– Factors Affecting Optimal Calving Season, Tim Steffens, Ph.D., range management specialist, AgriLife Extension and West Texas A&M University, Canyon.

For more information, contact the AgriLife Extension office in Gray County at 806-669-8033 or Simpson at nick.simpson@ag.tamu.edu.

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