K-State’s Winter Ranch Management Series Set for February
Seminars focus on management and profit strategies for beef producers
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University will host a series of meetings to help beef producers focus on management and profit strategies for the new year.
Bob Weaber, a K-State Research and Extension cow-calf specialist, said this year’s Winter Ranch Management series is titled ‘Corrals, calcium, costs and cows: management and profit strategies for 2018.’ The meetings will be held at four sites in Kansas and will feature presentations and comments by extension educators on profit-enhancing strategies.
The meetings will also feature a popular ‘town-hall’ style question-and-answer session between Kansas’ cattle producers and extension specialists. Weaber sid the series has a history of being a successful stretch of meetings.
Weaber, along with other state, district and local extension staff, will take part in the series to help answer producers’ questions. The specialists will answer a wide range of questions on beef cattle issues including animal health, nutrition, management, genetics and reproduction.
“Over the past few months we’ve received quite a few questions from producers looking for profit tips and tools,” Weaber said. “The Winter Ranch Management series provides another great opportunity for state and local specialists to take our expertise out in the country for a series of impactful face-to-face meetings.
“During the last few years producers have experienced price volatility and increased costs. We believe that producer profit margins will continue to narrow over the next couple of years. Our extension team is here to help with reliable information.”
Meeting topics include facility improvements and bud box cattle processing systems; mineral supplementation strategies; cost; production and profit benchmarking; and optimizing the cow herd through female selection. The Hepler location will feature a talk by Kansas State University rangeland specialist KC Olson on late season burning as a method to aid in the control of sericea lespedeza.
“Early in the year is a great time for producers, to think and plan for the coming year,” Weaber said. “Certainly, it is a good time of year to think about opportunities to reduce costs and enhance revenue streams.”
Meeting times and registration fees vary by location but all will include a meal. Participants are asked to RSVP for a selected location by the close of business one week prior to the event. Interested participants should contact their local host contact for registration and RSVP details.
More information on the meetings is available at www.KSUBeef.org.
2018 Kansas State University Winter Ranch Management Series
Beloit
Tuesday, February 6, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.; NCK Technical College, 3033 US Hwy 24
RSVP by January 30, 2018, to:
Barrett Simon, Post Rock Extension District, 785-378-3174 or barrett8@ksu.edu
Katelyn Brockus, River Valley District, 785-325-2121, kbrockus@ksu.edu
Clint Laflin, Midway Extension District, 785-483-3157, cllaflin@ksu.edu
Olsburg
Wednesday, February 7, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; McCormick Elementary, 109 N First St.
RSVP by January 31, 2018, online at www.pottawatomie.ksu.edu or call Pottawatomie Co. Extension Office at 785-457-3319.
For more information contact:
Anastasia Johnson, Marshall Co. Extension. 785-562-3531or anastasia@ksu.edu
Greg McClure, Riley Co. Extension, 785-537-6350 or gmcclure@ksu.edu
Shannon Blocker, Pottawatomie Co. Extension, 785-457-3319 or sblocker@ksu.edu
Dighton
Thursday, February 8, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.; Lane County Fair Grounds
RSVP by February 1, 2018, to:
Jared Petersilie, Walnut Creek Extension District, 620-397-2806 or jaredp11@ksu.edu
Hepler
Tuesday, February 13, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.; Community Building
RSVP by February 6, 2018, to:
Chris Petty, Southwind Extension District, 620-223-3720 or cgp@ksu.edu
Keith Martin, Wildcat Extension District, 620-784-5337 or rkmartin@ksu.edu
Editor’s Note:The article by Angie Stump Denton is provided by K-State University Dept. of Animal Sciences and Industry.