News Update

More Industry Events
Aug. 7, 2007

(For additional events, see the Aug. 3 “Industry Events” e-List.)

Perennial Grass Workshop
Aug. 10, Floyd County, Texas

The Texas Cooperative Extension in Floyd and Hale counties will sponsor a perennial grass workshop for South Plains producers on Aug. 10. The program will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at two locations.

Attendees will meet and begin at the perennial grass plots on the Eddie Teeter farm, three miles south of Lockney. That plot is a side-by-side comparison of buffalo grass, sideoats grama, blue grama, switchgrass, Kleingrass, Indiangrass, three types of Old World bluestem, a blend of native grasses, and three types of Bermuda grass. The trial plot is a Texas Alliance for Water Conservation project.

An overview of the grass trial will be provided, as well as a discussion about perennial grass adaptation and selection.

The workshop will move to the nearby Muncy Center about 10 a.m., where pasture productivity and cattle management on perennial pastures will be discussed. An overview of an integrated perennial pasture system is planned, and wheat pasture fertility and management will also be covered. An update on wheat grain varieties for 2007 will be included, as well as a question and answer session.

Registration costs $10, including lunch. Participants will qualify for 2.5 continuing education units. For more information call 806-983-4912 or 806-291-5274.

Information on the Texas Alliance for Water Conservation and its cropping projects is available online at www.orgs.ttu.edu/forageresearch/TAWC.htm.

Wheat, Stocker Cattle Conference
Aug. 14, Wichita Falls, Texas

Area producers can update their knowledge of wheat production and learn more about stocker cattle at the event, presented in Room 5 of the Multi-Purpose Event Center, located at 1000 Fifth St. in Wichita Falls.

The event is designed for anyone interested in wheat and stocker cattle, and several agribusiness exhibitors have signed up for booths.

The program will begin at 4 p.m. Registration costs $10 per person, and includes materials and a steak dinner.

A wheat market outlook is scheduled, as well as a summary of this year’s wheat variety trials. Topics of discussion will also include wheat diseases, dual-purpose wheat management, and cattle budgeting and risk management for stocker operations.

For more information contact these Extension offices: Wichita County, 940-716-8610; Archer County, 940-574-4914; Clay County, 940-538-5042; or Wilbarger County, 940-552-5474.

K-State Field Day
Aug. 21, Scandia, Kan.

The Kansas State University (K-State) Research and Extension Irrigation Experiment Field at Scandia will host its Fall Field Day Aug. 21.

The field is about 2.5 miles west of Scandia on U.S. Highway 36. The field day, which will begin at 5:30 p.m., will cover corn nitrogen management, a soybean insect update, phosphorus fertilization in corn and soybeans, and fungicides on corn and soybeans.

A meal, sponsored by Simplot-Scandia Terminal, will follow the tour. Further details are available by calling 785-335-2836 or 785-532-0405.

4-State Cattle Conferences
Aug. 21, Rapid City, S.D.
Aug. 23, Dickinson, N.D.

The conferences, themed “Corn, Cattle and Energy: Developing Successful Strategies for Managing Your Beef Cattle Operation in an Ethanol World” will take place Aug. 21 at the Rushmore Plaza, Holiday Inn at 505 N. 5th St., Rapid City, S.D., and on Aug. 23 at the Days Inn-Grand Dakota Lodge at 532 15th St. W., I-94 Exit 61, north on Highway 22, Dickinson, N.D.

Beef cattle producers, allied industry personnel, Extension educators, veterinarians and anyone with an interest in the beef industry is invited to attend the event, which is set to provide beef cattle producers and their advisers with valuable information on how to manage their businesses in an area of increasing corn demand from energy producers.

The programs are set to begin at 10 a.m., followed by presentations about topics including the interrelations between corn, cattle and the energy market and why they are going to be volatile; and natural beef programs. Afternoon breakout sessions will focus on bovine viral diarrhea (BVD), confirmed contracting of dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), transferring assets, preharvest effects on carcass quality, managing health programs to reduce morbidity, nutritional strategies, feeding ethanol byproducts and factors determining value of feeder calves. A panel focusing on marketing is scheduled for the Aug. 21 session, while a panel focusing on labor issues is scheduled for the Aug. 23 session. .

A lunch buffet, social and steak dinner are included at both locations.

The conferences are funded by the 4-State Ruminant Consortium, which is composed of Montana State University North Dakota State University, South Dakota State University, and the University of Wyoming.

Preregistration is $35 prior to Aug. 15 and $45 if received after Aug. 15. For the Aug. 21 program make checks payable to South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service, and mail to Cody Wright, South Dakota State University, Box 2170, Brookings, S.D. 57007. For the Aug. 23 session, make checks payable to NDSU Extension Service, and mail to Kurt Froelich, Stark/Billing County Extension Office, 1340 W. Villard St., Dickinson, ND 58601-4646.

Requests for accommodations related to disability for the Aug. 21 location should be made to Cody Wright, 605-688-5448; or for the Aug. 23 location to Greg Lardy, 701-231-7660 by Aug. 15.

Free Wildlife Management Workshop
Sept. 18-19, Helotes, Texas

Texas Cooperative Extension will present a free “Wildlife Management Workshop” during the evenings of Sept. 18 and 19 at the Helotes 4-H Activity Center at 12132 Leslie Rd.

The workshop will take place from 6:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. both days, with registration from 6:15-6:45 p.m. There will refreshments during registration, as well as during 7:45 p.m. breaks on both evenings.

Topics will include wildlife programs available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), hunting season laws and regulations, wildlife food and feeding, and human effect on rangeland and wildlife.

One general continuing education unit will be offered each evening for private pesticide applicators licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Attendees are encouraged to preregister by Aug. 14 by contacting Annette at the Extension office for Bexar County at 210-467-6575.

— compiled by Crystal Albers, associate editor, Angus Productions Inc.