News Update
February 19, 2014
Beef Reproduction Workshop Set
for March 8 in Auxvasse, Mo.
Participants at the 2014 Beef Production Field Day will get hands-on training for artificial insemination, and help with calving and pre-breeding exams.
University of Missouri (MU) Extension and Callaway County livestock producers sponsor the field day. The event will take place March 8, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., at Linnenbringer Farms in Auxvasse, Mo.
Participants will rotate among four stations from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The sessions include fetal aging and sexing using ultrasound by MU Extension dairy veterinarian Scott Poock, artificial insemination presented by Dan Busch of Select Sires, and calving assistance by MU veterinarian Dawna Voelkl.
MU Extension cow-calf reproduction specialist David Patterson will speak on estrous synchronization. Patterson, statewide coordinator for the Missouri Show-Me Select Replacement Heifer Program, will share results of his research to improve profits for producers.
Poock will talk about herd health and vaccination protocol during lunch. Registration deadline is March 5. The fee is $20, payable to Callaway County Extension Center, 5803 County Road 302, Fulton, MO 65251.
The workshop is open to the public, including 4-H and FFA members ages 14 and older. Linnenbringer Farms are at 2950 State Road E, Auxvasse.
For more information, contact Heather Smith at smithheather@missouri.edu or 573-642-0755.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
OSU Extension Conferences to Help
Small Farm Owners March 7-8 and March 21-22
Small farmers wanting to expand or make their farms work more efficiently, or landowners who are new to agriculture and are looking for ways to utilize acreage, can learn entrepreneurial tips from agricultural experts with Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences during a series of small farms conferences in March.
The “Opening Doors to Success” and the “Living Your Small Farm Dream” conferences and trade shows are designed to help landowners and producers learn tips, techniques and methods to increase their awareness and make their small farm operations more successful, which can in turn lead to increased profits, said Tony Nye, an Ohio State University (OSU) Extension educator and conference organizer.
Researchers and educators with OSU Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), as well as industry experts, will conduct the workshops. OSU Extension and OARDC are the outreach and research arms, respectively, of the college.
“Small farmer” typically describes individuals who are practicing agriculture on a small amount of acreage, usually less than 100 acres, Nye said.
“These farmers are, many times, new to agriculture and are looking to begin a different lifestyle,” he said. “The conferences and trade shows are designed to help participants learn more tips, techniques and methods for diversifying their opportunities into successful new enterprises and new markets as a way to improve economic growth and development on their farms.”
The “Opening Doors to Success” conference, which will take place March 7-8 at Wilmington College’s Boyd Cultural Arts Center, 1870 Quaker Way in Wilmington, will feature 30 sessions and a trade show for landowners and small farmers, Nye said.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
Livestock Judging Clinic Scheduled for March 29 at Texas A&M
Texas 4-H and FFA youth and agricultural leaders interested in gaining livestock evaluation skills can attend a Livestock Judging Clinic scheduled March 29 at Texas A&M University in College Station.
The clinic will begin at 8 a.m. and will be at the Pearce Pavilion, located at 555 George Bush Drive.
The award-winning Texas A&M livestock judging team and coaches will teach the half-day clinic, which will focus on evaluation training for breeding and market beef cattle, sheep, goats and hogs.
“This clinic is designed for youth involved in livestock judging to prepare for district, area and state contests and to polish their judging skills,” said Brant Poe, Texas A&M Livestock Judging Team coordinator and lecturer in the department of animal science, College Station. “We will work closely with participants to develop their judging skills by reviewing fundamental principles behind livestock evaluation, assessing the dynamics of a class and providing greater insight into how classes are put together.”
The clinic will involve hands-on learning and include the opportunity for the youth to judge different classes. It will be followed by a review of how the Texas A&M livestock judging team would place the class.
Registration is available online at http://judgingcard.com. Cost is $10 if registered by March 18. Late registration can be made the day of the camp starting at 7 a.m. for $15.
For more information, contact Poe at 979-845-6059, email brant_poe@tamu.edu.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
MU Lunchtime Online Lessons Teach
Farm Risk-Management Topics
A series of four lunch-hour lessons from the University of Missouri (MU) will give farmers tips on reducing risks, starting March 12.
The programs, presented online, give livestock and forage producers ways to manage their risks, says Joe Horner, MU Extension dairy and beef economist.
“Drought and price volatility increase need to understand risks and to avoid loss,” Horner says.
Topics include adding water to cut drought losses. Lessons also cover insurance for livestock and forage losses.
The weekly programs run March 12 to April 2, all Wednesdays. They are open to any farmer across the state with a computer and high-speed Internet. Each webinar allows questions to presenters. The programs run noon to 1 p.m. (CST).
The Web address and test site to use in advance are listed on Horner’s website at www.beef.missouri.edu. Click on the “Upcoming Webinars” box.
The programs have no password. Users log on with first and last name. The sites open 15 minutes early. Users are urged to test their lines, computer and speakers in advance.
The programs are free. Two USDA grants support the teaching through MU Extension.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Nationally Awarded Education Program for Farm/Ranch Women Comes to Georgetown, Texas
Getting a grip on today’s agriculture business and becoming an effective farm partner and decision maker is the focus of Annie’s Project, a women’s workshop series, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist.
The mission of Annie’s Project is to empower farm women to be better business partners through networks and by managing and organizing critical information, said Jason Johnson, AgriLife Extension economist in Stephenville and state coordinator for Annie’s Project.
“Often farm women do not feel comfortable in the coffee shop network that is so familiar to farm/ranch men,” Johnson said. “Annie’s Project provides a place where farm women can learn both from the perspectives of local agricultural professionals, as well as the experiences of other class members.”
Annie’s Project is an educational program dedicated to strengthening women’s roles in the modern farm enterprise. The series will be offered in six sessions, from 6-9 p.m. each Tuesday beginning April 15 through May 20, at the AgriLife Extension office in Williamson County, 3151 S.E. Inner Loop, Suite A in Georgetown, Texas.
Cost of the program is $50 per person and class size is limited to 30, he said. Registration slots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The conference is sponsored by AgriLife Extension, with program support provided by Farm Credit Bank of Texas.
Interested participants with questions about the program can request a brochure and registration form by contacting Johnson at 254-968-4144 or the Williamson County A&M AgriLife Extension Office in Georgetown, at 512-943-3300. The registration form is available at http://bit.ly/12HTxJ4.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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