Farmers and Ranchers Cow/Calf College at USMARC January 17

The annual Farmers and Ranchers Cow/Calf College “Partners in Progress – Beef Seminar” will be held at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center and Great Plains Veterinary Education Center near Clay Center on January 17, 2012 with registration, coffee and donuts starting at 9:00 a.m. and going till 9:45 a.m. The program will run from 9:50 a.m. until approximately 3:45 p.m. This program is sponsored by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension’s Farmers and Ranchers College and will feature several outstanding speakers discussing issues and management strategies that can affect the profitability of all beef producers. There is no cost for the event and the public is invited. It does include a noon meal which means that early registration is necessary to reserve a plate.
The “Cow/Calf College” will kick off at 9:50 a.m. with a welcome by Dr. John Pollak, Director of USMARC. He will also give a short overview on research that is happening at the Meat Animal Research Center. He will be followed by the first speaker, Ross Baker, with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, who will present “ADTS – New Regulations for Cattle Crossing State Lines”. Kelsi Wehrman, Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist with the USDA-NRCS will then explain “Prescribed Burning to Control Cedars & Increase Forage Quality”.
Lunch will be provided and will be handled with a rotation system during three noon sessions featuring the return of area cattlemen, Ken and Zach Herz, who will provide sessions on a“Follow-up on Packed Manure Bed Beef Barn – One Year Later”. As the title suggests, they will give the results of their first year in the large 200’ by 100’ barn that was built for confined beef management. It is one of the first in Nebraska and is located near Lawrence, NE. Also in the rotation will be a chance to see and hear about the “UNL Beef Mobile Lab” which takes “Hands-on Animal Science” on the road. UNL Extension Educators Brent Plugge and Bob Meduna will explain what they are doing, and you can actually see and experience the mobile lab.
We are, and will be in the unforeseeable future, facing a plethora of issues that affect animal agriculture, learn what they are. The afternoon session will start with Jordan Dux, National Affairs Coordinator with the Nebraska Farm Bureau who will give us an "Update on Federal & State Ag Issues” that are likely to affect cattlemen and the agriculture industry.
This year’s capstone address will be delivered by Dr. Ronnie Green, Nebraska University Vice-President and IANR Harlan Vice Chancellor, who will present “Feeding the Global Future with Red Meat Innovation”. There is no doubt that agriculture faces a challenge with the impending explosion of population world-wide and the need for protein for each of those people. Where is red meat production positioned to help face those challenges?
All presenters will then join on stage to pull everything together, give their final thoughts and considerations and then avail themselves for a coffee-shop style panel discussion during which cattlemen can ask questions and get answers on topic questions that came to them during the day’s sessions. A chance for door prizes will be awarded to those that stay for the entire event.
Any beef producer or other interested individual should pre-register by Thursday, January 12th, 2012, at the UNL Extension Office at 621 North Cedar, Red Cloud, NE 68930 or call (402) 746-3417 to insure a seat and lunch. Walk-ins are accepted, but may not get a lunch. You may also email your registration to Dewey Lienemann at: dlienemann2@unl.edu Further information may be found at the Webster County UNL Extension site at:  http://www.webster.unl.edu/.