Register now for Oct. 19 OSU Beef Industry Conference
Friday, September 7, 2018
Cattle producers interested in adopting the latest best management practices to help maximize profit potential should register now to attend the Oct. 19 Oklahoma State University Beef Industry Conference.
The conference will begin at 8:30 a.m., finish about mid-afternoon and take place in the OSU Conoco-Phillips Alumni Center located on Hester Street, on the southeastern side of the university’s Stillwater campus. Cost is $75 per participant if registering before Oct. 13 and $100 thereafter.
Online registration is available by contacting http://afs.okstate.edu/marketplace.
“This will be an opportunity to learn from and ask questions of some of the region’s leading beef industry experts,” said Bob LeValley, Oklahoma Beef Quality Assurance coordinator. “We ask everyone to pre-register as soon as possible as it greatly aids with our planning and helps ensure we provide the best possible experience for participants.”
Oct. 19 Conference Agenda
The conference’s first session will feature Jason Douglas of Micro Technologies, who will provide a demonstration on the judicious use of pneumatic dart guns. Douglas has worked in animal health distribution for the past 20 years, and has more than 15 years of experience with remote drug-delivery systems in the treatment of cattle in non-confined pasture settings.
Janeen Salek-Johnson, holder of OSU’s Temple Grandin Professorship in Animal Science and Wellbeing, will then share research-based insights about ways to promote animal health and well-being.
“Dr. Salek-Johnson has an active research program in stress and environmental physiology and animal well-being, using a multi-disciplinary approach to understand to the impact environment and stress have on animals,” LeValley said.
A session led by Dr. Jared Taylor, OSU veterinarian and associate professor of veterinary pathology with the university’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, will focus on the effectiveness of chlortetracycline in free choice mineral supplementation for anaplasmosis protection.
George Perry, South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension beef reproduction specialist, will share the latest research-based findings showcasing the effects of pre-breeding vaccine protocols and nutritional management on artificial insemination and embryo transfer conception rates.
Angus Link Field representative Casey Cobb will lead a session about opportunities for feeder cattle value enhancement through Angus Link, the groundbreaking feeder cattle program that is backed by the world’s most comprehensive genetic database identifying performance potential from ranch to feedlot.
Gary Fike, director of commercial marketing for the Red Angus Association of America, will share information about Red Angus feeder cattle and female cattle marketing opportunities. Fike has 30 years of experience working in the beef cattle industry.
“The OSU Beef Cattle Extension group is excited to partner with the Oklahoma Beef Council to offer a fantastic lineup of speakers to address some of the most common issues our clientele deal with on a day-to-day basis,” said Dave Lalman, OSU Cooperative Extension beef cattle specialist. “Our goal was to design a program that was affordable with an abundance of impactful information and quality speakers, plus participants can take part in optional pre-conference sessions the night before at no extra charge.”
Oct. 18 Pre-Conference Agenda
The Oct. 18 pre-conference training event will take place at the OSU Animal Science Totusek Arena, located west of Western Street on McElroy Road, across from the OSU Ferguson Family Dairy Center and next door to the OSU Cline Equine Center.
“Welcoming ceremonies will take place during dinner, which will start at 6 p.m.,” Lalman said. “We then will get into the training sessions at about 6:30 p.m.”
First up will be Dr. Barry Whitworth, veterinarian and OSU Cooperative Extension area food animal quality and health specialist. Whitworth’s chute-side demonstration will review proper techniques relative to castration, implanting cattle and injection sites.
Lalman and Kris Hiney, OSU Cooperative Extension equine specialist, will share insights about body condition scoring for cattle and horses.
Kellie Raper, OSU Cooperative Extension agricultural economist, will provide the latest information about value-enhancement opportunities in the cattle industry.
Mark and Lisa Anderson will join Hiney in demonstrating and discussing the rapidly growing and wildly popular versatility ranch horse competition.
“Participants are responsible for their own hotel arrangements if staying overnight,” Lalman said. “Stillwater has a number of nice hotel options within close proximity to campus. The conference coincides with fall break here on campus, so we anticipate parking to be more accessible than usual.”
Anyone seeking additional information about the Oct. 18-19 events should contact the OSU department of animal and food sciences at 405-744-6060.