Register now to attend 2019 Eastern Oklahoma Beef Cattle Summit
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Cattle producers seeking ways to better manage their operations in ever more challenging business conditions should register now to attend the March 28 Eastern Oklahoma Beef Cattle Summit in McAlester.
Brian Freking, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension area livestock specialist for the state’s southeast district, said this year’s summit will emphasize effective stockmanship, and will feature noted stock handling expert Curt Pate.
“Curt Pate’s personal experience incorporating effective stockmanship principles supports a ‘for profit’ mindset and focuses on highlighting the increased economic benefits of handling stock correctly,” Freking said.
Pate has been conducting demonstrations and clinics for more than a decade, helping producers recognize the growing public scrutiny surrounding livestock production and the impact that improved livestock handling practices create for the sustainability of the cattle industry.
The 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. summit will take place at the Southeast Oklahoma Expo Center, located at 4500 W. Highway 270 in McAlester. Registration is $10 per participant, which covers the cost of summit materials, refreshments and lunch.
“We’re asking participants to pre-register by March 21 or earlier as it helps ensure we have sufficient numbers of materials, refreshments and lunches available,” Freking said.
Registration forms are available through all OSU Cooperative Extension county offices, typically listed under ‘County Government’ in local directories.
The summit also will feature sessions about sericea control, a market outlook and industry updates, as well as a trade show and door prizes. Sessions will be led by experts from OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and Oklahoma Beef Council.
“The summit has become one of the premier single-day beef events in the region, and is an opportunity not only to interact with experts from industry and academia but also speak with fellow producers who may be in situations similar to your own, and who may have developed solutions that could prove useful in your own operation,” Freking said.
Anyone seeking additional information about the March 28 Eastern Oklahoma Beef Cattle Summit should contact his or her local OSU Cooperative Extension county office or David Cantrell of the Pittsburg County Extension Office at 918-423-4120.
“March may seem to be way off but it is really not,” Freking said. “Producers should be making plans to attend now.”
Oklahoma ranks as the nation’s second-leading producer of beef cows, according to USDA Agricultural Statistics Service data. Cash receipts for all Oklahoma cattle and calves exceed $3.7 billion annually.