2023 Cow-Calf College Beef Seminar set for January

The 2023 Cow-Calf College Beef Seminar is set for Thursday, Jan. 19, at the Clay County Fairgrounds in the Activities Building. Registration starts at 9 a.m. with programs scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This year’s program is focused on strategies to manage forage resources during drought, including eastern redcedar control and adjusting pasture stocking and rental rates. The hands-on format will allow participants to engage with specialists and peers throughout the day.

Dillon Fogarty, program coordinator for Working Lands Conservation, will provide an in-depth look at eastern redcedar control and management. Woody plant encroachment by species like eastern redcedar threatens the productivity and profitability of Nebraska’s grasslands.

Eastern redcedar encroachment can result in up to a 75 percent reduction in forage production along with additional impacts to grassland resources. In the eastern redcedar control workshop, Fogarty will cover new guidelines for tackling woody plant encroachment. This will include the development of management plans, effective integration of management tools, and use of new rangeland monitoring platforms.

The afternoon workshop will be focused on 2023 Pasture Leases. Jessica Groskopf and Brent Plugge, Nebraska Extension educators, will review the latest result from the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Survey including cash rental rates and land values. They will also discuss leases, terminating verbal agreements, lease clauses, and landlord-tenant communication. Both landlords and tenants are encouraged to attend.

New this year: Lunch sessions will be comprised of three mini-workshops, including a Lunch and Learn with Becky Funk, GPVEC extension specialist, on calf resuscitation tips and an opportunity to practice assisting the cow during calving using a life-sized model. The Mobile Beef Lab will be present, giving attendees the chance to reach inside the rumen of a fistulated steer and review the process of ruminant digestion.

A lunch will be provided to those who register, and the program will conclude with a coffee shop panel where participants can ask question directly to the specialists as well as the opportunity to win a variety of door prizes.

There is no cost for the event; however, early registration is highly encouraged to allow for proper planning. Pre-registration can be made by calling the Webster County Extension office at 402-746-3417 or online at go.unl.edu/frcollege.