The seminar series in early 2017 will highlight successful strategies for enhancing beef producer profits
With lower expected revenues from the sale of calves in 2017 compared to 2014-15 prices many producers are looking for ways to improve their operation’s profit potential. With that in mind, the 2017 Kansas State University Winter Ranch Management series of meetings will include comments from extension educators on profit-enhancing strategies.
The meetings will also feature a popular town-hall style question-and-answer session between Kansas’ cattle producers and extension specialists. The Winter Ranch Management Seminar series runs in January and early February.
The series has a history of being a successful stretch of meetings, which are hosted throughout the state of Kansas, said Bob Weaber, K-State Research and Extension cow/calf specialist. Weaber, along with other state, district and local extension staff, will take part in the series to help answer producers’ questions. The specialists will answer a wide range of questions on beef cattle issues including animal health, nutrition, management, genetics and reproduction.
“Over the past few months we’ve received quite a few questions from producers looking for profit tips and tools,” Weaber said. “The Winter Ranch Management series provides another great opportunity for state and local specialists to take our expertise out in the country for a series of impactful face-to-face meetings.”
Some of the hot topics Weaber predicts are: winter feeding and cow management; bull buying and selection strategies; preparation for calving and breeding season; and vaccination and animal health issues such as the new Veterinary Feed Directive.
“Early in the year is always a great time for producers, when the weather is bad and after they get chores done, to sit back, think and plan for the coming year, the calves that will be born in the spring and how they might manage those,” he said. “Certainly it is a good time of year to think about opportunities to reduce costs and enhance revenue streams.”
2017 Winter Ranch Management locations and contacts include:
Mound City
Date: Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017; 5:30 – 8:30 PM (CST)
Location: Mound City First Baptist Church, 8424 Paine Road
Mound City, KS 66056
RSVP by Jan. 19, 2017 to:
– Megan Westerhold 913-294-4306 or [email protected] or
– Chris Petty – 620-223-3720 or [email protected]
Syracuse
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017; 5 – 8:30 PM (MOUNTAIN TIME)
Location: Hamilton Co. Fairgrounds, 806 Main St.
Syracuse, KS 67878
RSVP by Jan. 31, 2017 to:
– Jenifer Sexson – 620-384-5225 or [email protected]
Salina
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017; 11 AM – 3:15 PM
Location: Salina K-State Polytechnic Conference Center
2310 Centennial Drive
Salina, KS 67401
RSVP by Feb. 7, 2017 to:
– Katelyn Brockus – 785-325-2121or [email protected];
– Anthony Ruiz – 785-392-2147or [email protected];
– Neil Cates – 785-738-3597or [email protected]; or
– Kashly Schweer – 785-483-3157or [email protected]
Olsburg
Date: Wednesday, Feb.15, 2017; 5-8:30 PM
Location: McCormick Elementary
109 N First St.
Olsburg, KS 66520
RSVP by Feb. 8, 2017 online at www.pottawatomie.ksu.edu or call – – Pottawatomie Co. Extension Office at 785-457-3319.
For more information contact:
– Anastasia Johnson – 785-562-3531 or [email protected]
– Greg McClure – 785-537-6350 or [email protected] or
– Della Sass – 785-457-3319 or [email protected]
Atwood
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017; 5-8:30 PM
Location: Rawlins County Fair Building
20366 RD S
Atwood, KS 67730
RSVP by Feb. 14, 2017 to:
– JoEllyn Argabright, 785-626-3192 or [email protected]
Meeting times vary by location but all will include a meal. Participants are asked to RSVP for a selected location by the close of business one week prior to the event. Registration fees, which cover a meal, vary by location. Interested participants should contact their local host contact for registration and RSVP details.
More information about the K-State Winter Ranch Management Seminar Series is available at KSUBeef.org.
