– Al Gahler, OSU Extension Educator, Sandusky County
Dr. Francis Fluharty returns to Ohio in January to teach during the first sessions of the Ohio Beef Cattle Nutrition and Management School
Mark your calendars now for the Ohio Beef Cattle Nutrition and Management School, to be held in 2 locations, with 2 sessions at each locale. Session 1 will focus on utilizing small grains in the diets of all ages and production groups of beef cattle, utilizing alternative forages, and managing your herd or feedlot with lower quality feedstuffs. This discussion will be led by our former OSU research nutritionist and current University of Georgia Department of Animal Sciences Chair, Dr. Francis Fluharty. Session 1 will take place from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Sandusky County at Luckey Farmers Inc. main office on January 29th, and 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the OSU Newark Campus in Licking County on January 30th.
Session 2 will also be from 6-9:00 p.m. at the same locations on February 12th in Sandusky County, and February 13th in Licking County. This session will feature talks by several OSU Extension Educators on marketing strategies, commodity market outlook, feeding for the grids/carcass quality, forage testing, and managing annual forages for grazing and hay.
The Ohio State University Extension Beef Team also plans to hold a hands-on, Ohio Beef Cow/Calf workshop at the Claylick Run Farm Sale Facility outside of Newark, in Licking County. This workshop will be held from 10 a.m – 2:00 p.m., including lunch, with 2 different sessions, held January 30th, and February 13th. Session 1 will focus on alternative feeds and forages, and managing beef brood cow nutrition, with discussion led by Dr. Francis Fluharty. Session 2 will focus on herd health and reproduction with Dr. Les Anderson from the University of Kentucky, and include live demonstrations from OSU Extension Beef Team members on body condition scoring, bull breeding soundness evaluation, and semen handling. Both sessions of the workshop will be held in a heated barn, with an informal, demonstration and question/answer type setting utilizing live animals and equipment.
The cost for the two session Ohio Beef Cattle Nutrition and Management School will be $40 and will include handouts and snacks and also will meet the requirements for BQA certification. The cost for the two session Ohio Beef Cow/Calf workshop will also be $40 and will include lunch and handouts, and BQA certification as well.
More details and information for both of these winter beef programs will be published as they become available later this fall. For questions, contact Allen Gahler in Sandusky County at 419-334-6340 or gahler.2@osu.edu, or Dean Kreager in Licking County at 740-670-5315, or kreager.5@osu.edu.