The annual Farmers and Ranchers Cow/Calf College "Partners in Progress – Beef Seminar" will be held at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center and Great Plains Veterinary Education Center near Clay Center on January 20, 2009 with registration, coffee and donuts starting at 9:15 a.m. and going till 9:45 a.m. The program will run from 9:50 a.m. until approximately 3:30 p.m. This program is sponsored by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension’s Farmers and Ranchers College and will feature a variety of speakers discussing issues and management strategies that effect cow/calf, feedlot and all beef producers. It is at no cost to the attendee.

The "Cow/Calf College" will kick off at 9:50 a.m. with a welcome by Dr. Jack Nienaber, Director of USMARC. The first speaker will be Ginger Langemeier, Assistant Director of Nebraska Dept. of Agriculture will give a presentation on a topic that is rapidly becoming a future problem for beef - "Animal Welfare; What Does This Era of Change Mean for Animal Agriculture?" Points that will be covered include: What is the threat?; How do we change public perception?; and Do we have the right story to tell?

Dr. Darrell Mark, UNL Ag Economics - Livestock Specialist will then give a presentation on "Calf Finishing vs. Yearling Finishing Systems!" The increase of corn prices to $7/bu and subsequent fall back to $3.50/bu significantly changes the profitability of back-grounding and finishing cattle and retained ownership strategies for ranchers. This presentation will focus on the relative differences in profits to calf finishing and yearling finishing systems as input prices change. Additionally, we will focus on risk management and hedging strategies for these systems.

Lunch will be provided and will be rotated in during the noon session. Dr. Jeff Ondrak, GPVEC Beef Cattle Clinical Veterinarian, will engage with the producers during two rotations addressing the possible problems we are facing with Tuberculosis, Brucellosis, and Trichomoniasis and the steps Nebraska producers can take to protect their herds from these diseases. There will be particular emphasis on "Trich", a reproductive disease that has already caused economic damage to beef breeding herds across Nebraska. "Emerging Disease Concerns for Nebraska Cattlemen" will take a look at these and other animal health issues that the beef industry is facing and likely to face in the future.

Directly after the lunch and herd management rotations, the afternoon session will begin with a session by Dr. Rick Rasby, UNL Assistant Professor of Animal Science and Beef Specialist, who will center his discussion on: Feeding first calvers after calving; The importance of managing calving distribution; and Reducing forage feeding losses as he presents "Handling High Input Costs with Your Cow/Calf Herd". He will be followed by Dr. Matt Spangler, UNL Assistant Professor of Animal Science and Beef Specialist, who will present "Fitting Beef Genetics to Your Environment". In this era of higher input costs and lower prices for our beef it is becoming more and more critical that we look at all of the tools available to us. The title of the presentation tells it all and indicates what will be covered in this session.

The highlight of each Cow/Calf College is the coffee-shop style panel discussion during which cattlemen can ask questions and get answers on topic questions that came to them during the day’s sessions. Ginger Langemeier, Dr. Darrell Mark, Dr. Rick Rasby, Dr. Matt Spangler, and Dr. Jeff Ondrak will be on the stage and will react and interact with producers as the conference comes to an end. The panel will be moderated by Dr. Gary Rupp, Director of the Great Plains Veterinary Education Center.

There is no cost for the event and the public is invited. It does include a noon meal which means that early registration is necessary. Any beef producer or other interested individual should pre-register by January 16th, 2009, at the UNL Extension Office at 621 North Cedar, Red Cloud, NE 68930 or call (402) 746-3417. You may also email your registration to Dewey Lienemann at: dlienemann2@unl.edu