Beech Tree News Network

 Submitted By: Greg Drake II, County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources

By: Aimee Nielson

Cattle and grass just go together. With plentiful, lush pastures, Kentucky is a prime place for grazing stocker cattle. The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment supports cattle producers in many ways, including focused conferences that address their challenges in practical ways.

The Mid-South Stocker Conference is an annual offering, in partnership with the University of Tennessee and industry partners. This year, the rotating conference is coming to Bowling Green Feb. 26 at the Warren County Cooperative Extension office.

“This year, our major focus is on health-related topics,” said Jeffrey Lehmkuhler, UK beef specialist. “We’ll be relaying information cattle producers need to help them manage stocker cattle in this new decade.”

The conference will begin with registration at 8 a.m. CST, followed by the opening session at 9 a.m. Morning topics include internal parasite control, Asian long-horned tick, antibiotic availability and changes in procuring feeder cattle for the feedlot. After lunch and an opportunity to visit the trade show, the afternoon session begins at 1:30 p.m. Topics for the afternoon include virtual tours of local cattle operations, capturing profit and field necropsy for diagnostics.

The day ends with a wrap-up at 4:15 p.m.

To register for the conference, visit the conference website. Early registration ends Jan. 31 and is $50 per individual, $90 per couple or $30 per student. After that date, registration is $65 per individual, $110 per couple and $45 per student. Participants may register and pay online or contact Ben Crites at [email protected] or Lehmkuhler at 859-257-2853 or [email protected].

For more information, contact the Butler County Extension Office at 102 Parkway Lane, Morgantown or call 270-526-3767.

Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expressions, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.