Cattle U, an educational conference and networking event hosted by High Plains Journal, is set for June 25 in Manhattan, Kansas, at the Hilton Garden Inn. This will be the sixth year for Cattle U, and the second year it will be held in Manhattan. It is designed to provide opportunities for cattle producers to take their operation to the next level.
New to this year’s event will be the inclusion of Beef Quality Assurance certification, which can be achieved by producers who attend the BQA education sessions. BQA certification lasts for three years and keeps producers up to date on the best management practices for their cattle. Attendees who complete their BQA training will be automatically entered to win giveaway prizes provided by Certified Angus Beef®. CAB/Sysco will also sponsor a premium lunch for all attendees at the Cattle U event.
This year’s education will include a keynote address, a producer panel discussion, two BQA sessions and six breakout education sessions. Terrel Platt, market analyst at CattleFax, will provide the keynote, updating the audience regarding the cattle market outlook for producers.
Mark Gardiner of Gardiner Angus Ranch in Ashland, Kansas, will moderate the producer panel. The discussion will include four ranch managers from across the High Plains, and the topics covered will focus on making good managerial decisions for cattle operations.
A.J. Tarpoff, DVM, beef Extension veterinarian at Kansas State University, will lead the BQA education sessions. The first session will focus on answering the call from beef consumers, and another session will delve into consumer connections to beef producers.
Breakout education sessions topics will include the future of pharmaceuticals in beef production from Mike Apley, DVM, professor at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine; fly management from Cassandra Olds, veterinary entomologist at KSU; livestock risk protection insurance from Clay Burtrum of Farm Data Services in Stillwater, Oklahoma; cowherd management considerations from Jason Warner, Extension cow-calf specialist at KSU; proper silage management from Monty Montgomery, an independent beef cattle nutritionist; and transition planning and building a legacy for the next generation.
HPJ will also present the Cattle U awards during the lunch session, which include cattlewoman of the year and cattleman of the year. Readers and attendees are encouraged to submit nominations for the awards at www.cattleu.net/awards-nominations/. Winners will be notified in advance and will receive free lodging, if needed, to attend Cattle U and recognition during the awards ceremony.
Registration is free; however, attendees are encouraged to register online by June 10 to secure a seat and a complimentary lunch. To learn more about the speakers or sponsors or to register, visit www.cattleu.net. For questions about Cattle U, contact Kylie Reiss at 785-346-4067 or [email protected].
Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].
