High cattle prices present a challenge for beef producers. The same heifers needed to rebuild cow herds also bring premium prices through the sale barn.
“When markets are strong, it’s easy to focus on what a heifer is worth today,” said Jamie Courter, University of Missouri Extension state beef genetics specialist. “The harder question is what she might be worth over the next eight or 10 years as a productive cow.”
Many operations are looking for ways to grow herd numbers after years of contraction, but Courter says expansion without a plan can be costly. Helping producers answer that question is the goal of “Retain With Intention: Building a Better Missouri Cow Herd,” a two-day workshop set for Sept. 2 to 3 at the MU Southwest Research, Extension and Education Center in Mount Vernon.
Registration is $200. For details and registration, visit https://pears.io/events/mu/8083.
PHOTO: Black Angus heifer standing in the foreground with the rest of the herd standing behind her. (iStock-#1138547091 │ Jacqueline Nix)
