MU Extension program to provide update on forage management topics
In the News
ROCK PORT, Mo. – Forages —whether grazed or hayed — make up the majority of the diets of most of the beef cattle in northwest Missouri. Because forages are critical to beef production in the area, MU Extension will once again be offering a program to address current topics in forage management.
The ninth annual Focus on Forages meeting, to be held July 18 in Albany, will cover topics on animal preference for forages, drones, increasing forage production, and lease/share agreements.
MU has been conducting research on cattle grazing preferences for different varieties of tall fescue. The results of this research will be presented by guest speaker Valerie Tate, currently a regional agronomist with MU Extension in Linn County, and formerly a research technician at the MU Forage Systems Research Center near Linneus.
Unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, are being used in agriculture and may have applications in livestock and forage management. Jim Humphrey, regional livestock specialist, will discuss their potential use.
Producers in the northwest Missouri area have experimented with alternative forages. Chris Derks and Jim Grace, both from Gentry County, and Ray Schwarz from Clinton County, will share their experiences on a producer panel including what they have used to extend their grazing season and increase forage production per acre, and their challenges and lessons learned.
MU Extension regional ag business specialist have reported increased interest in cow leasing and share agreements. Randa Doty, regional ag business specialist, will discuss options and how to choose what’s right for each person’s situation.
The program will be held at the MU Hundley-Whaley Learning Discovery Center in Albany and starts at 6 p.m. Cost to attend is $20 per person and includes dinner and copies of the presentations.
To help with meal plans, please pre-register by July 14. For more information or to register, please contact the MU Extension office in Gentry County at 660-726-5610.
