The New Year is a fantastic time to take advantage of new learning opportunities. K-State Research and Extension has several classes in January and I would like to highlight two this week that are coming up. For help registering, or if you have any questions about them, please contact me.
The ultimate goal of and cow/calf operation is to produce and raise a live calf. When it comes to calving, timely assistance can cut calf death losses by half and help boost the cow’s reproductive health after delivery. To educate producers on minimizing potential losses related to calving, Cottonwood Extension District will be hosting a Calving School starting 10 a.m. on Jan. 9, in Great Bend.
Dr. AJ Tarpoff, K-State Research and Extension Beef Veterinarian will begin the program on Recognizing Signs of Calving Difficulties and Managing a Difficult Calving. He will also have a demonstration cow on site to show how to manage a difficult calving when you need to intervene. Dr. Justin Waggoner, K-State Research and Extension Southwest Area Beef System Specialist will be presenting Nutrition and Winter feeding in conjunction with Body Conditioning Scores in your cattle herd. Finally, Alicia Boor, Cottonwood Extension District Livestock agent will have a refresher on Body Conditioning Scores in cows and heifers.
To learn more about Calving and Body Conditioning, come join us on Jan. 9, at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center at 592 NE K-156 HWY North of Great Bend. This program is free to attend, but RSVP’s are needed for a meal. Contact 620-793-1910 by Jan. 5th.
Cover Crops have been a hot topic lately when it comes to weed suppression and grazing livestock. There are many options to consider when finding out what cover crops to plant, and how they can enhance your operation and what you want them to do for you. There will be a Cover Crop School offered by the Cottonwood District on Jan. 10, in Great Bend and Hays. The Great Bend School will be held at the American Ag Credit Building located at 5634 10th Street in Great Bend from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a light meal served. The Hays school will be held at the Ellis County Extension Office located at 601 Main Street in Hays starting at 3:30-6:30 p.m. with a meal following.
Dr. Anita Dille, professor of Weed Ecology at Kansas State University will discuss her research on weed suppression using cover crops. She will talk about how different mixes of cover crops suppressed weeds and what covers are recommended depending on your cropping system.
Dr. Jaymelynn Farney, Southeast Area Beef Systems Specialist for K-State Research and Extension will discuss her research pertaining to using cover crops in a livestock production system. She will cover grazing covers as well as baling for future use. Jaymelynn will also talk about recommended cover crops to maximize forage for livestock, and future research projects.
To learn more about Cover Crops, come join on Jan. 10, either in Great Bend or Hays. This program is free to attend, but RSVP’s are needed by Jan. 8 for meal counts. Please RSVP for either program at 620-793-1910 or 785-628-9430.
Alicia Boor is the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Barton County K-state Research and Extension. Contact her by email at aboor@ksu.edu or call 620-793-1910.
