Severe drought has taken a toll on forages in Arkansas. “Focus on Recovery” is the theme of the 2012 Arkansas Forage and Grassland Council Forage Conference set for Thursday, November 1.
“The Arkansas cattle industry took a $128 million beating this year from drought, and that’s just the preliminary estimate,” said John Jennings, professor-forages for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “Anyone who wants to improve their forage system to help recover from this brutal year should attend this conference.”
Conference topics were selected to help producers affected by the severe drought. The conference will be held at the Agora Center in Conway at 705 E. Siebenmorgen Road, starting at 9 a.m. Topics will be covered by nationally known speakers and long-time experts.
Speakers from Oklahoma State University and the Noble Foundation will talk about what they learned from the 2011 drought that afflicted Oklahoma for rebuilding forages, livestock herds, and about the actual market value of forages.
Breakout sessions in the afternoon will cover best management for grazing winter annual forages, weed control issues, and a demonstration of smart phone and iPad apps for farm use.
The afternoon session also will feature a producer panel discussing what practices worked best during this year’s drought. There will be a wrap-up summary titled: “Making the most of your unplanned pasture improvement opportunity”.
Registration can be paid at the door by cash, credit or debit card, or check. The registration fee is $45 per person or $50 per couple and includes lunch, conference materials, and membership in the Arkansas Forage and Grassland Council and American Forage and Grassland Council.
Commercial exhibits and booths will be set up for attendees to see the latest forage management products. Attendees are encouraged to register before the event to help with conference planning, but pre-event registration is not required for attendance.
For more information about the conference or to pre-register, call Amoree McGowan at 501-671-2171 or contact any AFGC board member.
For more information about cattle production, contact your county extension office, or visit www.uaex.edu.
The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. £
Area Farm & Ranch News
AFGC conference to focus on recovery
- Area Farm & Ranch News
-
- April showers bring even more May flowers
-
Anaplasmosis prevention in beef herds
Anaplasmosis can be a costly disease to beef cattle producers. Anaplasmosis is caused by a blood-borne organism that destroys red blood cells and causes severe anemia, weakness, fever, lack of appetite, depression, lower milk production, jaundice, abortion and sometimes death.
-
Cattle management following drought
Cattle eat more when it gets cold. Local ranchers saw that with the recent large snows and are still seeing it with one of the coldest springs in recent memory. Dr. Justin Sexten, a PH.D University of Missouri State Extension Specialist,went over ideas for area cattlemen to use as their herds exit the late 2013 winter at the Andrew and Buchanan County’s Forage Management meeting in St. Joseph.
-
Spring crops field day set for May 22 in SE Kansas
Wheat and corn production will take center stage at the Kansas State University Southeast Agricultural Research Center’s Spring Crops Field Day, Wednesday, May 22 near Parsons.
-
Improving drought damaged forage
Ranchers commonly ask what they can plant in the middle of a drought to give them plenty of forage. This was the first question for University of Missouri Plant Sciences Extension Specialist Robert Kallenbach on March 6 in St. Joseph.
-
Wet spring is good news for forage
Ask Robert Seay, Benton County staff chair for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, what a wet spring means for agriculture in the state and he'll turn to one of the newspaper clippings he keeps taped to his file cabinet.
-
Aphids and nitrogen loss remain concern to producers
According to Jill Scheidt, agronomy specialist with University of Missouri Extension in Barton County, most wheat in southwest Missouri has started to joint.
-
R.W. Hampton in Concert April 17
Well known Cowboy and Musician, R.W. Hampton will perform a free concert at Cowboy Capital Fellowship in Lenapah Wednesday April 17 following a free Chuckwagon feed that will begin at 6 p.m.
-
Parsons farmers market moving downtown beginning April 23
The Parsons Farmers Market will have a new home starting Tuesday, April 23. The Market, which has been at the Forest Park location for the past several years, will be moving back to Downtown Parsons at the request of the vendors.
-
Management-intensive grazing schools for 2013
Several Management-intensive Grazing (MiG) Schools will be held in southwest Missouri during 2013 at a variety of locations.
- More Area Farm & Ranch News Headlines
