OSU Extension Offers Beef Cattle School Jan. 27, Feb. 10 and 24

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Beef cattle producers who want boost their profit potential and become more competitive in the cattle industry can learn how by attending the 2015 Ohio Beef Cattle School series Jan. 27, Feb. 10 and 24, taught by experts from Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

The three-session program covers a broad range of topics including management decisions that a producer can make to take full advantage of the beef economic outlook in the present and for years to come, said John Grimes, beef coordinator for Ohio State University Extension and a member of the OSU Extension Beef Team.

The overall goal of the program, he said, is to help producers expand their beef operations and take advantage of the increasing consumer demand for high quality beef products.

“Rapidly changing forces are constantly shaping the beef industry's landscape, and successful producers need to stay abreast of changes to remain competitive,” Grimes said. “Lower corn prices, improved pasture conditions, smaller beef cow herds and increased domestic demand combined to help beef cattle producers experience record prices for beef this year.

“We want to help equip producers with the information they need to keep them competitive in the beef cattle business and help them make their operations more profitable.”

The program will be taught by OSU Extension and Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center researchers and educators. OSU Extension and OARDC are the outreach and research arms, respectively, of the college.

The beef cattle school kicks off Jan. 27 with a presentation on “Capitalizing on the Historic Beef Economy” and “The Future of Antibiotic Use in Beef Cattle,” Grimes said.

“Sustainable Beef Production” and “Manure Management and Fertilizer Application Issues for Beef Producers” will be covered during the Feb. 10 program, he said.

“Beef Animal Handling and Facility Design” and “Forage Evaluation and Making Quality Dry Hay, Balage and Silage” will be covered during the Feb. 24 program, Grimes said.

Each workshop begins at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast via Internet and can be viewed at several host locations statewide and in one location in Indiana. The locations are listed below. Participants should contact the site they want to attend to determine whether there is any registration or fee required to attend.

For more information on the beef school, contact Grimes at 740-289-2071, ext. 242, or via email atgrimes.1@osu.edu.

2015 Ohio Beef Cattle School Indiana Host Site:

• Kosciusko County Extension, 202 W. Main Street, Warsaw, Indiana. Contact Kelly Heckaman,kheckaman@purdue.edu.

2015 Ohio Beef Cattle School Ohio Host Sites:

• OSU Extension, Belmont County, 101 N Market St., St. Clairsville. Contact Dan Lima, 740-695-1455.
• Southern Hills Career and Technical Center, 9193 Hamer Road, in Georgetown. Contact David Dugan, 937-378-6716, dugan.46@osu.edu.
• Carroll County Extension Office, 613 North High Street, Carrollton. Contact Sandy Smith, 330-627-4310, smith.10015@osu.edu.
• OSU Extension-Coshocton County, Coshocton County Services Building, Room 110, 724 South 7th St., Coshocton. Contact Emily Adams, 740-622-2265, adams.661@osu.edu.
• Crawford County Courthouse, Lower Level Conference Room, 112 East Mansfield Street, Bucyrus. Contact Jason Hartschuh, 419-562-8731, hartschuh.11@osu.edu.
• OSU Extension-Fairfield County, 831 College Ave., Suite D, Lancaster, Ohio. Contact Stan Smith, 740-653-5419, smith.263@osu.edu.
• OSU Extension – Gallia County, 111 Jackson Pike, Suite 1572, Gallipolis, Ohio. Contact Jeff Moore, 740-446-7007, moore.3036@osu.edu.
• Southeast Region Extension Office, 16714 Wolf Run Road, Caldwell. Contact Cliff Little, 740-489-5300, little.16@osu.edu or Breanna Pye 740-732-5681, pye.13@osu.edu.
• Hancock Ag Services Building, 7868 County Road 140, Suite B, Findlay. Contact Ed Lentz, 419-422-3851, lentz.38@osu.edu.
• OSU Extension - Hardin County, 1021 W. Lima St., Suite 103, Kenton. Contact Mark Badertscher, 419-674-2297, badertscher.4@osu.edu.
• Southern State Community College, 100 Hobart Drive, Hillsboro. Contact David Dugan, 937-393-1918, dugan.46@osu.edu.
• OSU Extension-Knox County, 1025 Harcourt Road, Mt. Vernon. Contact Sabrina Schirtzinger, 740-397-0401, schirtzinger.55@osu.edu.
• Claylick Run Farm, 11970 Cross Road, Newark. Contact Ted Wiseman, 740-670-5315,wiseman.15@osu.edu.
• OSU Extension – Monroe County, 101 N. Main St., Room 17, Woodsfield. Contact: Mark Landefeld, 740-472-0810, landefeld.6@osu.edu.
• OSU Extension - Morgan County, 155 E. Main St., Suite 320, McConnelsville. Contact Chris Penrose, 740-962-4854, penrose.1@osu.edu.
• OSU Extension-Morrow County, 871 Marion Road, Suite 102, Mt. Gilead. Contact: Jeff McCutcheon, 419-947-1070, mccutcheon.30@osu.edu.
• OSU Extension-Muskingum County, 225 Underwood St., Zanesville. Contact Mark Mechling, 740-454-0144, mechling.1@osu.edu.
• New Lexington High School Ag Room, 2547 Panther Drive, New Lexington. Contact Ted Wiseman, 740-743-1602, wiseman.15@osu.edu.
• OSU South Centers Endeavor Center, Room 165, 1862 Shyville Road, Piketon. Contact: Jeff Fisher, 740-289-4837, fisher.7@osu.edu.

OSU Extension - Williams County, 1425 E High St., Bryan. Contact Florian Chirra, 419-636-5608,chirra.1@osu.edu.