By Scout Nelson
Farmers and ranchers eyeing herd expansion or alternative production methods due to limited perennial pastures are the focus of the Dakota Alternative Beef Cow Systems Symposium.
This collaborative event by North Dakota State University Extension and South Dakota State University Extension is a day-long symposium scheduled for February 6 at the Huron Event Center, South Dakota, and February 7 at the Jamestown Civic Center, North Dakota, running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST each day. The February 7 event is accessible as a live webinar.
The symposium will discuss current research and techniques in feeding strategies as a forage alternative, confined creep-feeding of calves, adaptable alternative grazing strategies, and evaluating alternative vs. perennial pasture-based cow-calf systems.
Zac Carlson, an Extension beef cattle specialist, notes the conversion of grass pastures and rangelands into croplands, primarily for corn and soybeans, has restricted pasture availability in many Northern Plains regions. The symposium aims to help producers navigate these challenges and explore viable alternatives for cow-calf enterprises.
Attending the symposium costs $25, covering in-person attendance at either location or remote access to the February 7 webinar. The fee also includes a recording of the symposium. Registration for in-person attendance closes on January 31, and online participants require a computer with internet access.
For more details or registration, visit NDSU’s Beef Cow Systems website. Queries can be directed to Warren Rusche, SDSU Extension feedlot specialist, at warren.rusche@sdstate.edu, or Zac Carlson, NDSU Extension beef cattle specialist, at zachary.e.carlson@ndsu.edu.
Photo Credit - gettyimages-erdinhasdemir
Categories: North Dakota, Livestock, Beef Cattle