By ROBERT KELLY
Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development and Agriculture-Natural Resources-Livestock

Purdue Extension in Kosciusko and Elkhart Counties will be working together to host the 2015 Ohio Beef Cattle School. The programs will address some of the most important issues currently facing the beef industry. Rapidly changing forces are constantly shaping the beef industry’s landscape and successful producers need to stay knowledgeable of changes to remain competitive.

The school sessions begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, Feb. 10 and Feb. 24.

Purdue Extension in Elkhart County is hosting the first session on Tuesday, Jan. 27 which addresses topics in the thoughts of many beef producers today. The extension office is located at 17746 CR 34, Goshen.

John Grimes, OSU Extension beef coordinator, will present “Capitalizing on the Historic Beef Economy.” This presentation will discuss specific management decisions that a producer can make to take full advantage of the beef economic outlook in the present and for years to come.

Troy A. Brick DVM, assistant professor, The Ohio State University Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine will discuss a frequently debated topic in the popular press today, “The Future of Antibiotic Use in Beef Cattle.” This session will be at the Extension Office in Goshen at the fairgrounds.

The Tuesday, Feb. 10 session hosted at the Kosciusko County Extension Office in Warsaw, located at 202 W. Main St., will examine a pair of subjects that will impact the direction of beef production locally, nationally, and globally for years to come.

Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, PhD, director of sustainability research for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association will address “Sustainable Beef Production.” She will highlight how beef industry has used funding from the Beef Checkoff Program to document the economic, environmental and social impacts from the beef industry. She will also identify practical ways to improve the sustainability of beef and remain on the path of continuous improvement over time.

In Ohio, water quality concerns have led to new legislation regarding nutrient management in agriculture. Kevin Elder, chief of the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of Livestock Environmental Permitting, will cover “Manure Management and Fertilizer Application Issues for Beef Producers.”

The final installment of the school will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 24 and hosted at the Purdue Extension Office in Kosciusko County.

Dr. Monique Pairis-Garcia, assistant professor, and Dr. Steve Boyles, professor, both of the OSU Department of Animal Sciences, will discuss “Beef Animal Handling and Facility Design.” Videos will be used to demonstrate the positive and negative aspects of animal behavior and they will discuss how facilities can improve animal handling concerns.

Dr. Bill Weiss, professor, OSU Department of Animal Sciences will also address “Forage Evaluation and Making Quality Dry Hay, Balage, and Silage.”

These sessions will follow a similar format used in the past as each session will be broadcast locally via an internet link. There is no charge to attend any session of the beef school.

To assist us with handouts and program materials, RSVP to Purdue Extension Kosciusko County (574) 372-2340 or email [email protected] week in advance of the sessions you would like to attend. You may attend just one or all three of the sessions.