Farm & Ranch

Long-term ranching outlook to highlight Jan. 14-15 Southwest Beef Symposium in Amarillo

Published

9 years ago

December 17, 2014

NTFR

By: Kay Ledbetter

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, [email protected]
Contact: Dr. Ted McCollum, 806-677-5600, [email protected]

AMARILLO – Big-picture emerging issues in the beef and ranching industries will be addressed at the Southwest Beef Symposium, jointly hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service.

This year’s conference, themed “Looking to the Future,” is set for Jan. 14-15 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel, 3100 Interstate 40 West in Amarillo.

“After some very rough years of drought, we will address issues of concern to the industry at large, but also at the ranch level,” said Dr. Ted McCollum, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist in Amarillo. “Hopefully, we have turned the corner and are beginning to stabilize the national cow inventory.”

Registration is $80 and includes a steak dinner on Jan. 14, lunch on Jan. 15, refreshments and symposium proceedings. Registration is required by Jan. 9 and seating is limited to 150, McCollum said, advising participants to register early. Others will be put on a waiting list.

The opening session from 1-5 p.m. on Jan. 14 will include:

– The Beef Industry: What’s in Store Over the Next Five Years and Next 10 Years?, Dr. Darrell Peel, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma.

– Ranching Strategies for the Long Term, Clint Richardson, Triangle Ranch, Paducah.

– Regulatory Issues Facing the New Mexico and Texas Cattle Industry, Karen Cowen, New Mexico Cattle Growers Association, Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Ross Wilson, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Amarillo.

– Where Do I Go to Get Help with Regulatory and Legal Issues on My Property?, Tiffany Dowell, AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist, Amarillo.

Jan. 15 issues and speakers will be:

– Rangeland Resource Management in the Panhandle: A Long-Term Perspective, Andrew Bivins, JA Ranch, Amarillo.

– Tipping Points for Juniper and Mesquite Control: Canopy Cover and Forage Production, Dr. Jim Ansley, Texas A&M AgriLife Research rangeland ecologist, Vernon.

– Evaluating the Current Costs and Future Value of Rangeland Improvement Practices, Dr. Richard Connor, rangeland economist, Texas A&M University, College Station.

– Climate and Weather Outlook: Better Days Ahead?, Brian Bledsoe, chief meteorologist, KKTV, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

– Heifer Development Strategies, Dr. Andy Roberts, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, Fort Keogh, Montana.

– Genetic Management Tools for Commercial Cow-Calf Producers, Dr. Joe Paschal, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist, Corpus Christi.

– Bull Performance in the Pasture: What We Know; What We Are Learning, Dr. Bruce Carpenter, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist,Ft. Stockton.

For more information, go to the symposium website http://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/swbeef/ or contact McCollum at 806-677-5600 or [email protected] .

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Farm & Ranch

Hazards of Backyard Poultry

Published

4 days ago

April 21, 2024

NTFR

By Barry Whitworth, DVM

Having backyard poultry is a popular agriculture enterprise. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 0.8 percent of all households in the United States have chickens. People keep chickens for a variety of reasons with table eggs being one of the more common reasons.

Unfortunately, some of these poultry producers are not aware of the hazards that come with keeping poultry because many times they carry pathogens but appear healthy.
Chickens are carriers of several zoonotic diseases. These are diseases that can be passed from animals to humans. According to a recent survey in Pennsylvania, a majority of backyard poultry producers were aware of the dangers of avian influenza. However, this study also revealed that far fewer producers were aware of the risk of possible exposure to Salmonella and Campylobacter.

The lack of knowledge about the hazards of raising poultry likely contributes to the continued issues of Salmonella outbreaks associated with backyard poultry. In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,072 illnesses of Salmonella linked to backyard poultry, and 272 of those patients required hospitalization. Oklahoma reported 43 individuals with the disease.

To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.