Round Two of Profit Seminars Scheduled for Beef and Dairy Producers
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Beef checkoff partners with dairy association to educate producers.
CENTENNIAL, Colo. — “Ensure your livelihood” could be the theme for the second round of profit seminars brought to producers by the beef checkoff, through the Dairy Beef Quality Assurance (DBQA) program. Again this fall, the checkoff is proud to be one of the Platinum Level sponsors of the upcoming Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA) profit seminars that highlight the latest industry developments.
The seminars bring together managers, producers, owners and leading experts in the dairy calf and heifer industry to present the latest dairy calf and heifer production developments, and enables producers to meet fellow growers and share knowledge. The featured speaker at all five locations is Normand St-Pierre, professor of animal sciences at The Ohio State University. His research and extension programs focus on dairy farm management, information processing, decision support systems and nutritional economics and optimization. A local DQBA speaker will be on the program at each location.
The 2008 fall/winter seminar schedule is as follows:
Tuesday, Oct. 28 – Shippensburg, Pa.
Thursday, Oct. 30 – Chazy, N.Y.
Monday, Dec. 8 – Plain City, Ohio
Tuesday, Dec. 9 – La Crosse, Wisc.
Friday, Dec. 12 – Hereford, Texas
Each meeting is held in an area of heavy dairy calf and heifer concentration – areas where interest and desire to obtain industry information is evident. In the first year, seminars averaged 25 to 30 attendees; this spring, attendance exceeded 50 to 60, and numbers continue to grow.
“DCHA leadership is honored to continue this partnership with the beef industry. We truly believe that through ongoing learning, producers have the opportunity to learn new practices that will help to ensure their longevity in the business,” says Bart Hanson, DCHA president from Rupert, Idaho, and owner of Amber Hills Ranch. “Our industry is faced with numerous challenges every day, but if producers learn how to maximize their day-to-day operations, it will only benefit the future of their farm and agriculture.”
Dr. St-Pierre will discuss “Raising dairy heifers with $6 corn” - The sudden feed price increases that we have experienced in the last two years are likely to be with us in the long-term. Replacement heifer growers must learn to deal with this changed landscape. In this presentation, Dr. St-Pierre reviews how many strategic decision choices – from growing cost-efficient feeds to optimal feed efficiency - affects the cost of raising heifers to calving age. His presentation will then be followed by “10 best ways to mess up a good ration.”
DCHA, through support from the beef checkoff, is also partnering with Dairy Herd Management magazine on the Calf & Heifer Resource Center, a Web site containing information on dairy calf and heifer management and DBQA messages.
“Proper education, training and BQA certification are essential for beef and dairy producers alike, and these seminars are yet another tool available to producers to help them maximize their return on investment through checkoff programs like DBQA,” says Chris Jeffcoat, BQA coordinator for the Pennsylvania Beef Council, Bedford, Pa. “By working together toward continued improvement of our product and our responsiveness to consumers, we all benefit.”
For more information on how to become BQA certified in your state, visit www.bqa.org. For more information and to register for a profit seminar, visit www.calfandheifer.org.
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.
Funded by the Beef Checkoff.
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