STOCKTON, Mo. — “As central and southern Missouri farmers recovery from the drought proper cattle and forage management will be key to optimum productivity and profitability,” says Patrick Davis MU Extension Livestock Field Specialist. MU Extension ag field specialists are working together to hold the online MU Extension Forage and Livestock Hour meetings on the second and fourth Thursdays in August at noon. These meetings are being used to provide education on management strategies that will help farming operations be profitable and successful as they recover from the drought.
“Understanding and adapting to the weather is important to the productivity of farming operations,” says Davis. Therefore, at each of the August meetings Pat Guinan with MU Extension in the area of atmospheric sciences will provide a Missouri weather update.
“Proper management of pastures now and development of grazing resources as cattle producers enter the fall and winter months is key to operation productivity and profitability,” says Davis. Therefore, during the August 11th online MU Extension Forage-Livestock Hour meeting, Stacy Hamilton with the MU Animal Science Department in Columbia, Mo. will discuss “winter feeding pastures.”
“Weaning calves will be upon us soon and proper management during that time is important to cattle operation productivity and profitability,” says Davis. Therefore, during the August 25th online MU Extension Forage-Livestock Hour meeting, MU Extension State Beef Cattle Nutrition Specialist Eric Bailey will provide a presentation discussing calf weaning in times of drought.
“These meetings are also an opportunity to answer your questions related to your forage and livestock farming operation,” says Davis. If you have questions you can register in the forage and livestock section at https://ipm.missouri.edu/townhalls/. Upon registration your questions will be looked at by an MU Extension Ag Specialist and answered either by email, phone or during the next meeting. Upon registration you will receive a ZOOM link to enter the meeting.
“An alternate way to observe the meetings is via YouTube Live,” says Davis. Just go to https://www.youtube.com/user/MUIPM during the scheduled time and you will be able to watch the meetings live. Furthermore, you can view previous MU Extension Forage and Livestock Hour meetings at this site.
For more information or questions on these meetings visit the information website at https://tinyurl.com/48pmja63 or contact Davis at davismp@missouri.edu or your local MU Extension Ag Specialist.
— MU Extension