Hold the dates and make plans to the participate in the 2012 Ohio Beef Cattle School series beginning on January 26, 2012 and continuing on the Thursdays of February 9 and 16, and March 1. Following a theme of "The New Normal," each session will be broadcast "live" beginning at 7 p.m. by many of Ohio's Extension offices via an internet link, and will focus on optimizing efficient beef production in a rapidly changing business and consumer environment. Nothing is sacred as we explore trends in reproduction, genetics, feeds and feeding, targeted marketing, and the opportunities afforded by backgrounding calves versus finishing them in Ohio feedlots.

Specific topics and speakers include these industry respected individuals from across the Midwest. The agenda is:

January 26: speaker - Kevin Dhuyvetter, Extension Specialist, Farm Management, Kansas State University

Topics: Economic Considerations in Beef Cattle Production

February 9: speakers – Dave O'Diam, Certified Angus Beef; Don Knore, Pineland Farms Natural Beef; and Logan Edenfield, United Producers

Topics: Targeted markets and marketing alternatives

February 16: speakers – Dr. Les Anderson, University of Kentucky Beef Extension Specialist and John Grimes, OSU Beef Programs Coordinator

Topics: Genetics, reproduction efficiencies, calving season alternatives, etc

March 1: speaker – Nevil Speer, PHD, MBA, Western Kentucky University

Topic: Meat industry perspective looking to the future including ‘outlook’, Choice/Select spreads, etc.

If interested in attending, more details will be posted here as they become available, or contact your local Ohio State University Extension office to ask if their winter programming plans include hosting the Ohio Beef Cattle Schools. To date, the following locations have been confirmed as host sites:

Adams County, at North Adams HS in Seaman, hosted by OSU Extension

Athens County, hosted by OSU Extension

Belmont County, hosted at Union Local H.S. in cooperation with OSU Extension

Butler County, hosting only the February 9 session, by OSU Extension

Crawford County, hosted by OSU Extension

Fairfield County Ag Center, hosted by OSU Extension

Hocking County, hosted by OSU Extension

Holmes County, hosted by OSU Extension

Jefferson County, hosted by OSU Extension

Knox County, hosted by OSU Extension

Licking County, hosted by LCCA in cooperation with OSU Exension

Morgan County, hosted by OSU Extension

Morrow County, hosted by OSU Extension

Muskingum County, hosted by OSU Extension

Perry County, hosted by OSU Extension

Portage County, hosted by OSU Extension

Wayne County, hosted by OSU Extension 

Williams County, hosted by OSU Extension