Beef Production Field Day is Sept. 16 in Jackson: Register Now

JACKSON, Ohio - Maximizing profit while protecting a farm's natural resources is the formula highlighted at this year's Profitable Beef Production and the Environment Field Day, which takes place Thursday, Sept. 16, at Ohio State University's Jackson Agricultural Research Station in Jackson, Ohio.

Registration for the event costs $15 per person, includes dinner, and is due by Sept. 10. On-site registration is $20. To register, call Kenny Wells, Jackson station manager, at 740-286-3803 or e-mail him at wells.296@osu.edu.

The program begins at 5 p.m. with registration, followed by dinner at 5:30 p.m. The educational sessions run from 6-8 p.m. They focus on three topics:

-Utilization of annual forages in a beef cattle grazing management system:

Annual forages can be a low-cost and relatively easy to establish feeding strategy. Additionally, many annual forage crops result in high-quality feedstuffs that can be used for a variety of purposes. Researchers will discuss the use of annual forages to alleviate pressures on cool-season pastures in late summer and to extend the fall grazing season.

-The '5-day CIDR-Synch' estrus synchronization program:

Estrus synchronization and artificial insemination represent a significant opportunity for beef producers, large and small, to improve herd genetics, condense their calving seasons and increase uniformity in calf crops. Work conducted by Ohio State animal scientist Mike Day has resulted in the development of the "5-day CIDR-Synch" estrus synchronization protocol - which has shown significant increases in conception rates as tested at Jackson and other research stations. Also discussed will be the convenience of this system for producers who are limited to evening and weekend work with their cowherds.

-Stream bank stabilization:

Long-term access to streams by grazing cattle tends to erode stream banks. The Jackson station has begun the process of excluding cattle from streams to take care of this issue on its 500 acres of rolling hills and well over a mile of stream banks. Participants will learn about the challenges and positive outcomes associated with this process, as well as practices being used to control erosion and speed recovery of the stream bank habitat.

Located at 019 Standpipe Road, the Jackson Agricultural Research Station is one of 10 farms managed by the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) throughout the state to support Ohio's $90-plus billion food and agriculture industry.

OARDC is the research arm of Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

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