The NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center is scheduled to hold its annual NDSU Feedlot School on Jan. 21-22, 2014.
The intensive course is for cattle producers, feeders, backgrounders, feed industry personnel, animal health care suppliers and anyone interested in learning more about feedlot production, nutrition, waste management and marketing.
"The resources are here to establish and operate cattle feeding operations that are very competitive with any other region of the country," says Vern Anderson, animal scientist at the center. "This school will give participants information on the unique advantages in our region and address the challenges. The feedlot school is a thorough overview of the management and operation of a feedlot enterprise in two intense days."
Feedlot school topics will include:
- Future opportunities for feeding cattle
- Animal nutritional requirements
- Feed additives and implant strategies
- Ration formulation
- Feed nutrient analysis and feed testing
- Livestock stewardship and beef quality assurance
- Facility management
- Disease diagnosis, treatments and health programs
- Manure and nutrient management
- Carcass quality and marketing on the grid
- Using market information for strategic planning
- Budgeting
- Custom feeding
The school also will include a commercial feedlot tour and a tour of the Research Extension Center's livestock facilities.
Instructors include faculty from NDSU's Department of Animal Sciences, and the Carrington and North Central Research Extension Centers, as well as others who have extensive experience working with northern Plains feedlots.
The registration fee is $130 per person or $175 for two people from the same operation.
All meals and a 3-inch, three-ring feedlot school binder are included with the registration. The deadline to register is Jan. 14. The fee does not include lodging.
Participants must make their own lodging arrangements. Lodging is available at the Chieftain Conference Center, 701-652-3131; Carrington Inn and Suites, 701-652-3982; or Cobblestone Inn, 701-652-3000.
For more information about the course or to register, contact Joel Lemer, an Extension agent in Foster County, at 701-652-2581 or joel.lemer@ndsu.edu.
The Carrington Research Extension Center is 3.5 miles north of Carrington on U.S. Highway 281.
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.