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Ranchers Field Day on June 21
Colorado Livestock owners and managers are invited to attend a fun and informative Ranchers Field Day scheduled for June 21. The field day will be held at the Wray Cattle Company Ranch on Hwy. 34 at the Colorado/Nebraska state line near Wray, Colo. Registration, coffee and rolls will begin at 8:15 a.m. at the ranch headquarters. The field day will begin at 8:45 a.m. and end by 3 p.m. This field day is designed to teach us how to look at the plants on the ground to help us make good decisions. Several workshops have been held indoors talking about good range and drought management. However, it becomes a completely new challenge when taking these ideas outdoors. There will be three concurrent, interactive presentations in the morning on distinctly different sites: Flat Sands, Hilly Sands, and Hard Ground. Everyone will get to attend the presentation at each site. Participants will learn what to look for to decide when it is time to move livestock to another pasture. We will look at grazed and ungrazed plants and learn what can help us decide how much the grass has regrown, if it is time to move the livestock back into a pasture or time to find other feed. Drought is still heavy on our minds. Plants tell us a lot about how much the drought has affected them, but only if we know how to read them. Once we know what to look for and what we should ignore, we can make decisions that are more informed. After lunch, the field day will shift gears with a little challenge. Each attendee will have the chance to guess the weight, height, and body condition score of several cows. Why is this important? How big a cow is influences how much she eats. How much she eats influences how much grass she needs or acres per animal. Acres per animal have a direct affect on the number of cows your range can feed and your bottom line. Our morning presenters are all NRCS Range Specialists with great speaking skills. They won't leave you lost in technical terms or lingo. Ben Berlinger has nearly 30 years of experience in eastern Colorado. Josh Saunders has traveled all over the western U.S. working on rangelands and soil quality. Herman Garcia has extensive experience in Colorado and New Mexico. Tim Steffens will guide us through the afternoon discussion. Tim spent several years as an Extension Range and Livestock specialist before coming to NRCS. To save a lunch, contact the Yuma County Conservation District in Wray, CO, by June 15. Call them at 970-332-3173 ext. 3 between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., weekdays, fax 970-332-4425, or you may e-mail Julie.Elliott@co.usda.gov. There is no registration fee. A lunch fee of $15 will be charged if the morning session is not attended. Date: 6/18/07
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