COLLEGE STATION – The fall session of Ranch Management University is scheduled Oct. 10-14 at Texas A&M University in College Station.
The five-day program targets novice landowners and provides a foundation of knowledge for those that are new to owning land in Texas, said Dr. Larry Redmon, workshop coordinator and Texas AgriLife Extension Service state forage specialist.
“This unique workshop is designed to help new landowners improve their understanding regarding management of the various resources they find on their ranch properties,” Redmon said. “Past attendees have been very satisfied with the program, and exit surveys indicated everyone believed they would receive great economic benefits from attending the program.”
Redmon said attendees were “impressed with the knowledge they gained about managing their natural resources in an ecologically sound manner.”
The fall workshop will include the following topics: soils and soil fertility, forage species selection, hay production, weed and brush management, winter pasture establishment and utilization, beef cattle breed selection, nutrient requirements and feeding strategies for livestock, grazing management strategies, chute-side talk on live-animal handling and demonstrations of vaccinating, dehorning and cattle castration.
There will be sessions on sheep and goat production and management and a session for horse owners.
“An agricultural economist will also be part of the agenda, discussing a number of topics including how to plan for profit, how to develop a marketing plan and a look at alternative enterprises,” Redmon said.
Several wildlife management topics are also on the agenda, ranging from white-tailed deer and turkey management to fisheries management in ranch ponds and feral hog control.
“Field demonstrations will include learning how to assess body condition scores for cattle, how to obtain proper soil and hay samples, and how to assess fish populations in ponds,” Redmon said.
“There will also be a session in the field regarding pond weeds and a demonstration on hog-trap design.”
Breakfast items, lunch and supper will be provided, and all break refreshments are included in the registration cost, as is a resource CD containing more than 100 publications covering ranch resource management. A customized Ranch Management University ball cap is also provided.
Attendance is limited to the first 50 people who enroll, and the slots are beginning to fill, Redmon said. Cost is $500. For additional information and registration, contact Redmon at 979-845-4826 or at l-redmon@tamu.edu.
To register online and for additional information, go to https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu and type in “ranch management” as key words in the search window.
-30-