Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Brandon Boughen, 806-373-0713, bwboughen@ag.tamu.edu
AMARILLO – Cattlemen and landowners are encouraged to attend a series of educational sessions designed to give them the tools and information for successful integration of beef cattle operations and wildlife, according to Brandon Boughen, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for Potter County.
“BEEF 2015: Rangeland Resource Management will be a benefit to anyone who raises beef cattle, has an interest in running livestock with an emphasis in wildlife, or who owns property and wants to understand how to improve it for livestock and wildlife,” Boughen said.
The program offers an opportunity to learn more about how livestock and wildlife interact on the range and how a producer can make both ventures profitable, he said.
The nine monthly meetings making up the program will each be held from 6-9 p.m. The first meeting is Jan. 10 and the final on Sept. 5, Boughen said. All activities will be held at the AgriLife Extension office for Potter County, 3301 E. 10th Ave. in Amarillo.
Dinner will be served at each meeting and every participant will receive “Grazing Land Stewardship, A Manual for Texas Landowners.” Participants will be eligible to receive seven Beef Quality Assurance credits and six Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide applicator continuing education units, he said.
Preregistration is required. The fee is $180 per participant and is due by Jan. 4. Registration forms can be found at http://potter.agrilife.org/forms/. The registration form and fee, made payable to Potter Agriculture Committee, should be sent to Potter Agriculture Committee, 3301 E. 10th Ave., Amarillo, TX. 79104.
Speakers for this program are professionals involved in the beef industry or beef educational programs and rangeland ecology, Boughen said.
The meeting schedule and topics are:
Jan. 10 – Rangeland Function
Feb. 21- The Beef Herd
March 7- Livestock/Wildlife Interaction
April 25- Landscape Management
May 23 – Brush and Broadleaf Management
June 20 – Practical Application of Management Tools
July 11- Coping with Hogs and Predators
Aug. 29 – Quail and Prairie Chickens
Sept. 5 – Deer and Antelope
For more information contact Boughen at 806-373-0713.
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