SINTON — The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Nueces and San Patricio counties and the Nueces/San Patricio Livestock Task Force will present the Coastal Bend Beef Cattle Field Day from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the San Patricio Fairgrounds, 219 W. 5th St. in Sinton.
The Coastal Bend Cattle Field Day will be held Dec. 10 in Sinton. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photograph)
The event will provide several live demonstrations and an opportunity to earn Beef Quality Assurance credits, organizers said.
Program registration begins at 8:30; presentations at 9 a.m.
“This field day is designed for area livestock producers who are interested in maximizing their financial return on their existing herd, as well as those who might be looking into restocking and are wondering about the best way to accomplish that,” said Jason Ott, AgriLife Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources in Nueces County.
Ott said the morning program will focus on calf management, including a discussion on what calf buyers are looking for and how that calf is managed as it enters the feedyard.
“This presentation will be given by Jay Gray, manager of Graham Land and Cattle,” he said. “His discussion will be followed by a live demonstration on how to handle and properly process a calf. This will include proper chute-side manner, injection site placement, castration methods, identification and dehorning.”
Dr. Joe Pascal, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist in Nueces County, will provide a discussion on hay value and evaluating and meeting cattles’ nutritional needs.
“During this discussion, participants will have an opportunity to evaluate several different types of forages and bale conditions, then learn about the actual nutritional value in each of those bales,” Ott said. “Hay values in relation to cottonseed meal or 20 percent cubes will also be addressed.”
The remainder of the program will be spent discussing the future of the cattle industry and how it will be affected by current economic conditions.
“Manuel Vela, who works with product development at Central Life Sciences in Goliad, will provide a national perspective of the beef industry,” he said. “Additional presenters will offer their insights into the cattle market outlook and the economics behind various cow replacement strategies.”
The registration fee of $20 includes a catered lunch. Seating is limited, so those wishing to attend are asked to RSVP by Dec. 6 to the AgriLife Extension office in Nueces County at 361-767-5223.
