PLAN TO ATTEND THE 2012 OHIO BEEF SCHOOL

            The 2012 Ohio Beef School will be held on four Thursday evenings from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm on January 26, February 9 and 16 and March 1.  The theme of this year’s school, sponsored by the OSU Extension Beef Team, is: The New Normal: Efficient Beef Production in 2012.  OSU Extension Athens County will be a host location for the school, meeting in the OSU Extension meeting room located at 280 West Union Street in Athens.

            Randy Blach, president of Cattle-Fax, at the recent Kansas Livestock Association annual convention said 2012 and 2013 should provide excellent profit opportunities because declining inventories of stocker and feeder cattle will continue to support prices and keep cow-calf producers in the driver's seat. In fact, Cattle-Fax projects average national prices for 550-pound calves to average $1.75 per hundredweight next year, and 750 to 800-pound yearlings to average $1.50 per hundredweight.

From a feeder's perspective, consider Blach's thoughts on marketing high quality fed cattle. "We've seen the Choice-Select spread widen to $18 or $19, and it could easily be $10 to $15 over the next 12 to 18 months. You need to consider that and possibly make some adjustments to your production. The spread will trump weight."    

            If you are in the cattle business and are forage based have you positioned your business correctly and are you doing the things you need to do so that you can benefit from this “new normal” scenario described by Randy Blach of Cattle-Fax?  This year’s beef school will focus on optimizing efficient beef production in a rapidly changing business and consumer environment. Nothing is sacred as presenters explore trends in reproduction, genetics, feeds and feeding, targeted marketing, and the opportunities afforded by backgrounding calves versus finishing them in Ohio feedlots.

The school will utilize the web ex distance learning technology and be broadcast into Extension offices across the state.  Presenters will not be on site, but participants will hear the presenters and view their presentation slides and will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the presenter.

Specific topics and speakers include these industry respected individuals from across the Midwest.

·        January 26: Kevin Dhuyvetter, Extension Specialist, Farm Management, Kansas State University, speaking on Economic Considerations in Beef Cattle Production

·        February 9: Dan Frobose, retired OSU Extension, and Sam Roberts, United Producers, speaking on Targeted markets and marketing alternatives

·        February 16: Dr. Les Anderson, University of Kentucky Beef Extension Specialist and John Grimes, OSU Beef Programs Coordinator on Genetics, reproduction efficiencies, calving season alternatives, etc

·        March 1: Nevil Speer, PHD, MBA, Western Kentucky University, focusing on Meat industry perspective looking to the future including 'outlook', Choice/Select spreads, etc.

The cost to attend the school is $5.00 per person.  Reservations are appreciated to prepare any handout materials.  To reserve a space, or for more information about the beef school, contact the Athens County Extension office at: 593-8555.