By Morgan Watts

Rowan Cooperative Extension

With the new year approaching, now is the time to take a step back and think about your goals for 2020 in terms of your cattle operation. January- March is a great time to attend conferences and workshops to help improve different aspects of your operations, whether it’s from a pasture, marketing, or animal health standpoint.

These workshops can help you think about things you may want to improve in the year 2020 and give ideas on how to improve. Spring is a great time to do a pasture walk to determine weed pressure that will be in those pastures and hay fields this summer.

If you are thinking of planting any summer annuals or doing any pasture renovations in the fall of 2020, now is a great time to start putting together a timeline and making sure you know in which directions you want to go. When spring and summer hit, we tend to get busy; use this time wisely to get a plan in place. Below are a few upcoming events that may interest you.

• Jan. 5-8, 2020, American Forage and Grassland Council Annual Meeting, Hyatt Regency, Greenville, South Carolin). For more information, please visit: www.afgc.org

• Jan. 2, 2020, 7 p.m., Rowan County Cattlemen’s Meeting, Rowan County Agriculture Center, 2727 Old Concord Road, Salisbury, NC 28146. Program will be by Cargill. Please call the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Rowan County Center, 704-216-8970, to RSVP so we have an accurate headcount for food.

• Jan. 9, 2020, 3:30-6:30 p.m., Statesville Regional Beef Conference, Iredell County Center 444 Bristol Drive, Statesville, NC 28677.

Topics will include:

• N.C. Cattlemen’s Association activities
• Perennial and annual forage research – fescue and crabgrass
• Heifer Selection for a Successful Future
• Producer panel
• Animal health update
• Meal, sponsored by Zoetis & Harward Brothers Livestock Market

Please call the Rowan County Center, 704-216-8970, to RSVP so we have an accurate headcount for food.

• Jan. 22, 2020, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. 2020 Winter Conference Series, Iredell County Center, 444 Bristol Drive, Statesville. Topic: Using New Technology in Grazing Systems.
• Feb. 6, 2020, 7 p.m., Rowan County Cattlemen’s Meeting, James River Farm Equipment, 1571 Julian Rd, Salisbury, NC 28146 Program will be by James River.

Please call the Rowan County Center, 704-216-8970, to RSVP so we have an accurate headcount for food.

 

• Feb. 28-29, 2020, North Carolina Cattlemen’s Conference, Hickory Metro Center, Hickory. For more information or to register, please visit: https://www.nccattle.com/news-events/annual-conference

For more information about any of these upcoming workshops, please call Morgan Watts, livestock agent, North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Rowan County Center, 704-216-8970, or stop by at 2727 Old Concord Road, Salisbury, NC 28146.