Southwest Beef Symposium set for Jan. 11-12 in Roswell

Southwest Beef Symposium set for Jan. 11-12 in Roswell Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu Contact: Dr. Bruce Carpenter 432-336-8585 BCarpent@ag.tamu.edu ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO – The Southwest Beef Symposium, a two-state educational program jointly hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service, is set for Jan. 11-12 at the Roswell Convention Center, 912 N. Main St. in Roswell, New Mexico. This year’s theme will be “What’s to Follow Historic Times?” said Dr. Bruce Carpenter, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist in Ft. Stockton. “After several years of very favorable cattle prices for cow-calf and stocker producers, the drastic drop we’re seeing in the cattle market now has various segments of the industry wondering what to do for income, production and profit. The goal of this symposium is to provide answers to those questions.” Individual early registration is $75 by Jan. 2 and $95 thereafter. The fees include a steak dinner on Jan. 11, lunch on Jan. 12, refreshments and symposium proceedings. To register, and for more information, visit the symposium website, http://swbs.nmsu.edu, or contact Carpenter at 432-336-8585, BCarpent@ag.tamu.edu. The opening session from 1-5 p.m. on Jan. 11 will address emerging big-picture issues in the global beef industry, he said. Issues and speakers will be: -Global Factors Affecting U.S. Beef Demand and What Are Others Expecting from the U.S., Leann Saunders, IMI Global president. -Sustainability, What Is It? What Does It Really Mean?,” Dr. Ted McCollum, AgriLife Extension beef specialist, Amarillo. -What Happened to the Calf Market?” Dr. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University professor of agricultural economics and agricultural business, Stillwater, Oklahoma. – Key Performance Indicators for Cow-Calf Producers, Bill Thompson, AgriLife Extension economist, San Angelo. The second day will focus on cow-calf and stocker ranching and production operations. Speakers and topics will include: – EPDs Tool for Progress, Dr. Marcy Ward, NMSU Cooperative Extension livestock specialist, Las Cruces, New Mexico. – Beef Genomics: Present and Future, Dr. Kent Anderson, Zoetis Animal Health strategic account manager, Lincoln, Nebraska. – Residual Feed Intake: What Is It and How Can It Be Used to Improve the Bottom Line? Dr. Gordon Carstens, Texas A&M University professor of animal nutrition, College Station. -Residual Feed Intake: What Is It? How Should It Influence Management? Dr. Eric Scholljegerdes, NMSU associate professor of ruminant nutrition, Las Cruces. – Developing Immunity in Calves. Dr. John Wenzel, NMSU Cooperative Extension veterinarian, Las Cruces. -Prescribed Burning in the Southwest, Dr. Morgan Russell, AgriLife Extension range specialist, San Angelo.