Loose Ends

The 1998 Ranch to Rail-South field day is set for Tuesday, May 5 at the Texas A&M Research and Extension Center on Highway 44 between Corpus Christi and Robstown. The field day will begin at 8 a.m. with presentations on current results of the 1997-98 Ranch to Rail-South program underway at Hondo Creek Feed Yard at Edroy. A total of 887 steers from almost 70 ranches are participating in the program.

Presentations will include the use of marker assisted selection and ultrasound to improve carcass merit, an update on the attitudes of consumers and producers on what the beef industry should be producing, and consumer issues impacting the industry.

The program will end at noon and move to Hondo Creek Feedyard for a barbecue lunch. At the feedyard, manager Scott Thompson will discuss the performance of this year’s steers.

Advance registration is requested. Those wishing to participate may call Dr. Joe Paschal at (512) 265-9203, or Scott Thompson at (512) 368-4171.

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National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president Clark Willingham released the names of the NCBA members who have agreed to serve on the Price Reporting Task Force. The idea for the task force emerged Feb. 7 during the Stakeholders Congress of the NCBA Centennial Convention. The task force replaced a resolution calling for mandatory price reporting.

Task force members are: Larry Clay, Kentucky; David Tullis, Ohio; Dudley Butler, Mississippi; Mark Pendleton, North Carolina; Max Thornsberry, Missouri; Dennis Bottern, Minnesota; Frederick Drummond, Oklahoma; Ron Davenport, Texas; Keith Bales, Montana; Eric Davis, Idaho; Darrel Johnson, Utah; Bill Brandenberg, California; Ken Stielow, Kansas; Harry Knobbe, Nebraska; Roger Stuber, chairman, North Dakota.

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Everything from fire ants to estate planning is on tap for Mason County’s Extension Ag Day set for April 3 at Mason High School. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. Participants may receive five CEU credit hours.

Dr. Wayne Hayenga, Extension economist at College Station, will start the day with a brief overview of his presentation, "Estate Planning and Administration."

Other topics will include discussions on quail management, fire ants, brush control and beef cattle nutrition.

More information is available from the Mason County Extension office at (915)347-6459.

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A beef cattle short course is being conducted on three consecutive Monday nights: April 6, 13 and 20. The seminars are a joint effort of the Extension Offices of Brown, Callahan, Jones, Shackelford, Nolan, Fisher and Taylor counties.

The program are as follows: April 6 — Beef Cattle Reproductive Management, The Computer & The Cowboy; April 13 — Nutritional Management of the Beef Herd; April 20 — Range and Pasture Management, Rigging Your 4-Wheeler for Brush Control.

The April 20 session is worth two CEU’s for those holding TDA applicator licenses.

All sessions begin at 7 p.m. and will be at the Taylor County Extension Center, located on the grounds of the Taylor County Expo Center. Registration cost for all three sessions is $20, which includes a meal. Individual sessions cost $10. Participants are encouraged to pre-register by calling their County Extension offices or by calling Taylor County Extension Service at (915) 674-1321.