(TOPEKA) – A fifth-generation cow-calf operation situated in the sandhills will host the August 13 Kansas Livestock Association (KLA)/Kansas State University Ranch Management Field Day. McCurry Angus Ranch, located near Burrton, is owned by John and Melody McCurry and John’s mother, Mary. The family operation focuses on raising and developing bulls for commercial producers by providing cattle with a blend of maternal and terminal traits. During the field day, the McCurrys will share about an exciting new project they have been working on this summer with Halter, a virtual fencing company. Halter’s Connor Chesky and Cam Tew will join John in talking about how the McCurry family is using GPS-enabled collars on their cattle to manage rotations and cut down on labor in their intensive grazing program. Attendees will have the opportunity to view a circle of Bermudagrass on the ranch where this technology has been employed.
CattleFax Vice President of Industry Relations and Analysis Kevin Good will be on hand to provide a current cattle market outlook and discuss what the industry might look like in the next five, 10 and 20 years. He also will discuss global beef production trends and how they impact the U.S. cattle industry. Good primarily covers the Kansas/Oklahoma fed cattle market and works with corporate partners to provide information and analysis to help them make profitable management and marketing decisions.
Dusty Tacha, Natural Resources Conservation Service state prescribed burn specialist, will lead a panel featuring local producers who will provide their perspectives on combating woody encroachment. The panel will discuss the successes and challenges they have experienced when dealing with these invasive plant species in their grasslands. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and gather information about different practices that could be implemented on their operations.
The field day will begin with registration at 3:30 p.m. CDT and end with a free beef dinner at 7:00 p.m. All livestock producers and others involved in the business are invited to attend. To get to the field day location from Hutchinson, travel east on U.S. Highway 50 for about 7 miles. Turn right (south) onto S. Haven Road and go 1 mile, then take a left (east) onto E. Illinois Ave. and travel 3/4 mile to the destination. Those coming from Burrton should go west on U.S. Highway 50 for about 5 miles, then turn left (south) onto S. Haven Road and travel 1 mile. From there, take a left (east) onto E. Illinois Ave. and travel 3/4 mile to the field day site. Directional signs will be posted.
HP Rafter Lazy T Ranch will host the August 27 field day near Hoxie in Sheridan County. The Farm Credit Associations of Kansas and Huvepharma are sponsoring both events. For more information, go to www.kla.org and click on Events & Meetings or call the KLA office at (785) 273-5115.
KLA is a trade organization representing the business interests of independent livestock producers at the state and national levels. Members of the association are involved in all segments of the livestock industry, including cow-calf production, backgrounding, cattle feeding, swine, dairy and sheep.
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