By Blake Jackson
The Show-Me-Select™ (SMS) Replacement Heifer Program is a Missouri initiative focused on educating cattle producers on heifer development and marketing. Led by MU Extension, the program offers educational resources and facilitates the marketing of bred heifers through annual sales.
An informational meeting about the program will be held on March 18th at the SW MU Research Center in Mount Vernon, Missouri. This session is crucial for cattle producers in southwest Missouri interested in participating in the SMS program for educational purposes or marketing their bred heifers.
The meeting agenda includes:
- Program overview: Learn about the program's history, goals, and requirements for participation.
- Expert presentations: Gain insights into heifer development strategies from Dr. Thiago Martins (state beef cattle reproduction specialist) and Dr. Jamie Courter (state beef cattle genetics specialist) at MU Extension.
- Sale planning: Discuss finances, advertising, and logistics for the upcoming SMS sale scheduled for May 17th at the Joplin Regional Stockyards.
- Consignor participation: Sellers in the May 17th sale are encouraged to attend and provide estimates on the number of heifers they plan to offer and their preferred sale order.
Patrick Davis, MU Extension Livestock Field Specialist, emphasizes the importance of heifer development for the cattle industry, especially in southwest Missouri as herds rebuild after the drought. He encourages both sellers in the May sale and those interested in the program to attend the informational meeting for a comprehensive introduction to the SMS Replacement Heifer Program. If you plan to attend, please contact the Cedar County MU Extension Center by March 15th at (417) 276-3313 or Davis by email at davismp@missouri.edu.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-ahavelaar
Categories: Missouri, Livestock, Dairy Cattle