By Blake Jackson
The University of Missouri Extension in Dallas County will host a free workshop for beef cattle producers from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13, in the new conference and training room at the Dallas County Governmental Annex Building on the east side of the square in Buffalo.
The session will cover key strategies to help producers prepare for drought conditions and fluctuating market prices. Chris Lynch of Gibson Insurance Co. will explain the enrollment process and timelines for Pasture, Rainfall, Forage (PRF) insurance and Livestock Risk Protection (LRP).
According to MU Extension livestock field specialist Andy McCorkill, both are government-supported, privately sourced insurance programs that can help offset potential financial losses.
PRF offers support for purchasing additional feed during droughts, while LRP helps safeguard revenue against market downturns. “Both programs are available and can be useful to producers of all sizes of cattle operations,” McCorkill says. He adds that LRP can be purchased for a single animal, offering smaller producers a flexible alternative to conventional contracting tools.
McCorkill and fellow livestock field specialist Patrick Davis will also present on stocker cattle management, focusing on developing effective nutritional and health plans to maintain healthy calves and promote steady weight gain.
“Whether you’re just getting your own calves ready for the next phase of production or buying and grouping up calves to make a few bucks, profitability revolves around putting the proper type of gain on and doing is as cheaply as possibly,” McCorkill says. “Nutrition and health are the cornerstones of meeting that objective.”
A meal will be served, and pre-registration is requested by Monday, Nov. 10. Interested participants can register online or contact the Dallas County MU Extension Center at 417-345-7551.
Photo Credit: istock-123ducu
Categories: Missouri, Livestock, Beef Cattle