Larson Ranch, owned and operated by Brady and Kyla Larson, will host the August 21 KLA/Kansas State University Ranch Management Field Day near Leoti. Educational sessions will cover the future of yield grading and bovine congestive heart failure.
With the current Yield Grade equation no longer representative of the true red meat yield of today’s cattle, beef industry stakeholders are seeking a more accurate replacement. Texas Tech University meat scientist Dale Woerner will discuss new research currently demonstrating considerable promise for accurate measurement and/or prediction of red meat yield on an individual animal basis. He will highlight advancements in technology and computing capacity and provide insight into the future of implementing a new system.
Brian Vander Ley with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and researchers from the USDA Meat Animal Research Center will be on hand to give an overview of the genetic factors contributing to bovine congestive heart failure, an untreatable, fatal condition affecting cattle in the western Great Plains. For some operations, annual losses now exceed $250,000, surpassing those from respiratory disease. During this discussion, speakers will focus on specific gene markers associated with disease risk and their potential use in future breeding and management decisions.
Following these two sessions, Brady Larson will take attendees through a virtual tour of the ranch’s facilities, including the bull development pens, cattle working setup, calving barn and more. Participants then will have the opportunity to walk through the facilities and ask questions.
The field day will begin with registration at 3:30 p.m. CT and conclude with a complimentary beef dinner. All livestock producers and others involved in the business are invited to attend. Field day directional signs will be posted.
Wells Ranch will host the August 28 field day near Gridley in Woodson County. The Farm Credit Associations of Kansas and Huvepharma are sponsoring both events.
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