The Nebraska Women in Agriculture program, along with the Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance Program, has announced the second annual Herd That! Conference on Sept. 21, in Broken Bow. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the One Box Convention Center and the Custer County Fairgrounds.
The cattle handling demonstration will be one of the highlights of the program, along with the keynote speakers Courtenay Dehoff, founder of Fancy Lady Cowgirl, and ShayLe Stewart, a livestock analyst with DTN.
“We are thrilled to be bringing back the Herd That! Conference for women who raise livestock or work in the livestock sector,” said Jessica Groskopf, director of Nebraska Women in Agriculture. “Livestock production is vital to our state. This event will focus on giving women the knowledge, tools and skills they need to be successful in this facet of the agricultural industry. More importantly, it will provide participants the opportunity to expand their network.”
The one-day conference will bring a variety of speakers and topics for attendees to learn from. During the morning sessions at the One Box Convention Center, 2750 S. 27th St., participants will learn from industry experts as well as University of Nebraska Extension professionals. Topics will include market outlooks, livestock Insurance, veterinarian practices and more.
Dr. Ron Gill, a nationally renowned stockman from Texas A&M University, and Dr. Ruth Woiwode, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln animal behavior specialist, will finish off the conference with a live cattle handling demonstration. This portion of the event will take place at the Custer County Fairgrounds, 44100 Memorial Drive. During this activity, participants will learn about the importance and ease of low-stress cattle handling and facility design.
“The way we handle our animals is more important than ever to our industry. As caregivers, we need to be sure we are handling our animals in the lowest stress- environment possible,” said Jesse Fulton, director of Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance.
“Having Dr. Gill and Dr. Woiwode at this event is a unique chance for Nebraska producers to hear from industry-leading experts on low-stress cattle handling. Just because we are using cattle for the demonstration, doesn’t mean you can’t ask questions about other species. I hope every producer tries to join us for this exceptional opportunity,” said Fulton.