Beef feedlot managers, owners, employees and allied industries will learn new information related to feedlot management at Nebraska Extension’s 2021 Beef Feedlot Roundtables via webinar in February and March.

“We are hoping feedyard employees and managers find useful information here to use in their own operations and can find a flexible time one of these two weeks to join us,” said Galen Erickson, beef feedlot nutrition specialist. “These will replace our in-person meetings we normally provide across the state annually in February.”

For producer ease of use, the 2021 webinar will offer three separate sessions on either Feb. 23, 24, and 25 from noon to 2 p.m. Central Time (CT) or March 2, 3, and 4 from 3 to 5 p.m. Central Time (CT) to fit people’s schedules at one of two offered times. Topics will repeat each week.

University and industry leading representatives will speak about animal handling practices, fed cattle marketing, research updates, the value of manure, using cover crops and more.

The webinar series begins Feb. 23 with Jesse Fulton, Nebraska’s new Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance Coordinator, by sharing the ins and outs of feedyard audits. Following an overview on audits, Ruth Wiowode, assistant professor of animal science, will present on animal handling certification options, and Brian Vander Ley, assistant professor and veterinary epidemiologist within IANR’s Great Plains Veterinary and Educational Center, will discuss having a secure beef plan that will benefit livestock producers and veterinarians.

Cattle marketing has been a challenge this past year, and some new policies are being used in the industry. Ashley Kohls with Nebraska Cattlemen and Elliott Dennis with UNL will discuss these policies and implications for feedyards. New research pertaining to beef nutrition and management will be also be shared mid-webinar by Nebraska Feedlot Extension Specialist Galen Erickson. Topics from the 2021 beef report include growing calf and yearling management, genetic selection tools, animal behavior, nutrient management and more.

Concluding the webinar series will be perceptions of manure’s value and what feedyards should know about using cover crops presented by the Rick Koelsch, UNL professor of biological systems engineering, and Mary Drewnowski, beef extension specialist.

Full webinar schedule is as follows:

Feb. 23, from noon-2 p.m. or March 2, from 3-5
- Feedyard Audit: Jesse Fulton, Nebraska BQA
- Animal Handling: Ruth Wiowode, UNL
- Secure Beef Plan: Brian Vander Ley, GPVEC

Feb 24, from noon – 2 p.m., or March 3 from 3-5
- Policy Implications for Fed Cattle Marketing: Ashley Kohls, Nebraska Cattlemen; Elliott Dennis, UNL
- Research Update: Galen Erickson, UNL

Feb 25, from noon -2 p.m. or March 4, from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Perceptions of Manure’s value: Rick Koelsch, UNL
- What Feedyards Should Know about Using Cover Crops: Mary Drewnoski, UNL

Register for the February webinars here: https://unl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwsde2srj4sG93JCTOQXpnQYTqxLzlbtVBn. Register for the March webinars here: https://unl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYlcOuopzgoG9cSU7EufJKVnLmwoKgfzaT1.

For more information or to request a registration form, contact Galen Erickson at 402-472-6402 or gerickson4@unl.edu.

2021 Beef Feedlot Roundtables are sponsored by Nebraska Extension.