As previously stated in numerous articles, Gordon County is one of the top agricultural counties in Northwest Georgia. The key to our success is variety of industries and strength in areas such as poultry and cattle production. Recently cattle producers have seen tremendous sale prices at all levels of the industry. Cattle inventories in the United States are at approximately 1950 levels from presentations I have heard and the markets are doing very well. It is a good time to be in the cattle industry. Locally, we are host to the Calhoun Bull Test Sale that has been around for over four decades, an established heifer development program that has been around over ten years and a youth exhibitor program that is one of the largest in NW Georgia. Today, I will like to share information on a program that will be here starting late summer that individuals with an interest in the cattle business will not want to miss.

The UGA Cooperative Extension Master Cattlemen’s Program has been a long-standing educational series that has been a source of vital education for cattlemen young and old for years. This program works on a rotational basis and may come to your area once every five to eight years. This year Gordon County will be the host county for NW Georgia. All meetings will take place at the auditorium at the Gordon County Extension Office beginning in August and concluding with graduation in early October.

Why should a cattleman participate? UGA offers several master series such as Master Gardener and Master Equine along with Master Cattlemen. Opportunities such as Master Cattlemen are designed to bring some of the best experts on certain topics to your area of the state. This eliminates you driving to multiple areas of Georgia in order to get the same information. The series also allows you to participate in lectures that are key to the cattle industry.

What topics will be covered? The first night Dr. Lawton Stewart and Dr. Nancy Hinkle will be with us discuss proper cattle nutrition and external parasite control. Dr. Dennis Hancock, UGA Forage Specialist, will be with us to discuss pasture management. This talk will come at a key time since many producers will be thinking about re-establishing cool season grasses at this time and planting winter annuals. The first night in September, Dr. Curt Lacy will be presenting on the economics and marketing of your livestock. The next lecture will include Dr. Lee Jones sharing information on foreign animal diseases, agro-terrorism issues and general herd health. Dr. John Worley will be with us to present on property facilities for cattle production with our own Ted Dyer, UGA Beef Specialist, presenting on key topics of cattle reproduction. Later in September, Carole Knight will give a talk on the

Beef Quality Assurance Program and helping participants get certified in BQA. Josh White with the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association will also be with us. We will finish up in early October with Mr. Jary Douglas, UGA Livestock Judging Team Coach, being here to present on sire selection and Dr. Ronnie Silcox will be on hand to discuss the importance of record keeping in your cattle operation.

As you can tell, this will be a very information program that will benefit people new to the cattle industry and also individuals that need a refresher on topics. How do you get signed up? You can get your 2012 Northwest Georgia Master Cattlemen’s Program packet of information in varies ways. You can stop by office to pick one up, email me at gbowman@uga.edu and I can send you information by email or you can visit the Gordon County Extension website and get the same information. Cost for an individual is $90 which will include your Master Cattlemen’s notebook, refreshments for the seven night class, steak dinner at final session, UGA Master Cattlemen’s cap and certificate plus your Beef Quality Assurance Certification. A producer and spouse with one notebook package is available for $120 and then the cost is $180 for a producer and spouse that want two notebooks. Please note that the class is open to the first 75 people that sign-up with payment. If you have any questions you can contact Gordon County Extension at 706-629-8685, email gbowman@uga.edu or even email UGA Beef Specialist, Ted Dyer at tgdyer@uga.edu.