Virginia Tech Beef Cattle Health Conference set for Jan. 28
The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and Farm Credit are hosting the Virginia Tech Beef Cattle Health Conference on Jan. 28 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Designed to give beef cattle producers an opportunity to learn strategies to improve the health of their herds, the conference will take place in the auditorium at Virginia Tech’s Litton-Reaves Hall, located at 175 West Campus Drive.
The conference will open with presentations from three faculty members in the veterinary college’s Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences.
John Currin, clinical associate professor of production management medicine, will speak about the Veterinary Feed Directive, a new Food and Drug Administration approval process for the use of antibiotics in animal feed. Sierra Guynn, clinical assistant professor, will give presentations on pinkeye and fly control.
Following a morning break, the conference will feature special guest Andrew Griffith, assistant professor of agricultural and resource economics at the University of Tennessee, who will discuss the economic outlook for the beef cattle industry. Morgan Paulette, an agriculture and natural resources Extension agent for Pulaski County, will then give an update on the New River Valley’s Virginia Quality Assured program.
After the morning presentations, participants will travel to the Alphin-Stuart Livestock Arena on Virginia Tech’s campus for lunch and rotating, 20-minute labs. Presenters include Terry Swecker, professor of production management medicine and director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, on the Veterinary Feed Directive; John Currin, clinical associate professor of production management medicine, on beef cow ration balancing; Sherrie Clark, associate professor of theriogenology, on dystocia; and Hollie Schramm, clinical assistant professor of food animal ambulatory and production management medicine, on newborn/cold calves.
Registration is $10 per person and free for anyone under 18. This includes lectures, laboratories, and lunch. All attendees must register. Parking is available in the Litton-Reaves lot behind the building and registration will be in the Litton-Reaves foyer.
Attendance will meet the requirement for Virginia Beef Quality Assurance recertification for those already certified in the program.
To register or learn more about the program, please email Ralph Roop, production management medicine technician, or call him at 540-231-9041.
If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services, or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact Ralph Roop at 540-231-9041 during business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations at least five days prior to the event.
