The 2023 Mid-South Stocker Conference will return to in-person format Feb. 21-22 in Bowling Green. The conference will offer educational sessions, demonstrations and opportunities for beef producers to network with industry representatives.  

The event is an annual partnership of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. The conference will begin Feb. 21 at 5 p.m. CST with registration, and dinner will follow at 6 p.m. Evening sessions include industry partner education and a field necropsy demonstration from UK extension ruminant veterinarian Michelle Arnold.

“We’re looking forward to having everyone back together in person this year after two years of virtual conferences,” said Jeff Lehmkuhler, UK beef specialist. “The past few years have been challenging in many ways for our industry and for agriculture. We want to provide participants with information they can use to strengthen their operations and opportunities to gather with others who share their interests and challenges.”

The Feb. 22 the trade show will open at 8:30 a.m. CST. Katie VanValin, beef specialist at the UK Research and Education Center in Princeton, will moderate the opening session at 9:45 a.m. where topics will include:

• Considerations for forage selection and management with changing weather conditions – Kim Mullinex, Auburn University extension beef systems specialist
• Incorporating red clover for fescue toxicosis management – Brittany Harlow, animal scientist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service
• Southeastern market outlook – James Mitchell, University of Arkansas extension economist

Afternoon sessions include virtual tours, a stocker cattle health update from Arnold and livestock risk protection information from Kenny Burdine, UK extension livestock economic specialist. The conference will wrap up with door prizes at 4:15 p.m. CST.

The conference venue is the L.D. Brown Ag Expo at Western Kentucky University, 406 Elrod Road, Bowling Green, Kentucky. For more information and to register, visit https://midsouthstockerconference.utk.edu/.

The Mid-South Stocker Conference helps operators explore ideas for efficient and healthy cattle production and helps define stocker production’s role in a rapidly evolving cattle industry to effectively meet consumer expectations.