Beef Cattle Extension
Virginia Tech's Beef Cattle Extension programs help serve the beef cattle industry address the segments of the beef industry. The primary focus of these programs is to enhance the profitability and sustainability of beef cattle production systems through enhanced production efficiency and value-added ventures.
Virginia Beef Quality Assurance Program
As part of the Mid-Atlantic BQA program, Virginia BQA educates and certifies producers in best management practices that improve the safety and quality of beef
Virginia Premium Assured Heifer Program
The VPAHP exists to provides a template for the proper development and management of beef females. Heifers are certified for health, reproductive and physical soundness, along with genetics.
Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association
Since 1955, Virginia BCIA in partnership with Extension has worked to enhance the genetics of Virginia beef cattle herds. BCIA sponsors the state’s central bull development program and serves as an educational conduit to the beef cattle industry.
Virginia Master Cattleman Program
This is a seven-session course that provides essential information for beef producers in the areas of economics, nutrition, forages, reproduction, genetics, herd health, and marketing. The program is offered on an area basis by local Virginia Cooperative Extension agents and is taught by local agents and Virginia Tech specialists.
Virginia Quality Assured Feeder Cattle Program
Extension partners with the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association and local cattlemen’s associations for the VQA program which encourages the use of scientifically-based cattle health and management procedures for feeder cattle. Producers that manage their cattle utilizing the VQA guidelines are eligible to market their calves through the VQA certified feeder cattle program.
Register Today for Virginia Stockmanship & Stewardship Event
Registration is now open for the Virginia Stockmanship & Stewardship event, May 20-21 at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. Stockmanship & Stewardship is a unique two-day educational experience for cattle producers featuring low-stress cattle handling demonstrations, Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) educational sessions, facility design sessions and industry updates that you won’t find anywhere else.
Sessions will include topics such as increasing cattle profitability with no input costs, handling cattle using their natural instincts, improving production efficiency and the bottom line, herd health, weaning and backgrounding, fall and spring calf management, and properly loading and unloading trailers. Producers will also have the opportunity to become BQA certified. The program is sponsored by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Merck Animal Health, the Beef Checkoff-funded National Beef Quality Assurance program, Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Extension.
For more information, complete agenda, fees and to register, visit www.StockmanshipAndStewardship.org.
Full registration includes all events and meals, complete with a Prime Rib dinner, and student pricing and one-day registration options are available.
Cattle producers attending Stockmanship & Stewardship are eligible for reimbursement through the Rancher Resilience Grant.
To apply for a grant to cover registration costs and two nights hotel, visit www.ncba.org/producers/rancher-resilience-grant.
2022 TRI-STATE BEEF CONFERENCE
August 4, 2022 | press release pdf
The fourteenth Annual Tri-State Beef Cattle conference will be held at the Ron Ramsey Regional Ag Center in Blountville, Tennessee on Thursday, August 4, 2022. This year’s conference will address topics of interest to both stocker and cow-calf producers. The conference will be a one-day event and will include educational sessions covering such topics as stocker health, finished cattle price transparency legislation, beef cattle outlook, knowing where you stand on profitability, and antibiotic prescription requirements. There will once again be virtual tours of operations from each of the three states and then a time of questions and answers with the producers themselves.
A trade show will be open during the conference, with many of the organizations involved in the region’s beef industry there for participants to meet and learn more about their products and services.
The conference will begin with registration at 8:00 a.m. and the program beginning at 9:20 a.m. The trade show will open at 8:00 a.m.
The meeting is being sponsored by the University of Tennessee Extension, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and North Carolina Cooperative Extension. Registration information and complete details will be available through your county Extension Office. Registration for the conference is $20 through July 22nd and $25 after July 22nd. Additional information can be obtained from Dr. Scott Greiner, Extension Beef Specialist, Virginia Tech, phone 540-231-9159, email sgreiner@vt.edu, through your local Extension office, or on the web at https://www.apsc.vt.edu/extensionandoutreach/beef-extension.html
Program |
|
|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | Registration and Visit Trade Show |
| 9:00 a.m. | Welcome |
| 9:10 a.m. | Finished Cattle Price Transparency and Legislation - Dr. Charley Martinez Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Tennessee |
| 9:50 a.m. | Stocker Cattle Receiving Simulation - Dr. John Groves, DVM Livestock Veterinary Service, Eldon, Missouri |
| 10:30 a.m. | Knowing Where You Stand: 5 Standards to Profitability - Mr. David Bilderback Area Farm Management Specialist, University of Tennessee |
| 11:00 a.m. | Break and Visit Trade Show |
| 11:30 a.m. | Market Outlook - Dr. James Mitchell Livestock Economist, University of Arkansas |
| 12:10 p.m. | Steak Lunch and Visit Trade Show |
| 1:20 p.m. | Antibiotic Prescription Requirements, Asian Long-Horn Tick and Theileria - Dr. John Currin, DVM, DABVP |
| 2:00 p.m. | Virtual Tours and Panel Discussion |
| 3:00 a.m. | Wrap-up |
Program |
|
8:00 a.m. |
Registration and Visit Trade Show |
9:00 a.m. |
Welcome |
9:10 a.m. |
Finished Cattle Price Transparency and Legislation - Dr. Charley Martinez Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Tennessee |
9:50 a.m. |
Stocker Cattle Receiving Simulation - Dr. John Groves, DVM Livestock Veterinary Service, Eldon, Missouri |
10:30 a.m. |
Knowing Where You Stand: 5 Standards to Profitability - Mr. David Bilderback Area Farm Management Specialist, University of Tennessee |
11:00 a.m. |
Break and Visit Trade Show |
11:30 a.m. |
Market Outlook - Dr. James Mitchell Livestock Economist, University of Arkansas |
12:10 p.m. |
Steak Lunch and Visit Trade Show |
1:20 p.m. |
Antibiotic Prescription Requirements, Asian Long-Horn Tick and Theileria - Dr. John Currin, DVM, DABVP |
2:00 p.m. |
Virtual Tours and Panel Discussion |
3:00 a.m. |
Wrap-up |
Tuesday, January 12th
- Beef Production Health- Dr. John Currin-Beef Cattle Benchmarking; Dr. Seirra Guynn-The VCPR and Pharmaceuticals; Dr. Hannah Varnell-Making Smart Culling Decisions and Dr. Terry Swecker-Host
Tuesday, January 19th
- Individual Health Problems- Dr. Meghan Brookhart- The Thin Cow; Dr. Kevin Pelzer- The Cold Calf; Dr. Hollie Schramm-The Lame Cow and Dr. John Currin-Host
Tuesday, January 26th
- Timely Topics: Beef Production in VA - Dr. Laura Hungerford- Bovine Coronavirus; Dr. Kevin Lahmers- Theileria in VA: An Update; Dr. Jamie Stewart- New Bull Breeding Soundness Exam Guidelines and Dr. Sherrie Clark-Host
2022 Virginia Master Cattlemen's Program Flier (pdf)
Virtual Online Course
Beginning at 6:30pm
March 7nd through April 18
Registration deadline: February, 25th
Seven Beef Cattle Management Modules:
- Herd Health
- Nutrition
- Reproduction
- Economics
- Genetics
- Marketing
- Forage Management
This program will be offered via Zoom on the following dates at 6:30 p.m.
- March 7
- March 14
- March 21
- March 28
- April 4
- April 11
- April 18
Please Register at the link below:
https://tinyurl.com/vamastercattlemans22
Registration fee of $70
Dr. Scott Greiner
Genetics/Bull Test Stations
sgreiner@vt.edu
(540) 231- 9159
Dr. Vitor Mercadante
Reproduction
mercadante@vt.edu
(540) 231- 9153
Dr. John Currin
Extension Veterinarian, VMRCVM
jcurrin@vt.edu
(540) 231 - 9041
Katherine Carter
Assistant Youth Livestock Programming Specialist
carterke@vt.edu
(540) 231-2257
Jessica Dotson
Program Support Technician
ejessica@vt.edu
(540) 231-9161
News Articles
County Cattlemen's Associations
- Amelia County Cattlemen's Association
- Blue Ridge Cattlemen's Association
- Botetourt County Cattlemen's Association
- Buckingham County Cattlemen's Association
- Central Virgnia Cattlemen's Association
If you do not see your county association listed, please let us know and we will be happy to post it.
