FAIRLEIGH RANCH TO HOST KLA/K-STATE RANCH FIELD DAY

FAIRLEIGH RANCH TO HOST KLA/K-STATE RANCH FIELD DAY

(TOPEKA) – Grazing land management in drought conditions will be one of the featured topics at the August 15 KLA/Kansas State University Ranch Management Field Day near Scott City. The host operation is owned by the Fairleigh Ranch Corporation and includes a commercial cow-calf herd, yearling feeder grazing enterprise and is used to start calves in the fall.

Robert Gillen, a range management specialist, will talk about the critical grazing and stocking decisions ranchers should consider during extended dry periods. He will address options for grazing land managers and explain why appropriate stocking rates and the length of the grazing season have long-term implications. Gillen is the director of K-State’s Western Kansas Agricultural Research Centers and previously served as a range scientist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

K-State Beef Specialist Justin Waggoner will discuss the benefits of early weaning during drought conditions. In recent years, cowherd owners have faced deteriorating grass in the latter part of the growing season due to drought. One strategy to reduce a beef cow’s nutritional needs and forage intake when grazing resources become less available or poorer quality is to wean calves earlier than the conventional fall time period. Waggoner specifically will summarize K-State research conducted over the past several years on the performance of early-weaned beef calves and how this management practice may fit into many cow-calf operations.

Another topic on the agenda will focus on the future of the lesser prairie chicken. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) currently is determining if the lesser prairie chicken should be added to the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife. USFWS Field Supervisor Heather Whitlaw will discuss this consideration, as well as explain voluntary efforts taking place to prevent the need for a federal listing and financial incentives that may be available for owners of grasslands where the species may be found.

Justin Smith, deputy animal health commissioner for the Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health, will give an overview of the recently proposed trichomoniasis regulation that would require testing of bulls changing ownership within the borders of Kansas and new restrictions for importing open cows into the state. He also will update attendees on prevalence of the disease in Kansas.

The Scott City field day will begin with registration at 3:30 p.m. and conclude with a free beef dinner at 6:30 p.m. All livestock producers and others involved in the business are invited to attend.

Fairleigh Ranch is located northwest of Scott City. From Scott City, go north on U.S. 83 10 miles to the U.S. 83/KS 95 junction, then go west on KS 95 4 miles. Turn west on East Scott Lake Drive, following the east side of Lake Scott 1.5 miles around the north end of the dam. Go north on Kansas Road 1.3 miles to the Fairleigh Ranch headquarters sign. From the sign, follow the road east 2 miles to the ranch headquarters. From Oakley, go 23 miles south on US 83. At the Fairleigh Ranch sign go west 4.5 miles, then south 5.8 miles to the Fairleigh Ranch headquarters sign. From the sign, follow the road east 2 miles to the ranch headquarters. Directional field day signs will be posted. 

Fitzsimmons Land & Cattle near Cunningham is the site of the August 21 field day and Oak Springs Ranch at Onaga will serve as the host operation for the August 22 event. Bayer Animal Health and the Farm Credit Associations of Kansas are sponsoring all three field days. For more information, go to www.kla.org or call the KLA office at (785) 273-5115. 

            KLA is a trade organization representing the business interests of independent beef producers at the state and national levels. Members of the association are involved in all segments of the livestock industry, including cow-calf production, backgrounding, cattle feeding, swine, dairy and sheep.