June 5, 2003

 

Beef 101 Courses to Be Held In July

‘Beef 101: From Calves to Carcass’ is a three-session course offering in-depth training on quality and consistency issues in the beef industry. The sessions will be held in Carrington on July 8, 15 and 29, and in Langdon on July 9, 16 and 30.

"The course will give participants in all phases of the beef industry, the background to make management and production changes to increase value," says Lisa Pederson, North Dakota State University Extension Service Beef Quality Assurance specialist and one of the workshop organizers. "It will also provide producers with an insight on value differences in beef cattle, beef carcasses and beef cuts due to quality variation in products."

Due to a limited class size registration and a fee of $30 is required by July 1. For more information or to obtain a registration form, contact Pederson at (701) 328-5134. All sessions will start at 4 p.m. and will conclude at 9 p.m. A meal along with handouts are included in the registration fee. More than half of the cost of the workshop is being underwritten by the North Dakota Beef Commission and the Cattlemen’s Beef Board with check-off funds. The NDSU Extension Service and its Beef Quality Assurance Program are additional sponsors.

The course is geared toward cow/calf producers, seed stock producers, feedlot operators, industry personnel, educators and others interested in improving knowledge of beef cattle and beef carcass characteristics. A session is held each day and producers should plan on attending all three sessions to get the most out of the program, Pederson says. The first day focuses on quality and yield grade, live animal evaluation and includes an ultrasound technology demonstration. Topics for the second day include beef carcass grading and pricing, carcass evaluation and conversion of muscle to meat. The third day will focus on management strategies for improved carcass quality, genetic tools cow/calf producers can use for increased carcass quality and a dinner-taste panel.

Instructors for the course include NDSU Extension Service specialists and faculty from NDSU’s Department of Animal and Range Science. The course will also be offered in Mandan and Hettinger in September.

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Source: Lisa Lee, (701) 328-5134, lisalee@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Writer: Stephanie Renner, (701) 231-8371, srenner@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndusext.nodak.edu