UF/IFAS EXTENSION BOOTH AT THE FLORIDA CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION TRADE SHOW

Stice, B.1; Prevatt, C.2; Kirby, C.3
1State Specialized Agent, UF/IFAS, Bartow, FL, 33830
2State Specialized Agent, UF/IFAS, Ona, FL, 33865
3County Extension Agent, UF/IFAS, Palmetto, FL, 34221

Abstract:

   To meet the needs of today’s cattle and forage producers eighteen Extension agents and four Extension specialists from the University of Florida participated in the Florida Cattlemen’s Trade Show at the 2019 Florida Cattlemen’s Convention in Marco Island, Florida. The information and demonstrations presented to clientele at the trade show was designed to help producers increase herd production, performance, and profitability by exposing some of the potential risks occurring in cattle markets and presenting possible profit opportunities for the next year. Our extension outreach focused on the needs identified in the Florida Cattlemen’s Association Research and Education Priority List. Key areas for the 2019 event were economics, agronomy, animal science, and soil fertility. Over the course of the two-day trade show our Extension professionals interacted with over 1,225 clientele contacts from around the state of Florida and the southeast. Topics that were discussed with producers included Long-Term Economic Trends in the Beef Cattle Industry, Beef Cattle Market Outlook, Marketing 2019 Feeder Calves, Impact that Shade has on Feeder Calf Performance, Drought Management, Weed Management and Identification, Reproductive Anatomy and Physiology, Dystocia, and Identifying the Factors Leading to Bahiagrass Decline in Florida's pastures. Our efforts are to continue to keep producers ahead of the challenging agricultural environment by providing timely production information to help them operate in this volatile marketplace. The continued success of this program has encouraged us to move forward with the planning and expansion of the 2020 UF/IFAS Trade Show Booth at the 2020 Florida Cattlemen’s Annual Convention.

All Accepted Posters