Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
New Mexico State University's field day at the Rex E. Kirksey Agricultural Science Center in Tucumcari on Aug. 6 will discuss topics on forage sorghum, alternate cropping system and cattle genetic testing.
New Mexico State University's annual field day at the Rex E. Kirksey Agricultural Science Center in Tucumcari will be on Aug. 6. It will cover topics such as forage sorghum, alternate cropping system and cattle genetic testing.
This event is free.
Registration for the event begins at 4:30 p.m. at the science center, located three miles northeast of Tucumcari on U.S. 54. One also can go to https://rsvp.nmsu.edu/rsvp/tucumcari to register.
NMSU Associate Dean and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station Jay Lillywhite will give the keynote presentation on the economic outlook for eastern New Mexico at 5:15 p.m.
After dinner during the hay wagon tour, Marcy Ward, extension livestock specialist, will discuss the New Mexico Youth Feeder Beef contest and the Ranch to Rail program.
The contest helps young people learn about the commercial beef industry. Participants raise a steer, take it to Tucumcari and see how well it performs on feed, then measurements are recorded. In its third year, this program offers participants prizes and scholarship opportunities.
The Ranch to Rail program allows cattle producers to learn how well their cattle's genetics work during the feeding phase and ultimately in carcass quality without investing a significant amount of money.
Normally, a minimum of 90 head need to be sent to a feedyard at the ranchers' cost, but the program allows ranchers to bring three steers to Tucumcari to be evaluated. Producers are provided information on the rate of gain, feed efficiency, cost of gain and carcass trait data.
"Between the two programs, there are over 40 steers being fed at Tucumcari," Ward said. "Several of the producers have made it a family affair, where both themselves and their kids are participating in both programs. Members of the Tucumcari Bull Test station have played a key role in allowing these programs to take place."
Beef is being sold through both programs. If interested, call Ward at (575) 644-3379.
Other topics discussed on the hay wagon tour will include:
- Alternative cropping systems for semi-arid environments from Murali Darapuneni, associate professor;
- Sorghum forage and herbicide options from Mark Marsalis, research director and extension forage specialist;
- Update of biochar and manure applications for forage sorghum from Liman Abdullahi, graduate student;
- Corn and cover crop intercropping for forage from Leonard Lauriault, research director and forage crop management scientist; - Management practices for building soil health from John Idowu, Extension agronomy specialist.
Dinner will be provided, and an ice cream social will be offered after the tours.
"Our field day is meant to be a family event to expose our community to the value of agriculture and provide information to farmers and ranchers to help them in their ventures," Lauriault said.
For additional information, directions, or those with a disability who need an auxiliary aid or service to participate in the field day, call the center at (575) 461-1620 or email [email protected].
