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Commercial Cattlemen's Symposium Focused on Heifer Development

DENVER - The bustling ballrooms of Kalispell, Montana, will soon be filled with innovative and forward-thinking cattlemen and women during the 69th annual National Red Angus Convention. The Commercial Cattlemen’s Symposium, hosted by the Red Angus Association of America, is sure to be a highlight of the convention and will offer beef producers the tools and knowledge they need to strengthen their operations and improve their profitability.

This year’s symposium, held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell on Wednesday, Sept. 14, will feature a diverse, experienced group of speakers guaranteed to offer valuable insight to attendees.

“We are thrilled to continue offering commercial cattlemen and women free educational events during the annual National Red Angus Convention. As the Commercial Marketing Team, it is always exhilarating to bring so many commercial operations – our customers – together for this event. Red Angus has always been focused on the cow, and with the release of our new Red Choice program, we are excited to share many of the aspects that go into heifer development during this year’s symposium,” said Nolan Woodruff, commercial marketing specialist.

The symposium will kick-off with Jordan Thomas, Ph.D., assistant professor and state beef reproduction specialist in the Division of Animal Sciences at the University of Missouri, with his keynote titled, “The Building Blocks of a Profitable Commercial Cow: What Do Heifers Need to Do?”

The symposium will feature a heifer nutrition panel featuring Jeff Heidt, Ph.D., beef technical services lead and U.S. ruminant innovation lead with Micronutrients USA LLC, and Dr. Brain Fieser, nutrition support specialist for ADM Animal Nutrition discussing the “Pros and Cons of Low vs. High Input.”

“The Importance of Good Heifer Nutrition” will be the keynote address of John Hall, Ph.D., professor and Extension beef cattle specialist at the University of Idaho Nancy M. Cummings Research, Extension and Education Center where he also served as the station superintendent.

A heifer marketing panel will provide the opportunities to collaborate and innovate with Dave Patterson, Ph.D., chancellor’s professor in the Division of Animal Sciences at the University of Missouri, and producers John Maddux and John Price.

The symposium will conclude with a keynote address, “Genomic Technologies for Selection of Replacement Heifers,” from Jared Decker, Ph.D., Wurdack chair in animal genomics and an associate professor in the University of Missouri Division of Animal Science, Genetics Area Program.

Additionally, the popular ladies’ symposium will once again be offered featuring Terryn Drieling, Faith Family & Beef creator and certified Enneagram coach, which will begin at 1 p.m.

“The Commercial Cattlemen’s Symposium is one of Red Angus’ premier events every year, offering insightful information from the beef industry’s top thinkers. This year’s focus on heifer development, reproduction and marketing centered around the newly released Red Choice program should be especially timely for commercial producers as some areas of the country begin rebuilding the cowherd,” said Harold Bertz, RAAA director of commercial marketing.

The RAAA trade show will be open throughout the day and the symposium will conclude with a Montana social hour and dinner, followed by cowboy poet, Ryan Fritz. The education program and lunch are both free and open to cattlemen and women from all breed interests, however registration is encouraged for accurate meal preparation. For more information and to see a full speaking schedule, please visit RedAngus.org for the symposium details and to register for the event.

The Red Angus Association of America serves the beef industry by enhancing and promoting the measurable advantages of Red Angus and Red Angus-influenced cattle. The RAAA provides commercial producers with objectively described cattle by implementing new technologies and utilizing scientifically sound principles that quantify traits of economic importance to beef producers in all segments of the beef industry. For more information, visit www.RedAngus.org.