The workshop is scheduled Oct. 28-Nov. 1 at the TAMU Beef Center, 7707 Raymond Stotzer Parkway.
“Applying fertilizer based on soil test recommendations and using pesticides in accordance with the pesticide label are important parts of protecting our environment and valuable water resources,” says the extension’s state forage specialist, Dr. Larry Redmon.
“Ranchers are important stewards of our state’s valuable natural resources, and we want to ensure new landowners get off to a good start. We do this with the goal of optimizing economic return while at the same time protecting the environment. This helps with our additional goal of producing safe food products.”
The intensive five-day workshop is offered twice a year. This fall session will cover the fundamentals of soils and soil fertility, forage establishment, pasture management, and livestock and wildlife management. Grazing management, stocking rate and body condition scoring will be highlighted, and horse and small ruminant management presentations will be conducted.
Additionally, several wildlife management topics are on the program for those interested in managing white-tailed deer, turkey, feral hogs and farm ponds. Various forage species, including Bermuda grass and other introduced forages, native forages, small grains, annual ryegrass and clovers will be studied by workshop attendees.
About one-half the workshop involves lectures and discussion, Redmon says, with the remainder consisting of field demonstrations.
“Field demonstrations will include learning how to properly calibrate a sprayer, assess body condition scores of cattle, obtain proper soil and hay samples, and to assess the fish populations in ponds,” he says.
Meals and break refreshments are covered by the registration fee, along with a resource CD containing more than 100 publications covering ranch resource management.
Registration is $500 and attendance is limited to the first 50 people who enroll. To register online and for more information, visit the extension’s website and enter “ranch management” into the search window.
For additional information, contact Redmon by email or at (979) 845-4826. 
—From Texas A&M University news release
