Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center to hold Field Day

The Virginia Tech Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center, McCormick Farm, will hold their bi-annual Field Day on Wednesday, August 7, 2013beginning at 12:00 p.m. The Field Day Program is listed below.

During the Field Day,researchers will be on-hand to review and discuss their on-going research projects being conducted at the Shenandoah Valley AREC. This is going to be an excellent educational program, especially for producers interested in livestock, forage production, grazing, and forest management. To help facilitate meal arrangements. we are asking persons interested in attending the Field Day to contact the Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center at (540) 377-2255 on or before Friday, August 2nd, 2013to register.

2013 Field Day Program

Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center

128 McCormick Farm Circle, Raphine, VA 24472

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

12:00 – 1:00Registration and visit with sponsors

1:00 – 1:10Welcome, David Fiske, Superintendent, Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center

1:10 – 1:20Load wagons and travel to first stop

1:20 – 1:45Forest & Forage = SilvopastureAdam Downing, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Dr. John Munsell, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Virginia Tech, Dr. John Fike, Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech and Patti Nylander, Virginia Department of Forestry

1:45– 1:55Load wagons and travel to Forage Plot area

1:55 – 2:40Forage Species Demonstration Plots and Warm Season Annual ForagesMatt Booher, Virginia Cooperative Extension, J.B. Daniel, Forage & Grassland Agronomist, USDA-NRCS, and Dr. Ozzie Abaye, Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech

View Demonstration and Research Forage Plots

2:40 – 2:50Load wagons and travel to Big Meadow area

2:50 – 3:10The Pasture-Based Beef Systems for Appalachia Project: What we’ve Learned – Dr. Terry Swecker, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech and Dr. Ron Lewis, Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech

3:10 – 3:25Nutrient Dynamics in Tall Fescue-based Pastures Dr. Ben Tracy, Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech and Gordon Jones, Graduate Student, Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech

3:25 – 3:40Early Weaning Affects Feedlot Performance and Carcass Traits – Jason Smith, Graduate Student, Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech

3:40 – 3:55Strategic Phosphorus Supplementation of Beef CattleDeidre Harmon, Graduate Student, Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech

3:55 – 4:15Phosphorus Status of Beef Cattle Farms in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed – Dr. Mark McCann, Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech and Scott Neil, Graduate Student, Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech

4:15 – 5:00Yield and Botanical Assessments of Forages using Non-Destructive Methods: Yard Stick and Visual EvaluationDr. Ozzie Abaye, Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech

5:00 – 5:10Load wagons and travel back to Bank Barn

5:10 – 6:00Visit with Sponsors andPoster session – Bank Barn

Ultrasound Demonstration (Finishing Barn working facility) – Joe Emenheiser, Graduate Student, Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech

6:00 – 6:30Introductions and Comments from Special Guests – Memorial grounds picnic area

Pre-dinner Speaker– Mr.Matt Lohr, Commissioner, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

6:30Dinner – Memorial grounds picnic area

To help facilitate meal planning, please contact the Shenandoah Valley AREC at (540) 377-2255 by Friday, August 2nd to register for this meeting.

If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services, or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact David Fiske or Amanda Kirby at (540) 377-2255 during business hours (M-F: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm) five days prior to the event to discuss accommodations.

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