Media advisory issued July 23, 2004, effective immediately.
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  email: cblara@noble.org.

Check Cattle Industry Basics at 14th Annual Southern Plains Beef Symposium

ARDMORE, Okla. — Cattle business basics — grass production, genetics selection, animal efficiency, etc. — are the building blocks of a successful operation. The 14th annual Southern Plains Beef Symposium offers producers a chance to review those foundation elements during a daylong program entitled "Checking the Basics."

The event will be on Saturday, Aug. 14 at the new Ardmore Convention Center and is co-hosted by the Noble Foundation and Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension.

"Each year we work to have a better program and to cover new and innovative things related to the cattle industry," said Shan Ingram, the Noble Foundation's education and special projects manager. "This year we have a different kind of program — the main idea is to make sure that all the basics are adequately covered. In other words, take care of the big stuff and the little stuff will fall in line."

Topics and speakers are: Grass Production Basics — James Rogers, forage specialist, Noble Foundation; National Animal Identification: Program Update and Technology Options — Dale Blasi, Extension specialist, Kansas State University; Beef Cow Efficiency — Clay Mathis, Extension livestock specialist, New Mexico State University; Cattle Outlook/Situation — Ronald L. Plain, Extension economist, University of Missouri-Columbia; Common Sense Mineral Supplementation for Beef Cattle — Steve Paisley, Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming; Selection Tips for Cow-Calf Operators — Darrh Bullock, associate Extension professor, beef cattle genetics, University of Kentucky.

After the presentations, there will be a panel discussion entitled "Challenges I have Faced and Those I Foresee." Panelists will include Don McCasland (moderator), owner of Wheeler Feedyard in Wheeler, Texas; Larry Arnold, director of quality assurance, Lopez Foods, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Ryan Meyer, director of cattle procurement, Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, Arkansas City, Kan.; Tommy Beall, feedlot risk manager, ContiBeef, Boulder, Colo.; Ike Higdon, stocker operator and order buyer, Fletcher, Okla.; Dave Wingo, cow-calf/stocker operator, Holdenville, Okla.

The symposium will feature a trade show with more than 30 participating businesses and organizations, some of which will be donating door prizes. Free boot shines will be available during the trade show.

"I think this is the best one day cattle event in America, or anywhere, for that matter," Ingram added. "Besides that, you can't beat the price. This is a real bargain!"

The early registration fee is $20 (due by Aug. 9; $25 at the door) and includes a ribeye steak lunch. Registration and fee can be mailed to Southern Plains Beef Symposium, c/o the Noble Foundation, P.O. Box 2180, Ardmore, OK 73402. Checks should be made out to Southern Plains Beef Symposium.

Registration on Aug. 14 begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Ardmore Convention Center, I-35 and Hwy. 142 in Ardmore. The program starts at 9 a.m.

For more information, call the Foundation at (580) 223-5810 or the Carter County OSU Extension office at (580) 223-6570.

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More Information on the Southern Plains Beef Symposium

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a non-profit organization conducting agricultural, forage biotechnological, and plant biology research; providing grants to numerous non-profit charitable, educational and health organizations; and assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs.

To learn more, visit the Noble Foundation Web site at http://www.noble.org.

More news releases available at www.noble.org/Press_Release