Dr. Mike Apley
Dr. Apley is a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University. His areas of emphasis include beef production medicine, clinical pharmacology and antibiotic resistance.
Session: The Future of Pharmaceuticals in Cattle Production
We use pharmaceuticals in cattle production to treat and control disease as well as improve production. Multiple issues will affect our ability to continue doing so. This session explores these issues and provides ways we can all help to preserve our ability to use these tools.
Dr. A.J. Tarpoff
Dr. A.J. Tarpoff works with and serves the beef industry in every aspect of production, from pasture to plate. He attended Kansas State University, earning his bachelor’s degree from the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, followed by his D.V.M. and M.S. degrees from the College of Veterinary Medicine. Following graduation in 2012, he practiced feedlot production medicine in Alberta, Canada. In 2016, he returned to the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University, where he serves as an associate professor and the beef Extension veterinarian. Tarpoff has a 70% extension, 20% research and 10% teaching appointment. He works closely with producers, practicing veterinarians and members of industry to bring relevant extension and education that improve cattle health and the productivity of the beef industry.
Session: Beef Quality Assurance Certification: Answering The Call From Our Consumer
BQA is a voluntary, nationally-organized, state-implemented continuing education certification for cattle producers. The certification is good for three years, and it keeps producers up to date with best management practices backed by research and set forth by the industry.
Dr. Jason Warner
Dr. Jason M. Warner is a faculty member in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University as an assistant professor and Extension cow-calf specialist. His objective is to help support the mission of the land-grant system by serving people through extension and research as part of the K-State beef extension team. Warner’s specific focus is to help provide leadership for state extension beef programming efforts, disseminate information to the industry, collaborate with allied industry personnel and stakeholders, conduct applied cow-calf systems research and serve as a point of resource for area specialists and county extension agents.
Session: Cowherd Management Considerations for 2024: Where We’ve Been and Where We Are Headed
This session will focus on key management factors for cow-calf producers to consider this year to help minimize costs and optimize production in an era of production and price volatility.
Mark Gardiner
Mark Gardiner is a fourth-generation rancher and president of the Gardiner Angus Ranch in Ashland, Kansas. He assumed management of the 48,000-acre ranch in 2000 and works closely alongside his brother, Greg, his sons, Ransom and Cole, and his nephew, Grant. Besides running the 4,500-head registered and commercial cow herd, Gardiner is also chairman of U.S. Premium Beef and president of U.S. CattleTrace. He is also the former president of the Kansas Angus Association.
Member of the Producer Panel Discussion
Understanding what makes money in an effort to have a greater chance at profitability.
Terrel Platt
Terrel Platt grew up in eastern Oregon on his family’s commercial cow/calf operation. He attended Colorado State University, receiving bachelor’s degrees in animal science and agribusiness in 2019. While at CSU, Platt was a member of the meat, meat animal evaluation and livestock judging teams. After finishing his undergraduate studies, he worked in Australia on a large-scale cattle operation in central Queensland before returning stateside to work for a Red Angus seedstock operation in Montana. Platt received his master’s degree in agricultural economics from CSU in spring 2022. His research focused on risk management and price analysis in the stocker cattle sector. Platt joined CattleFax as an analyst in January 2022. His responsibilities include beef research and analysis and serving the cow/calf and stocker membership in the North Plains region.
Session: Cattle Market Outlook
This session will provide an update on cattle market supply and demand fundamentals and implications to cattle prices and profitability. Discussion will center on industry prospects of herd stabilization and expansion as well as beef demand trends and growth drivers.
Dr. Cassandra Olds
Dr. Cassandra Olds is a veterinary entomologist in the Department of Entomology at Kansas State University. Her research focuses on the impacts and management of external parasites like ticks and flies as well as the pathogens they transmit. In addition to her research and extension appointment she teaches multiple courses on animal health entomology and vector biology.
Session: Get the Upper Hand on Your Fly Problems
Being able to identify which fly species you have and knowing a little bit about their biology is the most important step in significantly improving your fly problems. In this session we will talk about the most common fly species affecting your operation. You will learn how to identify them, locate their breeding areas and develop a robust integrated pest management program to control them.
Clay Burtrum
Clay Burtrum – Burtrum Cattle/ Farm Data Services, Inc. – Stillwater, Oklahoma. Having grown up on a cattle and swine farm just outside of Stillwater, near Glencoe, it was natural for Clay Burtrum to pursue an ag-related degree at Oklahoma State University. He graduated from OSU in May 1995 with an animal science biotechnology degree. A college internship during his senior year at a feedlot helped Burtrum recognize his interest in cattle feeding. Upon college graduation, he landed a role at Five Rivers Cattle Feeding near Keyes, Oklahoma, where he entered the management trainee program. In 2000, Burtrum chose to bring his experiences back to Stillwater and work for Farm Data Services, a managerial accounting firm serving the needs of farmers, ranchers and rural businesses in a five-state region. Farm Data Services was started by Burtrum’s dad, Mike, in 1982; he also partners in Burtrum Cattle, LLC, a 500-head cow/calf and stocker operation in Payne and Pawnee counties.
Burtrum is passionate about agriculture and is active in both state and national beef leadership. He has served as chairman of the Oklahoma Beef Council and as a district director of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association. Through his state activities, he became involved with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, serving as the Region IV federation vice president and on the Finance and Audit Committee. Most recently, he served on the NCBA officer teams as chairman of the Federation of State Beef Councils. Burtrum also has served as the north central representative for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry since 2020, appointed by the governor. A true advocate of all things agriculture, Burtrum’s peers recently described him as a strategic and insightful leader, an effective communicator and one who encourages open and honest discussion. He has dedicated himself to serving the industry that he holds in the highest regard, doing his best to make an impact. Burtrum lives in Stillwater with his 3 daughters on the ranch and is married to Kendra, who works for Eskimo Joes and has 2 daughters as well.
Session: Risk Management Strategies – Making LRP work for you!
In today’s volatile cattle market, learn the basics of livestock risk protection, the easy-to-use risk management program for today’s cow-calf, stocker and backgrounder operators.
Mark Diederich
Mark Diederich has a cow/calf to finish operation in Washington County, Kansas, with grazing on native grass, cover crops, grazers and crop residue. He also raises corn, soybeans and hay alongside his son, Ryan, who farms and ranches with him full time. Diederich has a strong interest in production agriculture, and some of his beef is sold directly to consumers. He received his degree in animal science from Kansas State University in 1984.
Session: Utilizing High-Nitrate Feed Stuffs in Grazing System Replacement Heifer Imprinting and Modeling
How to greatly increase grazing capacity, a basic approach on how to handle replacement heifers to impact their transition into your cow herd.