PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University Extension will host a multi-species grazing conference May 8 at WSU Tri-Cities, Richland, and a related field day at the Barker Ranch near Richland on May 9.
Nationally recognized goat and cattle graziers will discuss management and marketing of meat goats; grazing and browsing principles; fencing, water and mineral needs; use of guard dogs; contract vegetation management; fee grazing; range monitoring; and creating wildlife habitat at the conference, which will be held in Room 216 of the Consolidated Information Center Building. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The conference begins at 9 a.m. and adjourns at 5 p.m.
The field day will be held at the Barker Ranch located at 8305 N. Snively Rd., W. Richland. The field day will include demonstrations of how to build and troubleshoot an electric fence; plant preferences of goats; body condition scoring of goats; internal parasite diagnosis; and range monitoring technique and browsing planning.
The ranch has been the site of a three-year study conducted by WSU Extension to evaluate the use of goats and cattle in conjunction with mowing and herbicides to control invasive plants. The research was funded by a grant from the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program.
You can pre-register or register at the conference site for one or both events. Fees vary. Visit http://www.ansci.wsu.edu/ and click on the link for the Multi-Species Grazing Conference and Field Day under the events heading.
Contact Don Nelson, WSU department of animal sciences, at (509) 335-2922 or nelsond@wsu.edu for more information on the events.
– 30 –