Sale, trade show, educational seminar set for Minn. Beef Showcase

Plan now to attend the second annual Minnesota Beef Showcase, Sale and Agribition. The Showcase is set for March 14-16 at the Red Horse Ranch Arena near Fergus Falls, Minn. An all breeds bull and female sale begins at noon on Saturday, March 16. A total of 100 live animals and embryo lots have been consigned.

The Minnesota Beef Showcase is the only event of its kind in Minnesota. Minnesota has a growing productive beef industry. The goal of the Showcase is to bring the Minnesota beef industry together in a central location with an all breeds sale, where all our cattle breeders, no matter which breed, could come together to promote each breeder’s individual breeding program.

The Beef Showcase also includes a tradeshow where beef industry retailers and dealers will present new products and concepts to producers and consumers. Look for new ideas and proven standards to be on display at the trade show.

The third part of this event is a half-day educational seminar. The seminar brings to the producers new ideas and products to help them improve their program and productivity. The focus for the seminar this year is pasture management. Due to the severe shortage of moisture, pastures will take some time to recover. There will be three excellent speakers presenting information about pasture management and maximizing available feed resources.

The speakers include Peter Scharpe, ProfitPro animal manure and crop management consultant; Jeff Duchene, NRCS Grazing Specialist; and Dave Bennett, Rydell and Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuges.

Peter Scharpe will discuss how producers can dramatically impact crop profits, livestock performance and improve the value and utilization of manure. Scharpe grew up in south-central Minnesota on a purebred Angus farm and was an active participant in 4-H, FFA, and the Jr. Angus Association. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Iowa State University. After graduation, he worked for Pipestone Systems, working in a management position with farrow to wean sow farms. He joined Profit Pro in May of 2012, starting in the livestock side of ProfitPro and now works with the agronomy and crops aspects of the company as well.

Jeff Duchene has been a grazing specialist in central Minnesota for the Natural Resources Conservation Service for the past four years and is located in Perham. Prior to joining NRCS, he was a grazing specialist for the Fillmore County Soil and Water Conservation District for two years. He has worked extensively with a variety of livestock producers, both large and small, on improving pasture management and production by helping them develop rotational grazing systems.

Dave Bennett is a refuge manager working with the Rydell and Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuges in northern Minnesota. The objectives of the wildlife refuges are: provide nesting, feeding and resting habitat for waterfowl and other migratory woodland and grassland birds; serve as regional destination for environmental education opportunities; provide woodland and prairie habitat for resident wildlife; and provide opportunities for wildlife observation and outdoor recreation. Bennett will be discussing how they use beef cattle grazing and burning techniques to manage the wildlife refuges.

To request a sale catalog or for more information, visit http://www.beefshowcase.com or contact Jim Scharpe at 507-380-3431.