Arkansas River Valley beef cattle producers can learn the latest in management trends by attending the upcoming River Valley Beef Cattle Conference, according to Van Banks, Yell County, Ark., Extension agent.

This year’s program is scheduled for Feb. 13 at the Dardanelle Community Center.

The River Valley Beef Cattle Conference is a joint educational effort by the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service and Farm Credit Services of western Arkansas.

The conference is designed to provide river valley beef cattle producers with the latest information on market outlook, weed control, marketing options and nutrition. The conference will address a variety of topics including beef cattle market trends, new chemicals for weed control and commodity feeding.

“This conference is one of the top-notch cattle programs held in the United States,” said Banks. “Cattle producers shouldn’t pass up this opportunity.”

The beef cattle conference will feature four industry leaders: Mike Murphy, market analyst for Cattle-Fax; John Boyd, professor and UA Extension weed scientist; Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University professor; and Shane Gadberry, UA assistant professor/Extension livestock specialist.

Murphy, an analyst for the Nebraska feedyards, is responsible for the north central Plains cow-calf and stocker producers. He’s involved in research and risk management analysis. Before joining Cattle-Fax, he worked in the feeding industry in the Texas Panhandle and northern Colorado. He’ll address the market outlook for stocker cattle, include short through long-term forecasts and projections of cattle inventories, beef production, cattle prices, competitive meats and feed grains.

An award-winning professor and weed scientist, Boyd specializes in turfgrass, pasture, and right-of-way weed control and is also responsible for weed control in ornamentals, aquatics, fruits and vegetables.

Since arriving at Oklahoma State University in 1989, Peel has served as the Extension livestock-marketing specialist. His main program areas at OSU include livestock market outlook and marketing/risk management education for livestock producers. Peel also works in the area of international livestock and meat trade. At the Dardanelle meeting, Peel will address marketing options for cattle producers.

Gadberry’s Extension duties focus on managing the nutritional requirements of beef cattle through feedstuff analysis, balanced rations and animal performance evaluation. He’ll discuss the feeding of commodity feeds.

A registration fee of $20 will be collected at the door. The conference will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (large print, audiotapes, etc.) should notify the county Extension office as soon as possible prior to the activity.

For more information, contact the Yell County Extension office at (479) 229-4441 or (479) 495-2216. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.