A national symposium designed to help beef cattle producers enhance their operations is coming to Nashville in August.

The University of Tennessee Extension will host the 11th Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle Symposium on Aug. 5-6 at the Nashville Airport Marriott.

This conference is the premier conference that provides beef cattle producers, Extension educators, veterinarians, and the allied industry the resources to enhance reproductive efficiency in their operations. This year’s event is sponsored by UT Extension and the Beef Reproduction Task Force — which is a group of Extension animal scientists from universities including Kansas State, Nebraska, South Dakota State, Iowa State, Idaho, Florida and Missouri, with support from several industry sponsors. This is only the second time since its inception that the conference will be hosted in the Southeastern United States.

Justin Rhinehart, UT Extension’s recently appointed beef cattle specialist and researcher, says cow-calf producers find themselves challenged by rising input costs. “Given the magnitude of increased expenses, producers are intently focused on the bottom line. The conference speakers will provide the latest knowledge needed to improve herd productivity and decrease input costs by shortening the calving and breeding season,” he said.

Rhinehart also stresses that the symposium will help producers understand how to improve overall reproductive management through enhancement of both male and female reproduction, as well as innovations in protocols such as estrous synchronization.

The cost of the conference is $150 for registration prior to July 22. Student registration is $75. To register and for room reservations at the Nashville Airport Marriott access the following Web site: http://westcentral.unl.edu/beefrepro/.

A copy of the program is also available online. For more information regarding the conference, including available sponsorships, contact Rhinehart at (615) 835-4561 or by e-mail at [email protected]. You may also contact Cliff Lamb at the University of Florida, (850) 394-9124, [email protected].