The University of Minnesota Extension is hosting two webinar series that are designed for folks interested  in farming with cattle, goats or sheep.

“Essentials for the Cattle Owner With a Day Job" is a three-session webinar that will be held on from 8 to 9 p.m. CST on Thursdays, Nov. 3 (today), 10 and 17.

The webinars will focus on topics designed to help cattle owners who have obligations other than cattle, such as an off-the-farm job or crop farming. Farmers, 4-H members, ag business professionals who work with farmers, and those interested in beef cows are invited to attend.

The presentations will focus on:

Thursday, Nov. 3 (today). Grazing strategies to reduce annual costs. Topics to be discussed: Grazing strategies and pasture set up to keep annual cost down, with the overall goal of keeping things simple to maximize efficiency and save time.

Thursday, Nov. 10. How to choose your calving season. Topics to be discussed: What should influence when you calve and how will that influence your marketing strategy? Considerations include scours, labor, time and space.

Thursday, Nov. 17. Winter housing — space requirements, feeding strategies and spring scours. Topics to be discussed: The different options for housing cows in the winter and the considerations you should make when setting up your system.

Preregistration is required. Register at z.umn.edu/beefowner. You will receive a Zoom link following registration. You only have to register once, and you will be registered for all subsequent webinars.

If you are unable to attend the live sessions, you will receive the recordings for all the sessions via email at the end of the series. Questions? Contact Brenda Miller, Extension educator in Todd County, at [email protected].

Beginning goat, sheep farming information

From 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., Nov. 10, Extension also hosts a webinar featuring how two beginning goat and sheep farmers started out farming. Beginning farmers, farmers, 4-H’ers, ag business professionals who work with farmers and those interested in sheep or goats are invited to attend.

How does a person start raising sheep or goats? What goes into the planning, and what are some lessons, successes and pitfalls these farmers have learned along the way? Beginning farmers and farmers looking to diversify their livestock operation likely have heard that sheep and goats can be a profit center as the demand for lamb and chevon (goat meat) has increased at the family table.

Miller has seen an uptick in people interested in raising sheep and goats. “I have received many calls about how to raise and market goats and sheep in the last few years,” she said. “Raising sheep and goats is a great way to start a small livestock operation, a hobby farm or begin a 4-H project.”

This is the third session in a monthly series of webinars addressing the needs of new sheep and goat farmers. Preregister at z.umn.edu/producerspotlight2022.

If you are unable to attend the live session, you will receive the recording via email. Questions? Contact Miller at [email protected] or Colleen Carlson at [email protected].

Source: University of Minnesota Extension