Session 6: September 10, 2026
Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory
7:30 a.m. (MT) Coffee and Rolls
8:00 a.m. View Diets with Jerry Volesky and Karla Wilke
8:15 a.m. NRC Review: Nutrient Requirements and Forage Quality with Karla Wilke
9:15 a.m. Break
9:30 a.m. Cull Cow Marketing and Management with Jay Parsons and Karla Wilke
10:45 a.m. Grazing Systems with Jerry Volesky
11:45 a.m. Lunch
12:15 a.m. Ranch Scale Monitoring
- Pasture Assessment/ Grass Snap App
- Sandhills Defoliation Response Index System
- Meadow Hay Management/ Forage Sampling
- Herd Body Condition Score
- Technology
2:00 p.m. Grazing Records and Planning with Jerry Volesky
2:30 p.m. Break
2:45 p.m. Plant ID Final Test with Jerry Volesky and Troy Walz
3:30 p.m. Alternative Protein Sources and Identification with Karla Wilke
4:15 p.m. Feed Cost Calculator and Cornstalk Grazing Calculator with Troy Walz
4:45 p.m. Adjourn
Session 5: September 9, 2026
Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory
7:30 a.m. (MT) Coffee and Rolls
7:50 a.m. Body Condition Score, Yearling Data, and Milk Production with Karla Wilke and Jacki Musgrave
9:15 a.m. Benefits of Early Pregnancy Diagnosis with Rick Funston
9:35 a.m. Minerals and Vitamins with Karla Wilke
10:35 a.m. Break
10:50 a.m. Health Considerations for Weaning and Transition to Feedlot, Veterinarian Perspectives
11:45 a.m. Lunch
12:30 p.m. MP, RUP, RDP, using the NRC and the Growing Calf's Needs with Karla Wilke
1:30 p.m. Implications of Calving Systems with Karla Jenkins and Jay Parsons
2:45 p.m. Break
3:00 p.m. Diet Selection and Animal Behavior with Mitch Stephenson
3:50 p.m. Risk Management Strategies with Jay Parsons
5:00 p.m. Adjourn
Session 3: July 1, 2026
Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory
7:30 a.m. (MT) Coffee and Rolls
7:50 a.m. Herd Body Condition Score Cows and Heifers with Karla Wilke and Jacki Musgrave
Milk Production, Nursing Calf Data, and Implants with Karla Wilke
8:50 a.m. Evaluate Diets with Jerry Volesky and Karla Wilke
9:15 a.m. Break
9:30 a.m. An Introduction to Unit Cost of Production with Aaron Berger
10:45 a.m. Cattle Markets and Marketing Strategies with Jay Parsons
11:45 p.m. Lunch
12:30 p.m. Plant ID Review and Range Health Assessment with Troy Walz and Jerry Volesky
2:00 p.m. Break
2:30 p.m. Field Applications of Beef and Forage Systems
- Ranch Practicum Systems Study with All Instructors
- Meadow Management Plots with Jerry Volesky
- Grasshopper/Fly Control with Dave Boxler
- Wildfire Recovery
4:30 p.m. Balancing Forage Supply and Demand with Jerry Volesky
5:30 p.m. Adjourn
Those interested in reviewing the plant line that was offered during the June session can do so after the session adjourns.
Session 2: June 3, 2026
Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory
7:30 a.m. MT Welcome and Coffee & Rolls
8:00 a.m. Gudmundsen Sandhills Lab Overview with John Nollette
8:15 a.m. Body Condition Scoring with Karla Wilke and Jacki Musgrave
9:30 a.m. Evaluation of Cattle Esophageal Diets with Karla Wilke and Jerry Volesky
10:30 a.m. Introduction to Meadow Management Practices with Jerry Volesky and Ranch Practicum Systems Study
11:45 a.m. Lunch
12:15 p.m. Field Applications of Beef and Forage Systems
1:45 p.m. Nutritional Impacts of Lactation on Body Condition Score with Karla Wilke
3:15 p.m. Break
3:30 p.m. Introduction to Systems Thinking with Brian Vander Ley
4:30 p.m. Range Plants - Pretest and Introduction to Plant ID with Troy Walz and Jerry Volesky
5:30 p.m. Adjourn
Session 1: June 2, 2026
West Central Research Center
8:00 a.m. CT Welcome, Registration, and Coffee & Rolls
8:30 a.m. Introductions with Troy Walz
8:45 a.m. Practicum Overview with Troy Walz
9:00 a.m. Practicum Pretest with Troy Walz
9:45 a.m. Break
10:00 a.m. Decision Making in Agriculture with Jay Parsons
12:00 p.m. Lunch
12:30 p.m. Tour Cattle on Feed and Heifers with Rick Funston
1:30 p.m. Plant Growth, Development and Morphology with Jerry Volesky and Troy Walz
2:00 p.m. Annual Forages with Jerry Volesky
2:30 p.m. Break
2:45 p.m. Plant Response to Defoliation and Wildfire Recovery with Jerry Volesky
3:45 p.m. Factors Around Improving Conception Rates in a Spring or Summer Heard with Rick Funston
4:45 p.m. Seasonal Yield and Quality Patterns with Jerry Volesky
5:30 p.m. Adjourn