Nebraska Beef Feedlot Roundtable Feb. 17 in Grand Island

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The 2004 Nebraska Beef Feedlot Roundtable will
present timely information to cattle feeders on traceability of beef and
recent market trends, a University of Nebraska feedlot specialist said.
With the recent case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy and
associated required changes, the Feb. 17 meeting in Grand Island will be of
interest to those in the feedlot industry, said Galen Erickson, feedlot
specialist.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. with the program from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Topics will cover the benefits and challenges of tracing beef from
conception to consumption with Allen Bright, Nebraska Cattlemen president
and chairman of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association animal ID
committee, discussing challenges for beef operators. Dell Allen, with
Excel, will discuss the challenges for the packing industry. Challenges
facing retailers will be included and other information related to BSE in
cattle.

The afternoon session will discuss consumer confidence, presented by
the Nebraska Beef Council, which also will sponsor a new beef product at
lunch again this year. Recent market trends will be presented by Dillion
Feuz, NU agriculture marketing specialist; an economist view of demand:
wholesale and retail prices and trade issues, will be presented by Jim
Robb, director, Livestock Market Information Center; and a brief discussion
on the livestock revenue protection programs will be by project leader,
Dave Bracht.

Other topics are: E. coli 0157:H7 intervention strategies by
feedlots, presented by Dave Smith, NU dairy/beef veterinarian, and by the
packing industry, also presented by Allen. Environmental Quality Incentives
Program funding for feedlots will be discussed by Jim Reedy, U.S.
Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conversation Service in
Norfolk and the program will end with a discussion on UNL facility
enhancements and recent research, presented by Erickson.
Cost is $25 by Feb. 11 or $30 at the door. For more information,
contact Erickson at (402) 472-6402, fax (402) 472-6362 or e-mail
geericks@unlnotes.unl.edu.

The Beef Roundtable is sponsored by Cooperative Extension in NU's
Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Nebraska Cattlemen and
the Nebraska Beef Council.