MANHATTAN – Kansas State University has opened early registration for two junior producer days that will be held in late February and mid-March.
The Junior Beef Producer Day will be Feb. 29, and the Junior Sheep Producer Day will be March 14. The events are hosted by the K-State Youth Livestock Program; K-State Research and Extension; and the K-State Department of Animal Sciences and Industry.
Registration costs $15 for each event, or $20 after the early deadline. Registration is available by downloading a flyer at http://bit.ly/ksujrproducerdays, or by completing the online form at http://bit.ly/ksuasiregister.
The early deadlines are Feb. 7 for Junior Beef Producer Day, and Feb. 21 for Junior Sheep Producer Day. Both events will be hosted in Weber Arena on K-State’s Manhattan campus.
The junior day programs are a one-day educational opportunity for youth, parents, project leaders, agents and others to increase their knowledge of youth livestock production and management. Topics planned include project selection, nutrition and feeding, meat science, health, reproduction, grooming, showmanship and the state livestock nomination process.
K-State faculty members, staff, students, extension agents and guest speakers will lead the sessions. All ages are welcome, but all attendees must register. These are biennial events, with sheep and beef days hosted in even years and swine and meat goat in odd years.
Both Junior Beef and Junior Sheep days will offer an instructor-led training for youth attendees to earn their YQCA certification, which is provided as an optional session after each junior day program concludes (approximately 4 p.m.). The training is expected to last up to one and a half hours. YQCA is a national youth livestock quality assurance program in its second year.
For more information, visit www.youthlivestock.ksu.edu. For questions, please contact Lexie Hayes, youth livestock coordinator, at [email protected] or 785-532-1264.