130th Annual Convention Hosts Featured Speakers

130th Annual Convention Hosts Featured Speakers

Our 130th Annual Convention kicks off today and we could not be more excited! Everything is coming together here at the Holiday Inn Grand Montana in Billings and attendees are already streaming in. To celebrate 2014 and the growth that our organization and the cattle business has experienced, we’ve greatly expanded the educational workshop opportunities during the 3-day Convention!

Along with featured speakers at our General Sessions, including Governor Steve Bullock, Lois Olmstead, and Greg Hanes from U.S. Meat Export Federation, we have 16 Cattlemen’s College sessions that will cover a vast number of topics directly related to cattle and ranch management. Below is an overview of their sessions and times of appearance. For a full Convention schedule, grab a program at registration or see our Online Agenda. Be sure to follow us on Social Media all week for continuous updates and use the hashtag #MSGA14!

Kurt Alme, Yellowstone Boys & Girls Ranch Foundation

Dec. 11 & 12 Cattlemen’s College – “Farm & Ranch Estate Planning”

Do I need a Will? Which is better, a Will or Revocable Living Trust? Do I need Powers of Attorney, a Living Will and Advance Directives? Is Uncle Sam going to be my heir? (Discussing gift, estate, income, capital gains and Affordable Care Act) How do I reduce the taxes I will pay?

Greg Nunnery, Ph.D, RangeMate America

Dec. 11 & 13 Cattlemen’s College – “Nutrition Concepts for your Cow Herd”

Dr. Kevin Hill, DVM, Merck Animal Health

Dec. 11 & 12, Cattlemen’s College – “Adding Value to Calves: Data from Superior Livestock”; “Vaccination Strategies for Lifetime Calf Health”; “Parasite Control Programs: Emerging Resistance to Ivermectins”

Dr. JP Pollreisz, Zoetis Animal Health

Dec. 11 & 12 Cattlemen’s College – “Judicious use of Anti-infectives”

Effective, appropriate and humane use of antibiotics in beef cattle while maintaining a safe and high quality product.

Larry Gran, Zoetis Animal Health

Dec. 11 & 12 Cattlemen’s College – “GeneMax Advantage”

GeneMax Advantage is a genomic test for 75% and higher Black Angus females. The test ranks heifers for net return using three economic index scores, indentifies genetic outliers for four additional traits and facilitiates multi-sire assignment from cadidate Zoetis HD 50-K-tested sires. GeneMax Advantage delivers more dependable information for heifer selection, mating, and marketing decisions.

ABS, Accelerated, Genex,Origen and Select Sires

Dec. 12 & 13 Cattlemen’s College – “Successful Strategies for your Breeding Program”

ABS, Accelerated, Genex,Origen and Select Sires are teaming up to present a interactive workshop for cattle producers to improve conception rates in their AI Programs. The workshop will include 5 different workshops: A breeding barn demonstration, proper semen handling and Synchronizing, AI techniques and a few tips on marketing your calf crop. This exciting hands on workshop will be presented twice during convention and we hope to see all of you there!

Matt Bitz, One Montana

Dec. 13 – “Beef Processing Plant Feasibility Presentation”

Can a meat processing plant be built in Montana?  This is the question that One Montana, a Bozeman-based nonprofit, has been working to answer for the last year.  They have conducted a feasibility study examining, marketing, location, design, labor, and economic impacts in order to answer the question.  President Bill Bryan and Program Manager Matt Bitz will present the project findings in a forum and take questions on Saturday morning at 10 AM.

Greg Hanes, U.S. Meat Export Federation

Dec. 13, President’s Lunch – “International Markets: The Importance of the American Beef Producer”

With 96 percent of the world’s population outside the United States and improving economies worldwide, the international markets will play a larger and more important role for the American beef producer.  A contractor to the Beef Checkoff, Greg Hanes, assistant vice president of international marketing and planning at the U.S. Meat Export Federation, will provide background on the organization, discuss the importance to Montana’s cattle producers, and highlight some of the challenges and opportunities in markets around the world.

Lois Olmstead

Dec. 13, Inspirational Breakfast – “Finding an adventure isn’t hard to do…just look from where you are standing”

Lois shares how to live with joy and courage. Inspiring others is something that has become part of her everyday life. She impacts audiences with her positive views of living a joyful life.

Brett Crosby & Cole Swanser, Custom Ag Solutions

Dec. 13, Cattlemen’s College – “Making the Most of a Strong Cattle Market”

Have you always thought that your price risk management skills were a little…lacking?  Record price movements in the cattle markets have increased the potential benefits of developing a strategy for taking advantage of high prices and protecting yourself from downturns.  Join cattle producer and industry expert Brett Crosby and agricultural economist Kole Swanser to learn how simple and effective risk management strategies can help you sleep better at night and keep a bigger share of the potential profits from today’s historically strong market.  Listen to a market outlook, learn about available tools and strategies, and then get “hands on” experience through a real world simulation to see just how much more control you can have over your bottom line.

Dr. Jeanne Rankin, DVM, MSU Extension-Agro-Emergency Project

Dec.13, Cattlemen’s College – “Biosecurity: How does it affect your pocket book?

Will your livestock operation survive a Foreign Animal Disease infection found in the United States? What if it is in Montana?  In YOUR County? ON YOUR RANCH? Dr. Rankin will share her insights on Foreign Animal Disease (like Foot and Mouth Disease) and new, emerging diseases like Porcine Endemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv):  what these diseases look like and how they spread, what producers can do to limit or prevent these diseases, what the state and federal government response will be and how producers can reduce these risks by having a good biosecurity plan in place. In the second hour participants will engage in a real-life FMD scenario, (table-top exercise) in Montana, actively responding to the findings of an index case within a herd and the implications to continuity of livestock business for all cloven-hoofed animals within a 20 mile radius. Beef, dairy, sheep and pork operations will be represented at 1/32 scale using toy barns, corrals and livestock; pastures, rivers and roads will complete the transportation corridors.  Come play in the sandbox!