Area cattle producers graduate from Master Cattleman course
KENNETH GAUTREAUX
ST. FRANCISVILLE, LOUISIANA
Twenty-four area cattle producers from four parishes are the newest graduates of the Louisiana Master Cattleman program.
The program started in 2004 as an effort to get the latest information regarding beef and dairy production to producers and make their operations economically and environmentally sustainable.
Producers attended 30 hours of classroom instruction spread out over 10 weeks on a variety of topics. Some of the material covered included pasture management, animal nutrition, animal handling, finance and reproduction physiology.
The program was organized by LSU AgCenter Master Farmer Program coordinator Donna Gentry. Each class presented an LSU AgCenter agent or faculty member who specialized in the topic being discussed.
More than 1,400 cattle producers have completed the program.
“I think it is a great opportunity for farmers and ranchers to learn more in depth about some of the topics that can make them better producers,” Gentry said. “With rising input prices, this can help them be more efficient and profitable.”
Caroline and Cole Frey are married and were attending the program together. Cole’s parents encouraged the couple to enroll in the class.
“We’re both newer to farming,” Caroline Frey said. “I’m mostly involved with the recordkeeping aspect, and I like helping with the organization parts.”
Cole Frey was interested in finding ways to help deal with rising input costs.
“We’ve seen costs double, if not triple, during the past two years,” he said. “I’ve planted ryegrass because it’s the cheapest and most nutritious way to feed cattle during the winter, and I was interested in learning about pasture management.”
John Patrick was attending his fourth Master Cattleman class.
“I get a little bit out of each of the classes,” Patrick said. “If you’re serious about being in the cattle business, you need to take this class.”
Patrick also said that the course allows him to network with other cattle producers in the area and “you can’t have too many friends in this business.”
Graduates from West Feliciana Parish are Emma Bush, Ashley Bush, Scot Floyd, David Gordon, Jody Jensen, Blaire LeBlanc, Neil Leblanc, Katlin Lucas, Thomas Olsen, John Patrick, Blaine Reed and Robert Triche. Representing East Feliciana Parish are Happy Banta, Ariel Bourgoyne, Donna Gentry, Adam Knight, Jonathan Knight and Mark Milton. Pointe Coupee Parish graduates are Josh Adams, Caroline Frey, Cole Frey, Carl Keen and Dillion Lacour. Representing East Baton Rouge Parish is Matt Thorton. ∆
LSU AgCenter agent Bobby Bingham discusses how beef products go from the farm to consumers’ tables during the AgCenter Master Cattleman course. Twenty-four area cattle producers attend 30 hours of classroom instruction, and they are the most recent Master Cattleman graduates.
Photo by Craig Gautreaux/LSU AgCenter