“Beef 2020 prepares producers, locker operators, and
he returned to his beef operation and began implement-
others in the industry to understand the necessities
ing the data he derived from the course. Jerry Hofer
that go into producing high-quality beef,” said Wright.
of the Lakeview Colony near Lake Andes said he only
“The course is hands-on and intensive, and we open the
wishes every South Dakota cow-calf producer could take
discussion to get people to exchange ideas and to help
part in the training.
them keep building up their base of knowledge and experience.”
“I came away with the impression that if all cow-calf
Veterinarian Joe Klein, who works with White Veteri-
used in the carcass fabrication training, it would go a
nary Service, took part in the course in 2010. He said it was beneficial to his work as a large-animal vet. “It gives participants an immersion into the industry
producers could learn the basics and the techniques long way towards improving the industry,” Hofer said. “Broadening the educational platform for all producers, to give them clearer pictures of the processing and car-
from top to bottom, and I found the interaction with
cass side, not just the live-animal side, doing that would
others in the class to be among the most valuable parts
have a positive impact on the industry.”
of the course,” Klein said. “The hands-on nature was also helpful. We processed carcasses and saw, cut-by-cut, how the various values are derived from an animal on the rail.” Another participant in last year’s Beef 2020 training said
The training takes place at the South Dakota State University Animal Sciences Complex, located on Campus Drive and Medary Avenue in Brookings. Beef Bucks, Inc., will cover the cost of registration for the first 15 participants. The program costs $50.
To sign up for the course, call Wright at 605-688-5448, or e-mail him at Cody.Wright@sdstate.edu. Or can send payment and contact information to Dr. Cody Wright, SDSU Box 2170, Brookings, SD 57007. Fax your information to him at 605-688-6170. The full schedule of events and a registration form are available online at www.sdstate.edu/ars/species/beef/2020/index.cfm. In addition to the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service, the South Dakota Beef Industry Council and SDSU’s Department of Animal and Range Sciences are sponsoring the workshop. Perhaps above all the lessons he learned, Dave Skoglund said the non-biased information the training gave him, and its overarching “pasture to plate” approach, made a big difference. It is why he’d recommend it to others. “In this business, it’s all about learning, learning every day,” Skoglund said. “You never know when you’ll get that one piece of information that makes a huge difference in your operation.”
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