A
Anonymous
We spent the last week out at the Deseret ranch in deer park,fl for this years ai and palpating course. This year I was fortunate enough to go down and help out and also get some more time getting dirty and staying in practice.
What an incredible operation they have going there. Each day started by the ranch workers bringing in mixed groups of cows and pairs. The last 2 days I got there early and was able to help them sort and get some first hand experience with how they run. With top notch alleys and gates and facilities, it was nothing to sort out 300 animals in 45 minutes. Mainly splitting out the calves from the cows, an splitting those calves into ones that hadn't been worked yet.
Onto the course and pen work(getting dirty).
This year, like last, there were 3 runs to work cows in. One hydraulic squeeze, one single ai dark box, and a double ai dark box. With 35 or so people in the class, 6 extension agents from the surrounding counties, and other breeding experts, things went remarkably smooth and fast. First the cows were palpated, and if open (and verified open) people got a chance to pass a rod. Compared to last year, a lot of people were successful.
The pen work was usually done by noon, followed by lunch which was pork chops, pulled pork, sloppy joes, and ribeyes depending on the day. With some great sides; pasta salad, salad, baked potato..etc.
Followings lunch was use the class work with some incredibly insightful expert lecturers. The oldest of which is one of the founders of palpating, ai, nutrition, etc. a modern day Temple Grandin.
He's 94 years old and still going in cows. Great man names Dr. Wornock out of Uf.
I can't say enough about the course, the extension agents, Deseret ranch, UF, and ol Doc. Next years course already has 12 people pre registered. Just to give you an idea of the popularity. In this years class were people from ga, nc, sc, fl, and even some from another Country. Even the previous governor of Ga was there.
All in all, a great program out on by some of the best instructors and experts in the region. If anyone gets the chance to get in on the class uf puts on...don't hesitate.
What an incredible operation they have going there. Each day started by the ranch workers bringing in mixed groups of cows and pairs. The last 2 days I got there early and was able to help them sort and get some first hand experience with how they run. With top notch alleys and gates and facilities, it was nothing to sort out 300 animals in 45 minutes. Mainly splitting out the calves from the cows, an splitting those calves into ones that hadn't been worked yet.
Onto the course and pen work(getting dirty).
This year, like last, there were 3 runs to work cows in. One hydraulic squeeze, one single ai dark box, and a double ai dark box. With 35 or so people in the class, 6 extension agents from the surrounding counties, and other breeding experts, things went remarkably smooth and fast. First the cows were palpated, and if open (and verified open) people got a chance to pass a rod. Compared to last year, a lot of people were successful.
The pen work was usually done by noon, followed by lunch which was pork chops, pulled pork, sloppy joes, and ribeyes depending on the day. With some great sides; pasta salad, salad, baked potato..etc.
Followings lunch was use the class work with some incredibly insightful expert lecturers. The oldest of which is one of the founders of palpating, ai, nutrition, etc. a modern day Temple Grandin.
He's 94 years old and still going in cows. Great man names Dr. Wornock out of Uf.
I can't say enough about the course, the extension agents, Deseret ranch, UF, and ol Doc. Next years course already has 12 people pre registered. Just to give you an idea of the popularity. In this years class were people from ga, nc, sc, fl, and even some from another Country. Even the previous governor of Ga was there.
All in all, a great program out on by some of the best instructors and experts in the region. If anyone gets the chance to get in on the class uf puts on...don't hesitate.
