The National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) team kicked off an inaugural webinar series to bring together and educate NJHA Fed Steer Shootout participants.

“Last night’s discussion about marketing was the first in a series of webinars that will take place throughout the next four weeks,” Amy Cowan, director of youth actives and foundation said. “We were excited to have 12 junior members and their families join us from across the country and participate in the online educational session.”

David Trowbridge, manager of Gregory Feedlots Inc., who is hosting the 2017 NJHA Fed Steer Shootout, was the special guest for first the webinar. Trowbridge walked the participants through the program and the progress since the steers were delivered to the feedlot in January. He also discussed how the steers have been managed at the yard and the plans for marketing the steers through the Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) program at Greater Omaha Packing Company.

The first group of steers are scheduled to be ready for harvest the end of June. David explained that there will be a 60-day window as to when cattle will be ready, and he foresees the last of the steers to by harvested by the end of August.

He also visited with the program participants about feed rations, implant schedules and the health of the steers. After Trowbridge’s discussion, there was a question and answer session and participants asked lots of questions to learn more about the project and how their individual calves and pens were progressing.

“We are excited about the educational opportunity this program offers junior members to learn more in depth knowledge about the cattle feeding industry and how their Hereford genetics perform in the yard and on the rail,” Trey Befort, director of commercial programs for CHB said.  “The upcoming webinars in the series will include education for participates on some very interesting topics including ultrasound imagine, EPDs and genetics as well as feed lot health programs.”

Sponsors for the 2017 NJHA Fed Steer Shootout include: Gregory Feedlots, Inc., Tabor, Iowa, UltraInsights Processing Lab, Inc., Maryville, Mo., Allflex USA, Zoetis Animal Health and Geneseek, Lincoln, Neb.