Submitted by Brandy Brabham, WVU-Roane County Extension Agent, 304-927-0975
Each winter, the West Virginia University (WVU) Extension sets out on a mission to bring educational opportunities to those residents who have a focus on agriculture.
After having to switch to an online platform in 2021, the 2023 winter dinner meeting series returned to an in-person format from January through March.
WVU Extension Service is bringing education, know-how and research to you. The 2024 agriculture dinner meetings are a great opportunity to learn first-hand from Extension experts and other industry-related professionals about various topics.
We encourage residents to take advantage of an opportunity to enjoy a meal with other area producers while gaining insights and knowledge to help improve various agricultural projects. Through the series, individuals will learn from experts, who will be discussing topics relevant to help improve agricultural operations.
The first course offered in our area will be about livestock, “Value of Gain Concept.” The course will be offered at the Roane County Library on Tuesday, January 23, beginning at 6:30 PM in Spencer, WV. Pre-registration for this meeting will be by 4:00 PM on Monday, January 22 to the local WVU Extension Service office in Roane County at 304-927-0975.
In this presentation, Dr. Kevin Shaffer will discuss the concept of Value of Gain, how it is calculated and how it can be applied across different livestock enterprises.
Dr. Shaffer was raised on a family farm in north-central West Virginia raising commercial cattle. He earned a B.S., M.S. and Ph. D. in Animal Sciences from West Virginia University, specializing in ruminant nutrition and beef cattle management. Dr. Shaffer is an Extension Associate Professor with the WVUES and the WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design. He serves as coordinator of the West Virginia Young Sire Evaluation Program, including the Wardensville and Southern Bull Test programs, WV Quality Assurance Feeder Cattle Marketing Program and teaches beef cattle management courses. Dr. Shaffer resides in Philippi, WV with his wife, Monica, two daughters, Avery and Ellie, and one son, Emmett. Together, they are managing a growing a livestock business.
Costs for the dinners vary, but in many cases, like here in Roane County, sponsors like Farm Credit and the Little Kanawha Conservation District provide funding to cover the producers’ meals and door prizes for the meetings.
For more information about the speaker series, please contact WVU Roane County Extension Agent in Agriculture and Natural Resources, Brandy Brabham by phone at 304-927-0975, or by emailing brandy.brabham@mail.wvu.edu.
