This Brangus cow located at the Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center. (Courtesy photo)

CORONA, N.M. - The key to a healthy cattle herd is good nutrition. Pasture assessment, supplementation, minerals and water are factors that will be discussed during the Wednesday, Sept. 25, Rancher's Roundtable at New Mexico State University's Southwest Center for Rangeland Sustainability in Corona.

"The panel has the expertise to answer questions regarding animal nutritional aspects of the entire ranching enterprise, including prenatal, adolescent, weaning, backgrounding, preconditioning and in the feedyard," said Shad Cox, superintendent of NMSU's Corona Range and Livestock Research Center. "They will be able to discuss the entire nutritional package from grazing lands, to supplementation periods, minerals and water."

Cox foresees the ranchers' questions will deal with how much grass they have, nutritional quality of the grass, what supplementation is necessary to compensate for the lack of nutrition in the grass, and what water has to do with mineral supplementation.

Panel members will include Nick Ashcroft, NMSU Extension range management specialist; Manny Encinias and Marcy Ward, NMSU Extension livestock specialists; Brenda Simpson, Natural Resources Conservation Service northwest area rangeland management specialist from Grants; Gary Creighton, Purina Mills beef cattle specialist from Portales; Kent Mills, Hipro Feeds field nutritionist from Snyder, Texas; and Bill Smith, AC Nutrition nutritionist from Bellvue, Colo. Eric Scholljegerdes, NMSU range ruminant nutritionist, will be the moderator of the event.

The program will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch will be served. For directions to the center, visit the Corona Range and Livestock Research Center's website at www.coronasc.nmsu.edu.