UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's Department Of Dairy And Animal Science Will Host The First Beef Cow Camp For Youth Interested In Beef Cattle Science, June 19-23 At The University Park Campus. The Camp Is For Youth 13-18 Years Old Who Have An Interest In Beef Production To Experience And Learn About Modern Beef Production Technology.

"We feel it is important to show young people the wide array of careers and activities available in the beef industry," says camp coordinator John Comerford, associate professor of dairy and animal science. "The camp will allow them to have a hands-on experience with many of these technologies."

Campers will have a full slate of activities, including grading live cattle and carcasses; fabricating wholesale meat cuts to retail packaging; identifying pasture species and planning a grazing system; balancing a ration for feedlot steers; performing ultrasound examinations of cattle for carcass traits and for pregnancy detection; collection and transfers of embryos; artificial insemination technique; and herd management activities such as condition scoring of cows, castration of calves, implanting, and ear tagging.

"We also will do some fun things like having a fitting and showmanship workshop, and then have a mock contest," says Comerford. "These and all other activities will be conducted at the university's Beef-Sheep Center."

The cost is $175 per camper and includes food, housing and all camp activities. "We are very pleased we could make the camp affordable for many young people because of financial support from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Lebanon Valley Farmers Bank/Fulton Bank, Taylor-Excel Packing Co., Agri-Basics Inc., The Pennsylvania Cattleman's Association and the Pennsylvania Simmental Association," says Comerford. For more information or to register, visit the Web at http://www.das.psu.edu/ or call Comerford at 814-863-3661. Registration materials are also available at county offices of Penn State Cooperative Extension.

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Writer/Editor: Jeff Mulhollem Office 814-863-2719 FAX 814-863-9877