"Building for the Future" is the theme of the 2016 beef and forage field day, scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 24, at the NDSU Dickinson Research Extension Center ranch southwest of Manning, North Dakota.

The field day will focus on research that demonstrates the symbiotic relationship among the land, plants and livestock.

Doug Landblom, animal scientist at the center and facilitator for the event, said the afternoon event will focus on methods to reduce cost without sacrificing yield of beef and grains. "With the declining commodity markets producers are facing today, we are researching forage systems that can be helpful in sustaining soil health and providing income opportunities," he said.

The field day schedule, speakers and topics are:

• 1:30 p.m. - Welcome, Kris Ringwall, center director

• 1:35 p.m. - Integrating crops and livestock: Effect on fertilizer, spring wheat yield and net return, Landblom

• 2 p.m. - Building soil organic matter for increased nutrient cycling and crop production, Larry Cihacek, NDSU associate professor of soil science

• 2:30 p.m. - Building crop and livestock diversity with cover crops and beef cattle grazing, Fara Brummer, NDSU Central Grasslands Research Extension Center area Extension livestock specialist; Ryan Buetow, Extension agronomist; and Landblom

• 3:15 p.m. - Yearling steers developed with an integrated annual forage grazing system; net profit in a declining cattle market, Songul Senturklu, Turkish visiting animal scientist

• 3:30 p.m. - New research focusing on environmental effects of integrated crop and livestock systems, producer-extended grazing systems and forage-finished beef, Brummer and Landblom

For more information on the beef and forage field day, contact Landblom at 701-456-1109 or douglas.landblom@ndsu.edu.

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