High Plains Ranch Practicum now taking applications for 2016 class

A national award-winning livestock extension program is being offered for 2016 in the Nebraska Panhandle and southeast Wyoming, beginning in late June and concluding in November.

The High Plains Ranch Practicum School is an in-depth ranch management school hosted jointly by the Nebraska Extension and the University of Wyoming Extension.

Enrollment is limited to 35. Participants must register by June 3.  Registration forms are available at HPRanchPracticum.com

The High Plains Ranch Practicum is an eight-day, four-session, hands-on educational program designed to give participants the skills and application of management tools needed to be successful in today’s complex ranching industry, said Dallas Mount of UW Extension, an instructor in the program. 

Sessions will be held in Cheyenne, Wyo., and on area ranches. The hands-on experiences combined with time in the classroom help to solidify concepts learned in the Practicum. 

The course will focus on providing ranchers tools to understand and integrate four areas of ranch management: range and forage resources, integrating nutrition and reproduction, cost of production analysis and family working relationships.

“Ranchers able to integrate these four areas into decision-making will find they can use a systems approach to improve the long term profitability of the ranch operation,” said Aaron Berger of Nebraska Extension, also one of the instructors.

Participants will benefit from instruction and current research in range livestock production, financial management and marketing systems.

Mount said attendees enjoy the camaraderie with other participants, instructors and facilitators throughout the three seasons of the practicum.

“Friendships and exchanges of ideas among participants will be some of the most-valued aspects of the program,” he said.

There is a $600 fee for individuals or $900 for a couple that covers materials, instructor costs and meal expenses. 

For additional information or to register, contact UNL Extension Educator Aaron Berger at (308) 235-3122 or [email protected], or UW Extension Educator Dallas Mount at (307) 322-3667 or [email protected].