MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Livestock owners and hay producers have an opportunity to learn a lot of information about their business in a short amount of time at a Mississippi State University two-day short course in August.

The Mississippi Pasture and Forage Short Course will be held Aug. 26-27 at the Bost Conference Center at MSU. It is sponsored by the MSU Extension Service, along with company leaders in the forage field.

Registration for two full days costs $150 and includes meals, refreshments, a workshop handbook and a cap. Only 80 seats are available, and registration closes Aug. 15. Participants who complete the training meet the basic level requirements for Grazing Certification.

Topics for the intensive course include soil sampling and fertility; pasture establishment, improvement and renovation; forage legumes in pasture systems; livestock nutrition; forage quality and hay production; dry matter estimation; grazing systems layout and design; weed and insect control; animal health concerns; intensive grazing; nutrition injection systems; and the forage variety testing program.

Contact Rocky Lemus at (662) 325-7718 or rlemus@ext.msstate.edu, or Tammy Scott at (662) 325-2701 for registration information.