Featured events include addresses from keynote speaker and best-selling author Marcus Luttrell, political strategist Bob Beckel and conservative columnist Cal Thomas and the CattleFax Annual Outlook Seminar. The Cattlemen’s College courses will be held Wednesday, Feb. 1 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Seminars will include:

■ Reproductive Technology Applications: Learn how reproductive technologies such as estrus synchronization and artificial insemination work in the cow-calf enterprise.

Reproductive management experts will share their experience and advice in this interactive, demonstration-based class format.

■ Managing Resources, Partnerships and Agency Relationships: The new era of ranching is characterized by progressive management, scientifically guided riparian or upland restoration, land health assessment and monitoring.

Learn how to more effectively manage resources and partnerships to positively impact your bottom line and quality of life.

■ Strategies to Impact Feed Efficiency: Hear about the need for improved feed efficiency in the beef industry, including insight into benchmark data showing the current status of feedlot closeout data.

The role of genomics in the genetic improvement of this complex trait will be discussed.

■ Strategies to Improve Beef Safety: Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) scientists have developed a multitude of food safety interventions that have enhanced beef safety.

Hear past successes and gain a visionary look at food safety strategies and technologies. Learn more about mitigating the potential environment impact of pathogens from manure, interventions to control of E. coli O157:H7 and genomic approaches for controlling foodborne pathogens.

■ Finding Profitability in Volatile Times: The beef industry faces unprecedented volatility and is increasingly influenced by external factors, yet the opportunities for cow-calf and stocker profitability are promising.

However, prospering in this business environment calls for disciplined, objective and innovative strategies.

■ Futuristic Tools to Drive Beef Demand: The creation and application of technological innovation is critical to the future of the beef industry.

Deepen your understanding of the technological breakthroughs that have the most potential to enhance beef demand and consumer satisfaction.

■ Lifetime Reproductive Management 1: Learn what happens as the embryo is formed and the subsequent lifetime impact of the maternal environment on the developing fetus.

Session concludes with a discussion of appropriate management of yearling heifers for lifetime reproductive success.

■ The 300-Day Grazing System: Learn how to implement management changes to enhance the utilization of grown forages and reduce dependency on fertilizer, supplemental feed and fuel.

This session will focus on stockpiled forages, rotational grazing, complementary forages, legume establishment and efficient management of hay.

■ Genetics to Create Cows: Leading scientists from MARC will share 35 years of work in assessing beef cattle genetics.

Topics include: how breeds have changed over the past 30 years, the role of cow size, breed complementarity and heterosis on beef efficiency and the effective use of terminal sires and maternal composites in herds of all sizes.

■ It’s a Risky Business: The cattle business faces risk factors – weather, market prices, input costs and a host of others.

Recognizing risk factors and applying management strategies to those of highest priority are key skills for cattle enterprise managers.

The current economic environment requires a more holistic and integrated approach to risk mitigation.

■ Driving Change – The National Beef Quality Audit: Hear how the historic National Beef Quality Audits helped provide key benchmarks to help industry participants recapture lost profit opportunities and improve overall beef quality.

■ Lifetime Reproductive Management 2: Reproductive success beyond the first pregnancy depends on good nutrition and cost-effective management of forage and feed resources.

Learn about tools and protocols for use in synchronization of estrus and ovulation and how they can impact weaning weights and cow culling rates.

■ The Genetics of Disease: Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) complex is a major cause of illness and death in cattle from 6 weeks to 2 years old.

Recent developments in molecular genetics and genotyping platforms offer unique opportunities to use modern genomic tools to manage the future health of beef cattle.

■ What Do Feeders Want?: Cow-calf and stocker operators work hard to produce calves that meet the demands and expectations of the feeding sector.

Hear directly from the primary buyers of feeder calves to learn more about the characteristics they most demand.

The results of a recent study that evaluated the primary factors affecting feeder calf prices will also be shared. Session will prepare producers to create feeder calves aligned with market demand.

■ Farm Business Success in Turbulent Times: Success requires the ability of leaders to be proactive, optimistic and strategic in nature.

While production management skill remains a core expertise, business leaders must also establish a winning business direction, nurture and adapt the business culture to succeed in turbulent conditions and to attract, develop and retain an exceptional workforce.

Hear about crucial ideas and skills required to develop a thriving business culture.

■ Instrument Grading – A Report Card: Once viewed as a pipe dream, instrument grading is now commonplace in the packing sector.

Hear the results of a new research study that evaluated the effectiveness of instrument grading in accurately assessing factors that influence palatability and consumer experience.

—NCBA news release