MISSISSIPPI STATE – A special Nov. 19 seminar at a Mississippi State University greenhouse classroom will train participants in pasture and forage management for dual cattle systems.

The MSU Extension Service is hosting the free seminar to teach innovative concepts in this field. Guest speakers will be Rein van der Hoek and Martin Mena Urbina from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture in Nicaragua.

Students, industry professionals, and cattle and forage producers are invited to attend the Innovative Pasture and Forage Management Concepts for Dual Cattle Systems seminar at 1 p.m. in the greenhouse classroom of Dorman Hall.

Rocky Lemus, Extension forage specialist who is coordinating the seminar, said dual systems use cattle for both milk and beef production. Management practices under the dual approach can impact grazing systems.

Van der Hoek and Urbina have more than 40 years of combined experience in making forage and livestock production sustainable in small production systems in Nicaragua and across the world.

They will be hosted by the MSU Department of Plant and Soil Sciences in conjunction with the MSU and University of Florida forage Extension and research programs. During their visit to MSU, the speakers will meet with Extension and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station leaders, as well as MSU forage experts. They will share their expertise and learn about forage research and outreach programs in Mississippi.

This visit is part of a collaborative effort to establish an exchange student program through a U.S. Agency for International Development grant. The program will train Nicaraguan students in forage management. This effort has been established through the MSU Extension Service’s forage volunteer outreach program developed with the “Farm to Farmer” initiative.

A 12:30 p.m. reception is planned before the seminar. Contact Tina Brock at 662-325-2352 or tbrock@pss.msstate.edu for directions, to register for the reception or to get information on how to attend the seminar via the distance learning network at a county Extension office.