Alltech’s fifth annual Global Beef 500 will take place Dec. 4 to 6 and is expected to draw more than 500 beef producers.

Steve Van Dyke, who owns a cow/calf operation near Brookings, SD, attended Global 500 last year for the first time and would like to attend again.

“The Global 500 was different from other beef events I've attended because it offers a worldwide perspective on beef production, beef sustainability and beef quality improvement,” said Van Dyke. “Alltech's Global 500 provides information to people in all phases of beef production, but always in an insightful way.” 

This year’s agenda seeks to once again offer some insight on topics such as branding beef, social media, employee training, decreasing carbon footprints and mycotoxins as well as many presentations that will address the core theme for the event, the EPS principle- Efficiency, Profitability and Sustainability:

• “Back to the Future”: What You Will Hear
Why do we aim low? Why aren’t our beef animals 200 pounds heavier three weeks earlier? Why isn’t your meat quality higher? Is the beef grading system dated? What are the barriers and obstacles to profitable beef farming?

• Feeding the Machine: What We Must Understand to Maximize Productivity
How do we keep pace with genetics? Why do we cull cows so early? Why is there such high infertility coming into the herd? Why don’t we have greater feed efficiency from beef finishers? Do we understand what the new technology is and how to apply it?

• The Gene Chip: A Breakthrough in Natural Nutrition
What the gene chip tells us about personalized medicine for humans and its implications for feeding our animals -Tomorrow’s technology today.

• The Mycotoxin Killer: Today’s Most Prevalent Problem
As the hidden killer on farms today, what do we do when two-thirds of all grains are contaminated with mycotoxin? What do we do when distillers dried grain (DDG) has three times the mycotoxin levels and is now a major ingredient?

• Beef Goals & the Marketplace
High quality meat tastes better and is better. How can you raise efficient, high-producing animals that deliver what the market needs?

• Fundamental Forage
Home-grown forage: your cheapest material. How do you optimize it:  Four simple things to look for in forage.

• From Conception to Consumption: The Beef Connection
Raise calves that excel. Can antibiotics be reduced while maintaining health and productivity? Can you gain $200 more per animal?

• Prize Steak on the Menu
Every steak should be perfect.  Is nutrition the key to a delicious steak?  

• Lyons Farm: Creating Our Own Model
A branding exercise using the Lyons Farm model; Could it work for you? What is required? What are the next steps? How we are implementing it.

• Your Carbon Footprint: The New Reality
What is a carbon footprint, and why is it important to you?  The New Zealand Government will subsidize emissions from farmers until at least 2015; how long will taxpayers subsidize the agricultural sector which accounts for 50 percent of its carbon emissions?  As carbon footprint comes into the spotlight with consumers and governments across the world how can we respond to address these challenges?

“As the global demand for beef products continues to grow and our climate becomes less and less stable, the pressure to innovate is on the shoulders of today’s producers. However, the question of how to remain profitable is a question that does not have a clear answer anymore,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “This year at Global Beef 500, Alltech has developed a program that will aim to address all of the current issues facing cattle producers and will look toward future developments that could affect the industry and how to manage them.”

“The food animal industry is changing rapidly, both in the US and globally,” Van Dyke added. “At Global 500, we were challenged to look at things from a new perspective. The lessons I learned at Global 500 made me a better manager, producer, and steward of the industry I love.”

The Global 500 registration fee is $325 and includes access to all Global 500 sessions, organized meetings, luncheons and dinners during the event.  For more information on Global 500 and to register, please visit www.alltech.com/global500 and use the invitation code G124.

PHOTO
Delegates listen intently as speakers discuss consumer demand, branding and meat quality during the 2011 Global Beef 500 session. Courtesy of Alltech.

-- Alltech news release