Texas’ beef cattle short course, considered largest in the nation, provides education to thousands
Beef cattle production in Texas is a $9 billion industry, representing 50% of the value of all agricultural commodities. Beef cattle producers in Texas operate in widely diverse production environments across a large geographic region. Texas producers desire timely information that is relative to their specific production settings and in a forum where subject matter experts can answer questions.
The Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course, which is coordinated by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and held on campus each August, is recognized by producers, industry leaders and educators as the largest and most comprehensive Extension beef cattle program in the nation. Annual planning meetings occur regionally where Extension specialists, cattle producers and industry leaders develop topic priorities.
The 2023 Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course had 2,003 in-person and 181 virtual participants and provided 27 educational sessions allowing participants to tailor their specific educational experiences. There were 115 subject matter speakers and 151 agriculture-related enterprises. Among participants, 90% anticipated economic benefits from information received and an estimated aggregate of $17 million in net return to operations. Participants in 2023 represented management of 183,000 cattle and 1.4 million acres of managed lands.
