UW Extension to Offer Cattle AI Class and Breeding Days in Two Counties

For youth interested in cattle breeding, University of Wyoming Extension will offer artificial insemination (AI) classes in Campbell and Fremont counties Saturday, May 6, followed by breeding days in June.

“AI Days is geared toward kids who want to get their livestock bred,” says Chance Marshall, a UW Extension educator and co-organizer of the event. “Adults can attend, but the event is primarily for 4-H members and youth with livestock who want to build their herds or have specific breeding goals.”

The AI program is open to youth across Wyoming and surrounding states. The program may be of particular interest to 4-H’ers participating in the commercial cow contest, Marshall notes.

The educational workshops in May will cover nutrition, breeding selection, AI protocol and pregnancy testing. The classroom sessions will take place from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Campbell County Extension office in Gillette and the Fremont County Extension office in Riverton.

Cattle breeding days, in which youth will artificially inseminate their cattle under Marshall’s guidance, will take place Monday, June 5, in Campbell County and Tuesday, June 6, in Fremont County.

“AI Days is about learning what we’re doing, why we’re doing it and how to do it,” Marshall says. “We’ll go through the breeding process on the education day and, then, we’ll get all of the animals together and breed them.”

To register for the event, visit http://tiny.cc/23cattleai. Registration, which reserves lunch and supplies for the May 6 class, closes Friday, April 21. Payment for breeding is required May 6. The cost is $25 per head for up to four females; to breed additional animals, the cost is $50 per head.

For youth interested in AI for sheep and goats, classes and breeding days will be offered in July and August.

The AI Days program received funding from the John P. Ellbogen Foundation and Farm Credit Services of America. The program is organized and led by Marshall and UW Extension educators Kim Fry and Amanda Hitshew-Small.

For more information on Fremont County programming, call Marshall at (307) 332-1018 or email cmarsha1@uwyo.edu. For Campbell County sessions, call Fry at (307) 682-7281 or email kim.fry@campbellcountywy.gov.

About University of Wyoming Extension

Since 1914, UW Extension has provided lifelong learning opportunities to Wyoming citizens across the state. With roots in agricultural education, UW Extension supports rural communities facing contemporary challenges and changes. UW Extension brings the university’s resources to each of the state’s 23 counties and the Wind River Indian Reservation. To learn more about UW Extension, visit www.uwyo.edu/uwe or call (307) 766-5124.