Livestock Finishing Series In Person & Via Zoom

Monday, February 23, 2026, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Thursday, March 5, 2026, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

February 23: Meat Qualities, Grades, and Market Expectations, Kaitlyn Conklin, 4-H Educator CCE Delaware County

The USDA has both quality and yield grades that help inform both farmers and their consumers. Kaitlyn will explain these grades and relate them to meat characteristics as well as how the farmer can use this information to meet quality goals, assess their nutrition program and/or handling. We will also cover some of the markets that local farmers often access and what those specific buyers’ preferences are.

March 5: Finishing Beef & Sheep with Grain, Dr. Adam Murray, Cornell

Adam will discuss the process of finishing livestock and how genetics, nutrition, and management all contribute to growth of economically relevant tissues. Examples of grain finishing diets will be provided along with growth rate goals and visual characteristics of "finished" vs "not finished”.

March 11: Grass Finishing of Beef & Sheep, Rich Toebe, CCE Delaware and Ken Jaffe, Slope Farms LLC

Finishing cattle and sheep to choice grades with grass only is quite doable. This requires attention to pasture management and forage production for the winter-feeding period. Rich will discuss pasture management and forage production skills. Ken will discuss market expectations, successful finishing strategies, and be available for questions from the perspective of both farmer and marketer of grass finished beef to butcher & restaurants.

Register by the day prior of the event(s) you wish to attend by calling Kim Holden at 607-865-7090, kmh19@cornell.edu or scan the QR Code. If you choose to attend via zoom, you will receive the zoom link once you register. A light dinner will be served at the start of each session.