Raising livestock in Alaska can be challenging, with animals’ dietary requirements changing with the seasons and the production cycle.

Rachael Christensen, a research animal scientist with the Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, will lead two free livestock nutrition workshops. The focus will be on ruminant species, such as cows, goats, sheep and yaks.

The workshops, sponsored by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, will introduce how to formulate a nutrient-rich diet that will meet the requirements for maintenance and production in Alaska herds. 

Christensen will give a one-hour overview of the topic at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30, in the Georgeson Botanical Garden Rotary Pavilion, 2180 W. Tanana Drive, Fairbanks. Fairbanks Research Field Day events begin at 2 p.m. in the same location. 

A second, more comprehensive workshop for homestead, backyard and commercial producers will be held in Delta Junction on Wednesday, July 31, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Delta Career Advancement Center, 1696 N. Clearwater Ave.  

Christensen will discuss livestock forage nutrition and the importance of raising or purchasing high-quality forage to reduce feed costs. An overview of a farm-level livestock nutrition program will include training on determining feed quality, taking samples of forage and balancing rations with available feedstuffs. Lunch will be provided. 

The Salcha-Delta Soil and Water Conservation District and Delta Junction Partners for Progress are co-sponsoring the Delta workshop. Space is limited and preregistration is required at https://bit.ly/DeltaLivestock. 

For more information, contact Eve Karczmarczyk at delta.ces@alaska.edu or 907-895-4215. Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Karczmarczyk. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to individuals with limited English proficiency upon request to Alda Norris, amnorris2@alaska.edu.

  Alaska, livestock