MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Dairy producers and industry supporters can find answers to the topics most on their minds at a May 23 field day in Bogue Chitto.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station are cosponsoring the Statewide Dairy Field Day at the Ronnie and Mary Nell Clark Dairy, a privately owned farm.

Registration for the field day begins at 8:30 a.m. and the program begins at 9:30. There is no cost to attend, and lunch is provided.

Angelica Chapa, MSU Extension dairy specialist, said this is the third year the event has been held at different private host farms in south Mississippi, where the majority of the state's dairies are located. Before this, the annual field day was held at one of three MSU research dairy facilities located in Starkville, Newton and Holly Springs.

"Locating the field day at various dairies provides producers with an opportunity to visit different dairy operations to see what's being done differently and what's working for other producers," Chapa said.

Tour topics include bioterrorism in the dairy industry, dairy reproductive management techniques, forage analysis, the use of herbicide-resistant corn as corn silage and lactation management strategies.

This year's featured speaker is Temple Grandin, who is an expert in livestock handling and behavior.

For more information about the field day, contact Chapa in MSU's Animal and Dairy Sciences Department at (662) 325-2851 or Wesley Farmer, MSU Extension dairy specialist, at (601) 835-3460.

Writer: Charmain Tan Courcelle