Women learn life-changing skills through Pearls of Production

[Link]Participants insert an esophageal feeding tube into a toy lamb during a small ruminant breakout session at a previous Pearls of Production conference. Photo by Heather Conrow.

Oct. 25, 2024

A University of Missouri Extension program is impacting women across the state.

The annual Pearls of Production conference gives women in livestock production the opportunity to learn new skills while networking with peers.

"The Pearls of Production conference is a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience and work directly with specialists in livestock production," said Heather Conrow, program coordinator and MU Extension livestock specialist.

Casey Portell first attended the conference after a car accident left her injured.

"I was missing community, and when I got there, there was a bunch of other women learning in the classroom with hands-on activities," said Portell, who owns a commercial cow/calf and sheep operation in Cuba, Missouri, with her husband.

Portell learned how to castrate bulls at the Pearls event and also discovered MU's Missouri AgrAbility program. As an ambulatory wheelchair user, she learned how to do farm chores as a form of physical therapy through the help of AgrAbility.

Tina Wibberg, of Wibberg Farms near Taos, Missouri., attended Pearls of Production after her husband died in a farm-related accident 10 years ago.

Thanks to Pearls, she said, she learned about diversifying their cattle operation.

"We have small ruminants now that run with our cattle, managing our pastures," Wibberg said. "I learned from Pearls, hands-on, how to care for sheep and goats, how to deliver during a difficult birth and how to vaccinate the animals."

Upcoming conference

The 2024 Pearls of Production Conference will be held two days this fall.

From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29, participants can attend via Zoom to hear a keynote presentation by meat scientist and blogger Janeal Yancey. Breakout sessions will cover estate planning, backyard layers, enhancing value-added meat marketing and beekeeping.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, participants will meet in Columbia, including hands-on sessions at the MU Beef Research and Teaching Farm. Topics range from beef genetics to backyard laying hens and forage/pasture assessment.

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