LEXINGTON, Ky., (Jan. 28, 2016) -- University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service agents and UK Ag Equine Programs will host Pastures Please!! 6 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Kentucky Community and Technical College System office, 300 North Main St, in Versailles. The public is invited to the free annual event, particularly horse owners and farm managers interested in the latest information about horse pasture management.

“Pastures Please!! is our annual winter horse program and provides information for farm managers and horse owners to start off pastures right, setting the stage for a productive season,” said Ray Smith, UK professor and forage extension specialist. “We understand that Kentucky’s horse industry is extremely varied, so we put together a program that will give everyone something they can take home and use.”

This year’s program, sponsored by McCauley’s Brothers Inc., will feature talks from UK researchers that include understanding the nutritional value of pasture, the economics of grazing versus haying for horse operations, integrated parasite control, novel endophyte tall fescue and broodmares.

A handful of Central Kentucky extension agents launched the annual educational program in 2007 to provide timely and practical information for area horse owners. It has expanded and now includes participation from Bourbon, Clark, Fayette, Jessamine, Mercer, Scott and Woodford counties. Each year a different county hosts the event.

Those interested in attending should RSVP to UK at 859-257-2226 or equine@uky.edu.

Author: Holly Wiemers

Contact: Ray Smith, 859-257-3358