UW to Host Ranch Management and Agricultural Leadership Symposium in Laramie April 17

For those interested in learning about leadership strategies and high-altitude ranching, the University of Wyoming Ranch Management and Agricultural Leadership (RMAL) program will host a symposium in Laramie Thursday, April 17. The symposium is titled “Ranching Stewardship at High Elevation: Opportunities and Challenges.”

A woman presenting to a group of people. — A speaker presents about current topics in agriculture during the 2023 RMAL leadership symposium, held on campus in Laramie.

The event will take place at the Laramie Research and Extension Center (LREC) Cliff and Martha Hansen Teaching Arena, located at 470 Highway 230. Presentations will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Interested parties can also attend the presentations via Zoom.

LREC Director Derek Scasta says, “Participants will get a broad perspective on the opportunities and challenges ranches in these environments face and how information can inform decision-making, from livestock selection to optimizing grazing strategies to capitalizing on emerging opportunities.”

The symposium will feature more than a dozen speakers experienced with the challenges ranchers face at high altitudes.

First, Scasta and other employees at LREC will give an overview of the center’s facilities and events, including the annual lamb-a-year program and high-altitude bull test and sale.

Next, UW faculty, staff, and graduate students will address emerging issues and opportunities for high-altitude ranchers in Wyoming. Topics include marketing, cattle pulmonary hypertension, and livestock methane emissions. LREC equine manager Elias Hutchinson will also lead a demonstration of feeding livestock using draft horses.

Finally, Monte Reed, a Wyoming sheep and cattle rancher, will discuss his experience using virtual fence collars for cattle.

Community members can register for the symposium at https://bit.ly/rmal-series. UW and community college students can register by emailing Randall Violett, associate director of the RMAL program, at rviolett@uwyo.edu.

For community members and students not attending the program as part of a course, the cost is $25. The session includes a free meal for registered participants who attend the symposium in person.

The symposium is the final event in the 2025 RMAL seminar series. To learn more about the annual series, visit bit.ly/rmal-series for more information. Contact Violett at rviolett@uwyo.edu or (307) 766-4239 with questions.