Upcoming Sessions

Upcoming Pixel Virtual Sessions

Pearls of Production Upcoming Virtual Session 3/25/25
Date Speaker Session Title Description Registration
3/25/2025 Dr. David Brown, Small Ruminant Specialist, University of Missouri Developing On-Farm Biosecurity for Sheep and Goats Without proper biosecurity measures, diseases can spread rapidly, leading to production losses, increased veterinary costs, and even livestock mortality. This presentation will highlight practical steps to enhance biosecurity, reduce disease risks, and safeguard the health and productivity of your flock.  
3/25/2025 Dr. Charlotte Clifford-Rathert, DV, Retired Veterinary Medical Officer with USDA Veterinary Services When to Dial the Doc A discussion on when to call a veterinarian for sheep and goats.  
Pearls of Production Upcoming Virtual Sessions June-October
Date Speaker Session Title Description Registration
6/24/2025 Beth Koster, Coordinator of Outreach/Injury Prevention, University of Missouri Stop the Bleed "Stop the Bleed" is a nationwide public awareness campaign aimed at empowering bystanders to recognize and effectively manage severe bleeding in emergency situations, by teaching them basic techniques like applying direct pressure, packing wounds, and using tourniquets, with the goal of saving lives before professional medical help arrives.  
7/22/2025 Dr. Allison Meyer, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Nutritional Physiology/Ruminant Nutrition, University of Missouri Feeding and managing pregnant beef cows and heifers for calf success Management and nutrition of cows and heifers during late pregnancy can have long consequences-both positive and negative-for themselves and their calves. This webinar will focus on recent Mizzou research that gives us more insight into this critical period.  
9/23/2025 Dr. Andrea Pitkin, DVM, MS, Technical Service Veterinarian - Swine, Vaxxinova US SRP Technology Does your herd have gut issues? This session ensures diarrhea is no longer a dirty word. It is something we should talk about! Because, good news! Research shows YOU ARE NOT ALONE! And with custom-made SRP vaccines, we can help wipe diarrhea from your herd! Besides sharing some stories about the effectiveness of SRP vaccines, this session will also explain what SRP's are and how SRP vaccines target pathogenic bacteria that cause damage to the gut of animals.  
10/28/2025 Joni Harper, Natural Resources Field Specialist, University of Missouri Extension Heroes to Hives - helping veterans and women producers establish beekeeping Heroes to Hives is a unique program offered through the Michigan Food & Farming Systems that seeks to address financial and personal wellness of veterans through free professional training and community development centered around beekeeping.  

Upcoming Pearls of Production In-Person Conference

November 8 in Columbia, MO

Upcoming Pearls of Production In-Person Conference
Speaker Session Title Description Registration
Session 1: 10:00am- Noon (pick one)
Anna Guess, Key Account Manager - Swine, Vaxxinova US SRP Technology TBD  
Karen Funkenbush, Extension Assistant Professor, University of Missouri

Brenda Schreck, Livestock Specialist, University of Missouri
Save the cusswords: You got this! 2.0 TBD  
Dr. Allison Meyer, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Nutritional Physiology/Ruminant Nutrition, University of Missouri Tips for a successful calving season Get the perspectives of a food animal veterinarian and a cow-calf nutritionist/physiologist on how to ensure that your next calving season goes as smoothly as possible!  
Lunch & Learn: Noon-1:00pm
NRCS, FSA, SWCD Show Me the Money TBD  
Session 2: 1:00-3:00 (pick one)
Joni Harper, Natural Resources Field Specialist, University of Missouri Extension Heroes to Hives - helping veterans and women producers establish beekeeping Heroes to Hives is a unique program offered through the Michigan Food & Farming Systems that seeks to address financial and personal wellness of veterans through free professional training and community development centered around beekeeping.  
Jamie Courter, State Beef Genetics Extension Specialist, University of Missouri Genetics for a Better Cow TBD  
Dr. Pamela Adkins, Associate Professor, Food Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri TBD TBD  
Session 3: 3:00-5:00 (one session only)
Beth Koster, Coordinator of Outreach/Injury Prevention, University of Missouri Stop the Bleed "Stop the Bleed" is a nationwide public awareness campaign aimed at empowering bystanders to recognize and effectively manage severe bleeding in emergency situations, by teaching them basic techniques like applying direct pressure, packing wounds, and using tourniquets, with the goal of saving lives before professional medical help arrives.  

Past Pearls

2024 Conference

Pixels of Production - first conference date held via Zoom with a breakout session and a keynote presentation. Session topics included estate planning, backyard layers, enhancing value added meat marketing and beekeeping.  Keynote was presented by Dr. Janeal Yancey, meat scientist at University of Arkansas and Mom at the Meat Counter blog creator.

Pearls of Production - second date was held in-person at the MU Beef Research and Teaching Farm.  Participants had the opportunity to engage in hands-on breakout sessions: genetics on the farm, backyard laying hen, forage & pasture assessment and farm headaches: save your cuss works, you got this!

Pearls of Production highlights

2022 Conference

Day 1 began at 1pm and include a tour of Brinker Farm's farrow to finish swine operation, presentation on direct marketing beef, and dinner. The night ended with socializing and optional Booze & Bingo games! 

Day 2 focused on hands-on activities. Attendees rotated through breakout sessions throughout the day on the University of Missouri Campus. 

2020 Conference

Pixels of Production: Women in Agriculture online conference was offered as an alternative to the usual hands-on Pearls of Production Conference. The Missouri Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Program and Missouri AgrAbility Program provided financial support for the online conference. The program was offered on four evenings, each evening consisting of a keynote address and several other presentations. Check out the full playlist of events. We also have handouts and resources below.

Conference content