Master Cattleman
About the Master Cattleman Program
The Master Cattleman Program is a comprehensive educational curriculum designed to
enhance participants’ proficiency in beef cattle production and business management,
ultimately facilitating improved profitability and quality of life for beef cattle
producers. The program began in 2004 and equips participants with research-based information
on all aspects of beef production, business planning, risk management and marketing.
The Master Cattleman Program is a producer certification process with an educational
curriculum based on the Oklahoma Beef Cattle Manual. The base cost for the program
is $175. Additional fees may be charged locally to cover costs of other materials
supplied. Participants receive the Beef Cattle Manual, instructional materials, and
if all program requirements are completed, a producer certificate, a personalized
Master Cattleman farm gate sign, and a notebook embossed with the Master Cattleman
logo.
Interested in becoming a Master Cattleman? Contact your local county extension office or request more information by submitting the Master Cattleman Contact Us form.
What Does it Mean to Be an OSU Master Cattleman?
Certification requires completion of 28 hours of Master Cattleman credit. The course
is planned and implemented at the County level. Curriculum chosen from the Beef Cattle
Manual is composed of 16 required core hours across six disciplines plus 12 additional
elective hours, giving OSU County Extension Educators the flexibility to customize
the course to better serve local producer needs and interests. County educators also
have the flexibility to customize the course schedule and frequency of class meetings,
depending on group needs. The successful Oklahoma Master Cattleman has:
- knowledge of sustainable practices in production, business management, marketing, herd health and natural resource management
- demonstrated comprehension of topics as evidenced by passing quizzes associated with each topic area
- successfully completed the Oklahoma Master Cattleman curriculum
Contact your local Extension Educator for guidance on best management practices for beef production in your county and
for information on the availability of a Master Cattleman program.
Master Cattleman Curriculum
To be certified as a Master Cattleman, producers must complete a minimum of 28 hours
of instruction from the Oklahoma Beef Cattle Manual plus a final evaluation. The core curriculum consists of 16 hours across the following
areas:
- Business planning and management
- Marketing and risk management
- Nutrition and management
- Quality assurance and animal health
- Natural resources
- Genetics and reproduction
An additional 12 hours of elective chapters are chosen at the county level to meet
credit requirements. This course is often structured to be a mix of lecture, discussion
and hands-on learning opportunities.
