WOODWARD, OKLAHOMA -- Shattuck FFA officers attended the first annual 580 Cattle Conference on Monday, August 12, at the Woodward County Event Center. 

This one-day event hosted numerous guest speakers and aimed to provide educational opportunities to those involved in the cattle industry.  Breakout sessions included talks from Congressman Frank Lucas, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur, Dr. David Lalman of Oklahoma State University,  Ellis County veterinarian Richard Prather, and more. 

Attendees also had the opportunity to explore various vendor booths. A steak dinner was served Monday evening, sponsored by The Bank of Western Oklahoma and prepared by the Northwest Cattlemen’s Association, Tiffany Schutlz, Donna White, and Kristen Stinnet.  During dinner, guests were entertained by talented country music artist and agriculture advocate, Clare Dunn. 

The evening culminated with keynote speaker Dr. Temple Grandin. Dr. Grandin is a professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University whose own experience with autism has led to her becoming a world renowned expert in animal handling and behavior,  as well as an advocate for autistic populations. Named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people, Grandin has penned hundreds of published articles and books, several of which have landed on the New York Times bestseller list.

Dr. Grandin’s life story was also depicted in the movie, Temple Grandin, which won seven Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe. Her list of achievements and accolades is substantial, so it was quite an honor to host her in Northwest Oklahoma. Organizers of the 580 Cattle Conference offered free admittance to any FFA member who wished to listen to Dr. Grandin speak, so officers from Shattuck, as well as several surrounding schools, were in attendance.  

Shattuck FFA officer Leah Taylor said, “ I really enjoyed the matter-of-fact way she talked about the do’s and don’ts when working with animals. She explained things in a common sense and straightforward way that made sense to probably everyone in that room, whether they were an experienced rancher, or one of us kids.”

Following her presentation, Dr. Grandin posed for pictures with fans, signed copies of her books, and answered any questions people had for her.  

NOTE: On behalf of Shattuck FFA, I would like to thank Dr. Grandin for her time.  Also, thank you to the 580 Cattle Conference for providing such an amazing networking and educational opportunity for the producers of Northwest Oklahoma, as well as our community.