Educational and Informational Delivery Method Preferences of Mississippi Beef Cattle Producers

Due to the production costs associated with beef cattle production, it is important to equip beef cattle producers with sound, research-driven information to aid in the decision making process regarding their operation. Extension personnel as well as other organizations involved with beef cattle producers should be knowledgeable of the audience that they are disseminating information to and how this audience prefers to receive information. Knowing the demographics and educational and informational needs of the audience helps shape programming endeavors to meet the needs of the audience. The beef cattle producers surveyed indicated that they preferred to receive information from farm and feed supply dealers, other cattle producers, farm demonstrations, and cattle and farm magazines. The average producer was 53.6 years of age, had been involved in beef cattle production for 28.4 years, was a college graduate, and received less than 25% of their total income from their beef cattle operation