1996 VA-NC Shepherds' Symposium Scheduled For December 5-6. The 1996 VA-NC Shepherds' Symposium will be held at Virginia Tech, located in Blacksburg, VA, on December 5 and 6. The primary purpose of the Symposium is to provide a comprehensive educational program for sheep producers throughout the mid- Atlantic region of the U.S. The program will start at 1:30 p.m. at the Virginia Tech Donaldson Brown Hotel and Conference Center with a full afternoon of in-depth information on sheep diseases and health management. An awards banquet will be held that evening featuring an after dinner speaker who will have a number of anecdotes about livestock production to share with the audience. The Friday educational program will begin at 8:30 a.m. Some of the management and production topics to be covered include: 1) an outlook on sheep production in the U.S.; 2) an update on the sheep industry in New Zealand and Australia; 3) an update on the "heavy muscle" (callipyge) gene in sheep; 4) information on artificial insemination with sheep; 5) using performance records with commercial and purebred sheep; 6) sheep grazing and lamb feeding management; 7) current techniques for coyote control; and 8) sheep producer presentations on commercial production, purebred production, and niche marketing of lamb. For a copy of the program brochure and pre-registration information call or write Dr. Steve Umberger, Department of Animal & Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0306, (540)231-5253.