New this year, the annual McNay Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm field day will host demonstrations focusing on hay equipment, cattle working and feeding equipment. ISU extension beef specialist Chris Clark said adding this component to the June 6 event will assist in showcasing equipment options for hay producers, while the general session during the provided lunch features topics of forage selection, fertilization and harvesting. The event is free, with preregistration strongly encouraged.

After another year of dry growing conditions, many Iowa pastures are likely somewhat stressed and overgrazed. Iowa State University extension beef specialist Chris Clark said it's important for producers to be thoughtful and proactive in terms of pasture management, and the recording of a recent Iowa Beef Center webinar on pasture preparation and renovation now available online could help.

In the beef industry, consistency is key to, well, just about everything. From sire and AI choices to ration options to market opportunities, producers can add value at each production stage based on their decisions. Garrett Englin, cattle buyer for JBS USA, said consistency is key for packers, too. Speaking at the 2024 Feedlot Forum in northwest Iowa, he told attendees how a current trend is helping.

The February Iowa Beef Center five-part feedlot webinar series is now available on YouTube. You can take advantage of these webinar recordings wherever you have internet access and some downtime. This series focused on hot topics and common questions fielded from Iowa feedlot producers, and provided timely, relevant, and practical information for those who operate and are involved in feedlots.

Many pastures and hayfields across the state continue to recover from the dry conditions experienced during 2023. Iowa State University extension field agronomist Rebecca Vittetoe said that while fertilization for perennial forages is often overlooked, it's just as vital as it is for row crops to maximize productivity.

Have drought conditions and overgrazing left your pastures in rough shape? Join Iowa State University extension beef specialist Chris Clark at one of two in-person workshops, or join Clark and other ISU extension specialists at a webinar to talk about the topic, all scheduled for this month. Each session will focus on discussion of strategies to meet your herd’s nutritional needs and optimize pasture productivity going into the 2024 growing season.

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