Iowa Beef Center | Iowa State University

Mission: The Iowa Beef Center mission is to enhance the vitality, profitability and growth of the Iowa beef industry through timely and relevant producer education, applied research and improved access to information.
News from Iowa Beef Center
	The Inaugural Genetic Symposium is the place to be if you're a beef producer seeking information you need from sources you can trust to help guide your bull development or selection decisions. Attendees of the Dec. 18-19 event will engage with industry leaders and cutting-edge genetic tools, according to Iowa State University extension cow-calf specialist Randie Culbertson.
	Looking for something to fill the need for nutrition information for your cattle during the coming months? The Dec. 5 session of the All Things Beef workshop series in Afton could be just the ticket. Iowa State University extension beef specialist Chris Clark said this session will help producers with feeding decisions while keeping a close eye on costs.
	With nearly 2.5 million cattle in three Midwest states, university extension services in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin are teaming together to offer the Driftless Region Beef Conference. The twelfth annual event will be held Thursday and Friday, Jan. 25-26, 2024, at the Grand River Convention Center in Dubuque, Iowa.
	The dry growing conditions of 2022 and 2023 have led to supply and quality issues of hay and other forages in some areas of the state. Unfortunately, tight hay supplies will likely lead to higher prices later in the winter feeding period, according to Iowa State University extension beef specialist Denise Schwab. Producers are invited to a workshop series on winter feeding basics for your cow herd with six sessions in different locations during the week of Nov. 27.
	While limited water presents significant challenges for livestock producers during drought, low water levels do offer an opportunity to make improvements in infrastructure to capitalize on future precipitation. Implementing effective water management strategies ensure productivity and health of the cow herd.
	What do all profitable cow-calf operations have in common? A live healthy calf crop is the key to profitability! To help Iowa cattlemen and women prepare for a successful calving season and subsequent breeding period, Iowa Beef Center is offering two Advanced Calving Clinics on January 15, 2024.
	The calendar year will soon be ending, but important decisions for cow-calf producers are just beginning. To help with information for those decisions, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will offer two outlook meetings in northwest Iowa on Nov. 29. ISU extension beef specialist Beth Doran is planning the meetings.
	Looking for the latest info on preparing calves for the feedlot, feeding beef-dairy steers, managing foot health or feed mixing? Would it be even better to have hands-on experience and discussion time with professionals and peers? The Cattle Feeders Camp on Nov. 30-Dec. 1 could be just the ticket. Offered by the Iowa Beef Center in southwest Iowa, this regional event builds on the ongoing success of IBC's Feedlot Short Course.
	Best management practices for winter care of the cow herd aren’t always evident, especially when those unfamiliar with raising livestock see animals outdoors in open fields during cold, snowy weather without apparent access to shelter. A recent Iowa State University study was designed to evaluate whether the effects of winter grazing or confinement for winter care of beef cows in Iowa would have any impact on the physical condition of the cow or the calf born to the cow in spring.
	There is no doubt the beef industry is changing, yet the bigger question is how feedlot producers can adapt and move forward. Beth Doran, Iowa State University extension beef specialist for northwest Iowa, said Feedlot Forum 2024 is designed to help producers transition through a variety of big changes.
	Halloween is behind us, but for many in production agriculture, catching up on end of year business transactions and attempting to do some enterprise analysis is the real spooky season. Whether it’s simply from doing the task or from looking at the lump sums of line items like feed costs, the scare factor varies by individual. For people who prefer being out with the cows rather than in the office, it’s rarely a relished experience.
	A new resource for producers feeding beef on dairy crossbreds is now available thanks to a grant from the Iowa Beef Industry Council. Funded through the Iowa State Beef Checkoff, this research grant to a team at Iowa Beef Center focused on a three-part project which includes the creation of a web resource library on current beef x dairy information.
	Dealing with stress: Serious financial and other stresses continue to impact and affect those in our agricultural community. There are some resources to help deal with a variety of stress concerns and grief. The Iowa Concern Hotline is always available at 800-447-1985, iowaconcern@iastate.edu and at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/iowaconcern/.
	Looking for a BQA workshop? Check this listing on this page of the Iowa Beef Industry Council website for a location near you. This page also has links to our IBC personnel, online BQA training, information on BQA transportation trainings and more.
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Mission: The Iowa Beef Center mission is to enhance the vitality, profitability and growth of the Iowa beef industry through timely and relevant producer education, applied research and improved access to information.

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