Growth-Promoting Implants for Drylot Growing Beef Cattle and Cattle Fed in Confinement for Slaughter IBC 113 publication. Low Stress Cattle Handling publication. Calving Management online manual.

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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.
News from Iowa Beef Center
Black and white cow. Iowa beef and dairy veterinarians, farmers and industry stakeholders are invited to join the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team for a two-day event this fall. The Iowa Dairy Industry Doubleheader will take place on Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31, featuring both a professional development workshop and a social networking tailgate co-hosted by the ISU Extension and Outreach Dairy Team and the Dairy Science Club at Iowa State.
Angus cattle wearing technology tags. The Iowa Beef Center with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host a Technology Field Day at the McNay Memorial Research Farm on Sept. 29, showcasing a handful of technologies being used in various research and demonstration studies.
Black cows and calves grazing. The premier national event in beef cattle reproductive management returns to Iowa this year, hosted by the Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University. The 2026 Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle meeting is set for Nov. 10-11 in Des Moines. The meeting is organized by the Beef Reproduction Task Force, and the ISU extension and outreach beef team worked with the task force to develop this year’s schedule.
Lauryn Smidt. As the incoming extension beef specialist in northwest Iowa, Lauryn Smidt was ready to start meeting with people and learning the ropes of this new-to-her position. She probably didn’t realize how true that would be. Her July 13 start date was right in the middle of county fair season, and she spent much of the first few weeks visiting the fairs in her area and meeting extension staff and volunteers at each one.
Iowa Beef Checkoff graphic.

Ultrasound is a technology, and as such, requires continual updating. Iowa State University extension beef specialist Patrick Wall said moving from analog signal to digital machines is a step in the right direction for beef producers. And thanks to a grant funded by the Iowa State Beef Checkoff, he’ll be focusing on how to better use data available from new machines.
Group of feeder cattle next to fence. When used as part of a proper strategy, growth implants for beef cattle can increase daily gains by up to 20%, improve efficiency by up to 15%, and reduce production costs by at least 10%. A variety of implants and options are available; each should be considered before implementing a program. Few technologies offer a greater return on investment than implants, and a newly updated publication from Iowa Beef Center can help producers with these decisions.
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/.
Beef Quality Assurance program graphic. 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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