Director column

IBC director's monthly column featured in Cattleman Magazine. Archives
Denise Schwab, interim IBC director	April 2025 Focus on the Big Picture I’ve had several discussions lately with people regarding keeping their eye on the big picture and not making major changes based on snippets of information. I thought I’d share a few of them this month. One situation relates to the beefXdairy project we recently completed, thanks to an Iowa State Beef Checkoff grant. In our project, we looked at the starch vs fiber levels in the nursery and initial receiving stages at the feedyard, and the subsequent impact on lifetime performance. Both the nursery and receiving stages showed a slight advantage to the high starch diets in growth. However, when you look at the lifetime impact, there was a slight advantage to the lower starch diets in early life with increased carcass weight and reduced liver and rumen abscesses at harvest. I’ve seen several research reports with similar results when looking at only one small phase of production, without tracking the cattle thru to harvest. When reading about research, always ask yourself what impact the treatment had on the final animal outcome, not just the short term. Another consideration is how repeatable is the research. Single studies always need to be replicated in different situations to determine if the initial conclusions are consistent. This is where “meta-analyses” are good. Researchers look at multiple prior study results and compare them statistically for repeatable and consistent results. This is challenging to do well because each study has a different design and outside variables impacting individual results. The job of the researcher is to find statistical differences still present when all moving variables are accounted for. Our recent presentations at ICA Forums are another example where we need to focus on the big picture. We know nationally that the cow herd will expand at some time in the future, although the when, where, and to what extent are still unknown. However, we wanted to point out how decisions to grow your herd this year will have big-picture implications on your profitability in the future. Analysis of your current reproductive efficiency and cow retention is critical as you consider growth of your own herd and its financial impact. Are there management practices you could implement today to retain today’s expensive cows longer or to wean more live calves this fall? Are there opportunities to cull old cows at a very high price instead of just culling open cows this fall? Are there opportunities to retain expensive heifer calves this fall, but sell them while they are still appreciating in value? Again, focus on the whole-herd impact of these decisions, not just the short-term impact. Finally, I challenge each of you to consider the long-term benefits of integrating livestock with the cropping operation, again looking at the big picture. I’m singing to the choir here since you already know the benefits, but take a minute to identify them. A multi-state project we just completed, Match Made in Heaven: Livestock and Crops, focused on the benefits of integrated systems. When grain prices are high, the profits from crop farming carry the farm, while when grain prices are low, the livestock profits carry the farm. Long-term, the integrated system is more profitable than a single enterprise system. Additionally, there are numerous non-financial benefits to an integrated system such as nutrient recycling, soil health, soil conservation, and family transition opportunities. For more information on this project go to https://greenlandsbluewaters.org/match-made-in-heaven-livestock-crops/ . Between calving and spring fieldwork, I know you will be running hard, but hopefully, you can find a few minutes of tractor time to contemplate the big picture. Remember to stay safe this spring by focusing on the current task and not allowing your mind to be on the next job, that is how accidents happen. If you aren’t already receiving Growing Beef, sign up at https://go.iastate.edu/UIQJTM or by clicking the QR code. The IBC at Iowa State University serves as the university’s extension program to cattle producers. Our center comprises a team of faculty and staff from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Veterinary Medicine and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. We work together to develop and deliver the latest in research-based information to improve the profitability and vitality of Iowa’s beef industry. If you’d like to be notified of updates on progress of research projects or programs that might be coming to your area, please subscribe to our “Growing Beef” newsletter by following the link on our website, www.iowabeefcenter.org. If you have a question, use our “Ask our Experts” link. Also, feel free to call us at 515-294-BEEF or email us at beefcenter@iastate.edu. You can follow @iowabeefcenter on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

IBC director's monthly column featured in Cattleman Magazine. Archives

Denise Schwab, interim IBC director

April 2025

Focus on the Big Picture

I’ve had several discussions lately with people regarding keeping their eye on the big picture and not making major changes based on snippets of information. I thought I’d share a few of them this month.

One situation relates to the beefXdairy project we recently completed, thanks to an Iowa State Beef Checkoff grant. In our project, we looked at the starch vs fiber levels in the nursery and initial receiving stages at the feedyard, and the subsequent impact on lifetime performance. Both the nursery and receiving stages showed a slight advantage to the high starch diets in growth. However, when you look at the lifetime impact, there was a slight advantage to the lower starch diets in early life with increased carcass weight and reduced liver and rumen abscesses at harvest. I’ve seen several research reports with similar results when looking at only one small phase of production, without tracking the cattle thru to harvest. When reading about research, always ask yourself what impact the treatment had on the final animal outcome, not just the short term.

Another consideration is how repeatable is the research. Single studies always need to be replicated in different situations to determine if the initial conclusions are consistent. This is where “meta-analyses” are good. Researchers look at multiple prior study results and compare them statistically for repeatable and consistent results. This is challenging to do well because each study has a different design and outside variables impacting individual results. The job of the researcher is to find statistical differences still present when all moving variables are accounted for.

Our recent presentations at ICA Forums are another example where we need to focus on the big picture. We know nationally that the cow herd will expand at some time in the future, although the when, where, and to what extent are still unknown. However, we wanted to point out how decisions to grow your herd this year will have big-picture implications on your profitability in the future. Analysis of your current reproductive efficiency and cow retention is critical as you consider growth of your own herd and its financial impact. Are there management practices you could implement today to retain today’s expensive cows longer or to wean more live calves this fall? Are there opportunities to cull old cows at a very high price instead of just culling open cows this fall? Are there opportunities to retain expensive heifer calves this fall, but sell them while they are still appreciating in value? Again, focus on the whole-herd impact of these decisions, not just the short-term impact.

Finally, I challenge each of you to consider the long-term benefits of integrating livestock with the cropping operation, again looking at the big picture. I’m singing to the choir here since you already know the benefits, but take a minute to identify them. A multi-state project we just completed, Match Made in Heaven: Livestock and Crops, focused on the benefits of integrated systems. When grain prices are high, the profits from crop farming carry the farm, while when grain prices are low, the livestock profits carry the farm. Long-term, the integrated system is more profitable than a single enterprise system. Additionally, there are numerous non-financial benefits to an integrated system such as nutrient recycling, soil health, soil conservation, and family transition opportunities. For more information on this project go to https://greenlandsbluewaters.org/match-made-in-heaven-livestock-crops/ .

Between calving and spring fieldwork, I know you will be running hard, but hopefully, you can find a few minutes of tractor time to contemplate the big picture. Remember to stay safe this spring by focusing on the current task and not allowing your mind to be on the next job, that is how accidents happen.

Growing Beef newsletter sign up. If you aren’t already receiving Growing Beef, sign up at https://go.iastate.edu/UIQJTM or by clicking the QR code.

The IBC at Iowa State University serves as the university’s extension program to cattle producers. Our center comprises a team of faculty and staff from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Veterinary Medicine and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. We work together to develop and deliver the latest in research-based information to improve the profitability and vitality of Iowa’s beef industry. If you’d like to be notified of updates on progress of research projects or programs that might be coming to your area, please subscribe to our “Growing Beef” newsletter by following the link on our website, www.iowabeefcenter.org. If you have a question, use our “Ask our Experts” link. Also, feel free to call us at 515-294-BEEF or email us at beefcenter@iastate.edu. You can follow @iowabeefcenter on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.