Four Advanced Beef Cow Calving Clinics set for early January
11/21/25
AMES, Iowa – The Iowa Beef Center is offering four Advanced Calving Clinics to help Iowa cattlemen and women prepare for a successful calving season and subsequent breeding period. Clinics will be offered on Jan. 6 in Fayette and Clinton counties and on Jan. 7 in Greene and Montgomery counties.
Iowa State University extension beef specialist Denise Schwab said the clinics will feature a variety of learning sessions, and opportunities to share questions and experiences. Session topics will cover essentials from conception to calving, including strategies for managing dystocia with practice using the calving model, beef cow nutrition basics, neonatal calf health and care, and calving distribution management.
“Whether you’ve calved 10 cows or 10,000 cows, there’s always a new technique to learn to help you get one more calf born alive,” she said. "Attendees of previous Advanced Calving Clinics have reported substantial satisfaction with the program, estimating an average benefit of $1,480 per operation."
Erika Lundy-Woolfolk, ISU extension beef specialist, said the life-size calving model is a popular hands-on feature of the clinics.
“Dr. Caitlin Wiley from the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine will help participants with tips and tricks for handling difficult delivery situations,” she said.
Local veterinarians Dr. Cody Sacquitne of South Winn Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Michelle Hohrman of DeWitt Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Amy Klauer and Dr. Charles Martin of Fairview Veterinary Clinic, and Dr. Aimee Anderson of Anderson Veterinary Services will be present at their respective locations to provide insights on neonatal calf health and common reproductive challenges in the local area.
ISU cow-calf specialist Randie Culbertson will present a session on improving rebreeding success, and clinic organizers Schwab and Woolfolk will also lead a presentation on pre- and post-calving nutrition.
Because the sessions are designed for individual hands-on learning, attendance is limited to 50 participants per clinic location, and preregistration is required. The cost is $25 per person, which includes a meal. The series flyer has info for all four sessions.
Those who want to attend should register at least two days in advance of their desired location date by contacting the respective county extension office:
- Fayette County: Jan. 6, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 504 South Vine Street, West Union. To register, call 563-425-3331.
- Clinton County: Jan. 6, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m., 512 10th Street, DeWitt. To register, call 563-659-5125.
- Greene County: Jan. 7, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Clover Hall at the Greene County Fairgrounds,601 E. Lincoln Way, Jefferson. To register, call 515-386-2138.
- Montgomery County: Jan. 7, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m., White Fair Building at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds, 1809 N 4th Street, Red Oak. To register, call 712-623-2529.
This statewide program is supported through sponsorship of the calving model from Boehringer Ingelheim. Local sponsors include the Greene and Clinton County Cattlemen’s Associations.
For more information, contact Schwab at dschwab@iastate.edu or Lundy-Woolfolk at ellundy@iastate.edu.
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The Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University was established in 1996 with the goal of supporting the growth and vitality of the state’s beef cattle industry. It comprises faculty and staff from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine, and works to develop and deliver the latest research-based information regarding the beef cattle industry. For more information about IBC, visit www.iowabeefcenter.org.
Contact:
Denise Schwab, ISU Extension and Outreach beef specialist, 319-472-4739, dschwab@iastate.edu
Erika Lundy-Woolfolk, ISU Extension and Outreach beef specialist, 641-745-5902, ellundy@iastate.edu
