News & Releases
June 2023
It’s been a few months since the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service began the Cattle Contracts Library pilot program, and the agency is looking for feedback. Beef feedlot producers are invited to attend a listening session either in person or virtually. The two closest locations for Iowa producers are June 14 at the Iowa State University ISU Wallace Foundation Learning and Outreach Center located at 53020 Hitchcock Avenue, Lewis, and June 16 at the USDA Cattle & Carcass Training Center located on the campus of University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Loeffel Meat Science Laboratory, in Lincoln, Neb.
May 2023
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Appanoose County is hosting a pasture walk on June 13 beginning at 6 p.m. The event will take place southwest of Moulton, near 30151 269th Ave. This event is for anyone interested in learning more about pasture management and cattle grazing, and a trio of ISU Extension specialists will provide information on various aspects of pasture management.
Understanding and implementing appropriate fencing and grazing practices can pay big dividends for cattle producers. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef specialist Erika Lundy-Woolfolk said the 2023 Fencing and Grazing Clinic hosted by ISU's Iowa Beef Center focused on efficient and effective tools and techniques. The daylong program was held at the ISU Armstrong Research Farm near Lewis in southwest Iowa.
After three years of drought, Iowa pastures are in need of some first aid, according to Beth Doran, beef specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Two pasture walks in northwest/west central Iowa next month will help attendees learn how to work with current pasture conditions in their operations.
Did winter do a number on your fencing, again? Is it time to get real with plans for paddocks? Should a grazing calendar be part of your annual approach to efficient and effective forage use? The 2023 Fencing and Grazing Clinic, organized and hosted by Iowa Beef Center and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, can help. It's set for May 16 at the ISU Armstrong Research Farm near Lewis in southwest Iowa.
April 2023
Women involved in cattle production in four southwest counties are invited to a unique educational series in May. Boots in the Barn is a custom-designed series that provides an open atmosphere for learning and asking questions. Iowa State University extension beef specialist Erika Lundy-Woolfolk said this four-part course is hosted by ISU Extension and Outreach's Region 23, which comprises Adams, Taylor, Ringgold and Union counties.
Retained placentas can seem very problematic. They can look bad and smell even worse, especially if a cow goes more than a couple of days without cleaning. Your gut instinct may be to put on some gloves and pull it out. In this case, however, Iowa State University extension beef specialist Chris Clark says, "Don't listen to your gut!"
March 2023
The 2023 Fencing and Grazing Clinic, organized and hosted by Iowa Beef Center and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, is set for May 16 at the ISU Armstrong Research Farm near Lewis in southwest Iowa. Iowa State extension beef specialist Erika Lundy-Woolfolk said the clinic is timely and practical. By holding this clinic in May, we hope participants will be able to take more information they’ve learned and put it to use this grazing season, she said.
Research has consistently shown that calves born earlier in the season are more profitable. To help beef producers optimize the potential for getting more females bred earlier, the Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University and Select Sires are partnering on a breeding season workshop set for April 13. The program will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Community Building at the Guthrie County Fairgrounds, 402 W State St., Guthrie Center.
It’s peak calving season for many producers across the Midwest which may mean long exhausting and occasionally frustrating hours of trying to save every calf. Iowa State University extension beef specialist Patrick Wall said a simple technique might help some newborns that struggle to nurse or appear to have little will to live.
February 2023
While long term drought can lead to changes in grazing and forage selection for beef producers, it also can affect feedlot numbers which in turn affect operational decisions and strategies. Iowa State University extension beef specialist Beth Doran said drought has reduced the supply of beef calves available to feedlots, causing producers to source dairy and beef-dairy cross animals to fill the void. However, dairy and beef-dairy cross animals present unique production and carcass challenges for a feedlot. These challenges are the focus of the 2023 Dairy Beef Short Course set for March 28 at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, SD.
Don’t delay in registering for the 2023 Iowa Forage and Grassland Council annual conference. Set for Feb. 28, the event returns to Ames, specifically at Reiman Gardens, 1407 University Blvd., just to the southwest of Jack Trice Stadium.
Given the recent precipitation and the weather forecast, things are shaping up to create very muddy conditions in Iowa just as spring calving season is really taking off. Mud is always a headache but it can be particularly challenging for cattle producers during calving season. Chris Clark, ISU beef specialist, describes some of these challenges and offers a few suggestions to help producers manage muddy conditions.
UPDATE: In response to interest from outside Iowa in the Feb. 21 Swath Grazing Field Day at the ISU McNay Farm, a virtual option has been created to allow remote viewing. The classroom presentation about the project will be available via Zoom. This option does not require preregistration and there is no charge.
All hay producers in the east central Iowa region are invited to attend the 38th annual Eastern Iowa Hay Producers Association Annual Meeting and Conference on March 9 at Buzzy’s bar and grill, 414 Main St., Welton. Registration starts at 10 a.m. with the program scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m.
Cattle producers are invited to attend an educational program and pasture walk on Feb. 21 at the McNay Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm near Chariton. Iowa State University Extension beef specialist Chris Clark said the event will highlight a recent project demonstrating swath grazing during the winter to reduce labor and feed costs.
January 2023
The Iowa Forage and Grassland Council annual conference returns to Ames in 2023 with a full day of information. Set for Feb. 28, the event will be held at Reiman Gardens, 1407 University Blvd., just to the southwest of Jack Trice Stadium. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. with a welcome and introductions at 10 a.m.
The Driftless Region Beef Conference, set annually in Dubuque, is known for providing current information for cow-calf production in the tri-state area of Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. However, it’s also home to a significant amount of cattle finishing. Iowa State University extension beef specialist Denise Schwab is part of the planning group and said one of the biggest concerns of cattle feeders in 2023 is increased cost of feeds due to high commodity prices and dry forage production conditions.
To help Iowa cattlemen and women prepare for a successful calving season, Iowa State Extension and Outreach is offering a hands-on calving clinic on Feb. 1. The workshop will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. at the White Fair Building on the Montgomery County Fairgrounds and will be led by extension beef specialist Erika Lundy-Woolfolk.
The premier educational event in Iowa for cow-calf producers returns is set for Jan. 28 at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef program specialist Patrick Wall said this year’s Cornbelt Cow-Calf Conference will appeal to all kinds of beef enthusiasts, while staying true to the educational focus on topics relevant to Iowa’s beef industry.
The rolling hills of the driftless region of Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin lend themselves to pastures and cows. The university extension services in these three states are teaming together to offer the Driftless Region Beef Conference to educate beef producers. The eleventh annual event will be held Jan. 26-27 at the Grand River Convention Center in Dubuque. A great line up of cow-calf specific topics is slated for Friday morning, Jan. 27.
What do all profitable cow-calf operations have in common? A healthy calf crop on the ground, ready to develop for market. To help Iowa cattlemen and women prepare for a successful calving season, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering a hands-on calving clinic on Jan. 18. The workshop will be held at the Dunlap Livestock Auction from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
News releases |2023|
