Is winter grazing really an option for beef producers in Iowa? Based on research at the Iowa State University Beef Teaching Farm, it definitely is an option. And it's proven to be an even more cost-effective winter-feeding strategy than providing the traditional stored hay! A field day to demonstrate two winter grazing options will be held Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022, at the ISU Beef Teaching Farm at 3725 520th Ave, Ames. The program will begin in the teaching farm pavilion at 1 p.m., and wrap up with a walking tour of the grazing systems.

The upcoming Driftless Region Beef Conference will showcase Dr. Ron Gill, professor and Extension livestock specialist for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and Associate Department Head, according to Denise Schwab, beef specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. The conference will be held Jan. 27-28, 2022, at the Grand River Conference Center in Dubuque.

Feedlot Forum - the premier Extension program for the cattle feeding industry - is back live and in-person Jan. 18, 2022, at the Terrace View Event Center in Sioux Center. Feedlot Forum will focus on the latest emerging trends in beef feedlots. Cattle feeders should come prepared to participate and discover how to stay competitive in the beef industry, according to Beth Doran, Iowa State University extension beef specialist.

Registration is now open for the 2021 Bovine Artificial Insemination Training provided through the ISU Beef Teaching Farm. Two sessions this year during week of Dec. 13-17, but spots fill quickly. Register now, confimed applicants will receive notice to pay later. See info and registration form.

The Three-State Beef Conference returns as an in-person program with sessions scheduled for Jan. 11-13, 2022, with locations in Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska. The Iowa session will take place Tuesday, January 11 at the Warren Cultural Center Auditorium in Greenfield. Iowa State University Extension beef specialist Chris Clark said the program offers area beef producers the opportunity to visit with a forum of specialists focusing on improving profitability through implementation of some next-level management strategies for beef cow-calf operations. 

The premier educational event in Iowa for cow-calf producers returns! The 50th Anniversary of the Cornbelt Cow-Calf Conference has been set for Jan. 22, 2022, at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa. Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach beef program specialist Patrick Wall said this year’s conference will be a celebration, while offering the same educational focus on topics relevant to Iowa’s beef industry.

Benchmarking is best used to track cattle and financial performance within a feedlot, but can also be used to monitor trends within the industry. Although industry-wide benchmarking programs exist, the values reported may not be reflective of Iowa climate and input costs. Realizing this, Iowa Beef Center specialists collaborated on summarizing closeout data from more than 171,000 head of yearling steers and heifers enrolled in the Iowa Feedlot Monitoring program for the years of 2017 through 2020. These results are reported in a new publication, “Benchmarking the Performance of Iowa Feedlot Cattle.”

With nearly 2.5 million cattle in four Midwest states, university extension services in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin are teaming together to offer the Driftless Region Beef Conference. The tenth annual event will be held Jan. 27-28, 2022, at the Grand River Convention Center in Dubuque.

To help Iowa cattlemen and women prepare for a successful calving season and subsequent breeding period, Iowa Beef Center is offering four Beef Cow Clinics over two days in early December. Each clinic is in a different Iowa location, according to Iowa State University extension beef specialist Erika Lundy-Woolfolk.

Area producers and others interested in learning more about pasture management, forage production and cattle grazing are invited to a unique opportunity early next month. Iowa State University extension beef specialist Chris Clark said they're cooperating with Des Moines Area Community College to hold a pasture walk at the DMACC Dallas County farm on Nov. 8.

The latest Drought Monitor indicates continuing drought in Northwest Iowa. Corn fields are beginning to dry down, but appearance can be misleading when making corn silage, according to Beth Doran, beef specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and she reminds producers that the rules for good corn silage still apply.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, in cooperation with the Iowa Beef Industry Council will host a Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training program on Sept. 8 at the Monroe County ISU Extension Office in Albia. The program will cover numerous best management practices and will qualify producers for BQA certification. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef specialist Chris Clark said Iowa beef producers, veterinarians, feed industry personnel and anyone interested in beef cattle production are invited to participate.

Several counties in Iowa have been released for emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres. While utilizing this additional forage resource provides producers with opportunities, there are challenges and considerations to think through when deciding how to best utilize the forage.

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