Fall Cowherd Decisions: Herd and Calf
Weaning Marketing and Management
Iowa Beef Center Online Meeting
Welcome to the Iowa Beef Center online meeting on fall calf weaning, “Weaning Your Calves While Managing Your Herd”!
Rather than attending a meeting in person, you can take advantage of our new online meeting format and access our valuable information at any time, conveniently located in one location for you. We hope you’ll take advantage of this new type of meeting to gain knowledge in between meetings you attend in person.
One of the best things about this online meeting is that you can attend it on your own schedule! Feel free to “attend” one session at a time, whenever it’s convenient to you, or set aside an afternoon to experience the entire meeting all at once. You’ll get the same information as you would in person – listen to presentations and podcasts by some of the Iowa Beef Center’s beef cattle experts, and read the latest information on weaning management topics ranging from vaccinations to stress management. Related topics, such as cow culling, are covered to help you make management decisions that coincide with weaning decisions. Check out the agenda below, starting from the beginning, or with whichever topic interests you most.
Meeting Agenda
Welcome Note (podcast)
Dr. John Lawrence, Iowa Beef Center Director
Session One: Nutrition Concerns During Weaning Time
Session Two: Vaccinating for Maximum Calf Health
Session Three: Making Marketing Decisions This Fall
Session Four: Finding a Successful Weaning Strategy
Session Five: Culling Your Cows During Weaning Time
Session One: Nutrition Concerns During Weaning Time
“Nutritional Management of the Calf after Weaning” (article), Dr. Dan Loy, Iowa State University
Dr. Loy addresses helping calves overcome the stress of weaning time by properly introducing them to new feeds and establishing the appropriate amount of feed. He also offers examples of starting feed programs for three different types of calves.
“Creep Feeding” (article), Keith Lusby and Donald Gill, Oklahoma State University
OSU Extension specialist Keith Lusby and Extension nutritionist Donald Gill discuss the many issues associated with the practice of creep feeding, or providing a supplemental feed to nursing calves. Along with discussing the different types of creep feeding, they address the impact of creep feeding on postweaning performance.
Additional Resources:
“Early Weaning Grain Mixes" (spreadsheet), Dr. Garland Dahlke, Iowa State University
“Preconditioning of Calves” (article), Stuart D. Lincoln, Caldwell Veterinary Teaching Center and Dan D. Hinman, University of Idaho
“Using Distillers Grain in Alternative Cow-Calf Production Systems” (article), Daryl Strohbehn, Dan
Loy, John Lawrence, Darrell Busby, and Dennis Dewitt, Iowa State University
Iowa Beef Center Contact:
For more information on nutrition in beef cattle, contact Dr. Dan Loy, Iowa Beef Center beef program specialist, at 515-294-1058 or dloy@iastate.edu.
Session Two: Maximizing Calf Health during Weaning
“Establishing a Vaccination and Health Management Schedule” (podcast), Dr. Grant Dewell, Iowa State University
Dr. Dewell highlights important considerations for vaccinating weaning calves and other health
considerations that need to be addressed around weaning time. “C
"Cattle Vaccines and Their Use” (article), Dr. Stuart Lincoln, Caine Veterinary Teaching and Research Center
Along with discussing the appropriate vaccinations for the entire cow-calf herd, Dr. Lincoln highlights a vaccination schedule and the types of vaccinations that should be administered around weaning time, including a list of strongly recommended and optional vaccinations.
Additional Resources:
“Minimizing Weaning Stress on Calves” (article), Clay Mathis and Boone Carter, New Mexico State University
Iowa Beef Center Contact:
For more information on vaccinations and calf health, contact Dr. Grant Dewell, Iowa State University Extension veterinarian, at 515-294-2822 or gdewell@iastate.edu.
Session Three: Making Marketing Decisions This Fall
“Calf Marketing Strategies” (article), Shane Ellis, Iowa State University
Shane Ellis, livestock economist, talks about developing a general marketing plan, investing in value-added programs to improve market price, and backgrounding weaned calves to improve profitability. Ellis offers a couple of different budget scenarios for backgrounding weaned calves.
“Factors Impacting Feeder Cattle Prices at Iowa Auctions” (voice-over PPT), John Lawrence, Iowa State University
Dr. Lawrence discusses the various factors that affect the price producers can expect to get for their feeder cattle, including the recent importance placed on verification programs and additional information on the cattle.
“Fall 2009 Marketing Outlook” (podcast), John Lawrence, Iowa State University
Dr. Lawrence offers a basic outlook for fall 2009 calf prices in an August 2009 recording.
Additional Resources:
“Using a Valuable Resource: Beefbasis.com” (podcast), John Lawrence, Iowa State University
“Feeder Cattle Marketing Assessment Tool” (spreadsheet), John Lawrence, Iowa State University
Iowa Beef Center Contact:
For more information on fall marketing decisions, contact Dr. John Lawrence, Iowa Beef Center director and livestock economist, at 515-294-6290 or jdlaw@iastate.edu.
Session Four: Finding a Successful Weaning Strategy
“Early Weaning May Help with Tackling High Feed Costs” (newsletter article), Shane Ellis and Joe Sellers, Iowa State University
Livestock Economist Shane Ellis and Beef Program Specialist Joe Sellers discuss the impact of early weaning on calf profitability and the potential savings in feed costs through early weaning. The benefits of pasture weaning are also discussed.
“New News in Fenceline Weaning Management Research,” (newsletter article) Dan Loy, Iowa State University
Dr. Loy highlights new findings in recent fenceline weaning research, touting the ability of fenceline weaning to reduce stress during the first week or two of weaning.
Additional Resources:
“Effect of Early Weaning of Beef Calves on Performance and Carcass Quality” (article), Dr. Dan Loy, Dennis Maxwell, and Dr. Gene Rouse, Iowa State University
“Pasture Weaning at the McNay Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm: A Progress Report”
(article), Dennis Maxwell, Dr. Merlin Kaeberle, Dr. Dan Loy, and Joe Sellers, Iowa State University
Iowa Beef Center Contact:
For more information on weaning strategies, contact Dr. Dan Loy, Iowa Beef Center program specialist, at 515-294-1058 or dloy@iastate.edu.
Session Five: Culling your Cows During Weaning Time
“Considerations for culling decisions in cow herd” (newsletter article), Daryl Strohbehn and Byron Leu, Iowa State University
Dr. Daryl Strohbehn and Byron Leu, ISU Extension beef program specialist, discuss the list of reasons for culling a cow around weaning time, including disposition, performance, age, and health programs.
“Today’s cull cow market influenced by many variables” (newsletter article), Shane Ellis, Iowa State University
Shane Ellis, livestock economist, discusses the recent cull cow market and how current market
conditions should impact culling decisions.
Additional Resources:
“Marketing Cull Cows” (article), Dr. Dillon Feuz, University of Nebraska
Iowa Beef Center Contact:
For more information on cow culling, contact Dr. Daryl Strohbehn, Iowa Beef Center beef program specialist, at 515-294-3020 or stroh@iastate.edu.
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