Beef producers and agri-business professionals still have an opportunity to obtain their Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification in northwest Iowa, according to Iowa State extension beef specialist Beth Doran. The Iowa Beef Center, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Beef Industry Council are offering a "wrap-up” training on Feb. 5 at the Buena Vista County Extension Office in Storm Lake. The session, set for 1 to 3 p.m., will feature eight best management practices and new emerging trends in the beef industry. There is no cost to attend, but participants are encouraged to preregister before Feb. 3 by calling the Buena Vista County Extension Office at 712-732-5056. For more information, contact Doran by phone at 712-737-4230 or email doranb@iastate.edu. See a program flyer.

Dairy and beef producers are invited to attend one of two advanced calving clinics in early February in Maquoketa and Independence. Iowa State University Extension beef specialist Denise Schwab said anyone who attends will learn something new regardless of their experience with calving out cows.

One of the most respected consultants in the cattle business, Burke Teichert, will be the featured speaker at the 2019 Driftless Region Beef Conference, Jan. 24-25 at the Grand River Conference Center in Dubuque. Check out the website and register soon. Early registration fee of $85 ends Jan. 11.

The premier educational event in Iowa for cow-calf producers, the Cornbelt Cow-Calf Conference, is offering a comprehensive package of information to attendees this month, including financial management, genetic selection and low-stress animal handling in the general sessions. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef specialist Patrick Wall said this year’s conference is set for Jan. 26 at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa.

Beef producers are in a new era of marketing with more changes rapidly coming. This new era will be the focus of Feedlot Forum 2019, set for Jan. 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at the Terrace View Event Center in Sioux Center.

Area beef producers should make plans to attend the Three-State Beef Conference set for Jan. 15, 16 and 17, 2019, with locations in Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska. This conference provides beef cattle producers and others in the beef industry a regular update on current cow-calf and stocker topics, and is planned and offered through a cooperative effort of extension beef specialists from these three states.

News Archives

Dan Loy, Iowa Beef Center director, writes this monthly column featured in Iowa Cattleman Magazine.

January 2019

Five New Year’s Resolutions for your Beef Operation

January is a time when producers look back at the prior year, tally up their expenses for tax calculations and sometimes make a resolution or two. The most common personal New Year’s resolutions are to eat healthier and get more exercise. But what about resolutions for your beef operation? The following is a list of ideas to consider for you and your beef farm, ranch or feedyard for the New Year.

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Katy Lippolis, assistant professor of animal science at Iowa State University, writes a regular "By Design" column for Angus Journal.

January 2019

Winter Feeding Areas

Feeding hay over the colder months can be a messy job that often results in trampled pasture ground, muddy conditions and wasted hay. Getting cattle out of the mud and keeping them dry is a necessary component of managing winter nutrient requirements, and it may help you stretch your hay resources. Cost-effective options exist for producers, whether just securing high-traffic areas or constructing facilities dedicated to winter feeding.

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