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Published by Iowa Beef Center Current and archived issues Subscribe to IBC Growing Beef Newsletter Published by Ag Decision Maker Subscribe	CANCELED. The Resilient Systems Field Day originally set for Tuesday, June 9, at the Iowa State University beef teaching farm has been canceled. Stay tuned for more information including possible rescheduling. Contact ISU extension forage specialist Shelby Gruss with questions. Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University and South Dakota State University Beef Extension are partnering to showcase, demonstrate, and discuss a wide variety of new tools and techniques in beef production at a northwest Iowa field day. The event will be hosted by Aaron Alons of Tallgrass Cattle located at Getting Farms, 2859 Pierce Avenue, Sanborn, on Thursday, June 25. The 2026 Update for Veterinarians program offers current information and education for large animal and mixed animal veterinarians with a focus on beef cattle production. Organizer Chris Clark said practitioners who work with cattle will hear from Iowa State University experts on implants, pinkeye, bovine viral diarrhea virus, and parasitology at the June 24 event. The University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Iowa State University and Lallemand Animal Nutrition will host the biennial Silage for Beef Conference on June 18 with in-person and livestreaming attendance options. The on-site location is the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center (ENRECC) near Mead, Nebraska, and those wanting to do the livestream will receive information following registration. Northeast Iowa producers can attend the morning livestream at the Delaware County Extension office. Jeff and Shelly Monck and Nicole and Jon Vernon wanted to expand their cow herd but had limited pasture available. So they incorporated annual forages into their grazing plan using oats, cow peas, rye, turnips and various other annual species to increase grazing acres from crop ground. Cattle producers interested in ways to stretch their pasture with annual forages are invited to attend a pasture walk at the farm near Monticello on June 23 from 9 to 11 a.m. Forage producers interested in learning more about pasture weed management, fertility and interseeding are invited to a northeast Iowa pasture walk on June 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. The pasture is located at the Scott Cherne farm, 28639 Miners Creek Road, Guttenberg. The pasture walk aims to answer questions about weed management and selecting different forage species for pastures. Topics include a variety of issues related to fertilization, species selection and weed management, to be presented by Iowa State extension field agronomist Joshua Michel and Corteva pasture and land management specialist Ryan Hegland. The program includes pasture tour and light dinner after the walk. Contact the ISU Extension and Outreach Clayton County office with questions and to register at xclayton@iastate.edu or 563-245-1451. Cattle producers and industry professionals will have a unique opportunity this summer to explore virtual fencing technology in real-world settings during an event hosted by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Iowa State University. Scheduled for June 16–17, the Virtual Fencing Bus Tour is designed to provide hands-on exposure to multiple commercially available systems while connecting participants directly with producers, researchers, and technology providers with stops in Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska. News Archives

Newsletters

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Published by Iowa Beef Center
Current and archived issues
Subscribe to IBC Growing Beef Newsletter

Published by Ag Decision Maker
Subscribe

CANCELED. The Resilient Systems Field Day originally set for Tuesday, June 9, at the Iowa State University beef teaching farm has been canceled. Stay tuned for more information including possible rescheduling. Contact ISU extension forage specialist Shelby Gruss with questions.

Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University and South Dakota State University Beef Extension are partnering to showcase, demonstrate, and discuss a wide variety of new tools and techniques in beef production at a northwest Iowa field day. The event will be hosted by Aaron Alons of Tallgrass Cattle located at Getting Farms, 2859 Pierce Avenue, Sanborn, on Thursday, June 25.

The 2026 Update for Veterinarians program offers current information and education for large animal and mixed animal veterinarians with a focus on beef cattle production. Organizer Chris Clark said practitioners who work with cattle will hear from Iowa State University experts on implants, pinkeye, bovine viral diarrhea virus, and parasitology at the June 24 event.

The University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Iowa State University and Lallemand Animal Nutrition will host the biennial Silage for Beef Conference on June 18 with in-person and livestreaming attendance options. The on-site location is the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center (ENRECC) near Mead, Nebraska, and those wanting to do the livestream will receive information following registration. Northeast Iowa producers can attend the morning livestream at the Delaware County Extension office.

Jeff and Shelly Monck and Nicole and Jon Vernon wanted to expand their cow herd but had limited pasture available. So they incorporated annual forages into their grazing plan using oats, cow peas, rye, turnips and various other annual species to increase grazing acres from crop ground. Cattle producers interested in ways to stretch their pasture with annual forages are invited to attend a pasture walk at the farm near Monticello on June 23 from 9 to 11 a.m.

Forage producers interested in learning more about pasture weed management, fertility and interseeding are invited to a northeast Iowa pasture walk on June 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. The pasture is located at the Scott Cherne farm, 28639 Miners Creek Road, Guttenberg. The pasture walk aims to answer questions about weed management and selecting different forage species for pastures. Topics include a variety of issues related to fertilization, species selection and weed management, to be presented by Iowa State extension field agronomist Joshua Michel and Corteva pasture and land management specialist Ryan Hegland. The program includes pasture tour and light dinner after the walk. Contact the ISU Extension and Outreach Clayton County office with questions and to register at xclayton@iastate.edu or 563-245-1451.

Cattle producers and industry professionals will have a unique opportunity this summer to explore virtual fencing technology in real-world settings during an event hosted by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Iowa State University. Scheduled for June 16–17, the Virtual Fencing Bus Tour is designed to provide hands-on exposure to multiple commercially available systems while connecting participants directly with producers, researchers, and technology providers with stops in Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska.

News Archives

Columns

Director Column

Aimee Wertz-Lutz, IBC director, writes this monthly column featured in Iowa Cattleman Magazine.

June 2026

Recent trends for yardage at Midwest feedlots

Yardage is a charge cattle feeding operations assign to non-feed related expenses associated when feeding cattle to market weight. While this amount generally increases linearly over time, the rate of increase has become steeper the past several years. In general, yardage is calculated as daily non-feed costs divided by the number of animal head days. Yardage charges are highly variable and specific to each operation depending on what non-feed expenses are included and occupied capacity of the facility (% of potential head days occupied).

Read the rest of this column.

Iowa Cow-Calf Commentary

Iowa Beef Center and extension cow-calf specialist Randie Culbertson writes the "Iowa Cow-Calf Commentary" featured in the Iowa Cattleman Magazine.

June 2026

Genetic selection for improved weaned calf health

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is one of the most frustrating diseases facing cattle producers. It can be difficult to prevent, reduces calf performance and carcass value, and can leave lasting effects on calf health. The BRD complex is estimated to cost the U.S. feedlot industry at least $1 billion annually in production losses. As cattle markets tighten profit margins and pressure mounts for improved animal health with fewer antimicrobial interventions, understanding what drives BRD - and how to stay ahead of it - has become increasingly important.

Read the rest of this column.