Beef Feedlot Operations: New Technologies and Current Issues
Carl Neifert, livestock field specialist
Joe Sellers, livestock gield specialist
Situation
Iowa beef feedlot operators continually face the challenge of staying informed
of new technologies, feeding procedures, marketing methods, and competitiveness
strategies. They also must be informed of current health issues and public meat
safety concerns.
Response
ISU livestock field specialists Joe Sellers and Carl Neifert contacted local
industry resource Jeff Pastoor of Land O’ Lakes in order to plan a meeting
for beef feedlot producers to focus on the above issues. The meeting was held
on January 8, 2004, at the New Sharon Co-op meeting room. The meeting’s
presenters included representatives from ISU Extension, the Iowa Beef Center,
Land O’ Lakes, and the Iowa Beef Industry Council.
Topics included the national livestock ID program, Optaflexx, implant and energy
strategies, marketing beef ("Chuck Tenders"), remaining competitive,
biosecurity strategies, and BSE updates.
Impact
After-meeting evaluations were collected from 23 of the 43 attendees. The average
size of these respondents’ operations was 200 head; operation size ranged
from 25 to 400 head. The evaluations demonstrated that the meeting made a large
impact:
- 83% would make a change in their operation as a result of the program
- 100% are better able to assess the market situation as a result of the program
- 86% better understand the changes in the marketplace due to BSE issues
- 91% better understand the new beef cuts and their impact on adding value
to beef carcasses
- 82% better understand Optaflexx implant strategy
- 60% plan to assess their operation’s competitiveness
When asked to estimate the economic benefit to their operations as a result
of the meeting, 14 respondents estimated a combined benefit of $19,000, or more
than $1,350 per operation.
Page last updated:
July 8, 2006
Page maintained by Linda Schultz, lschultz@iastate.edu
