Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
1/30/01
Contacts:
Carl Neifert, Livestock Field Specialist, (515) 462-1001,
cneifert@iastate.edu
Joe Sellers, Livestock Field Specialist, (515) 774-2016,
sellers@iastate.edu
Wendy Miller, Media Specialist, Iowa Beef Center, (515)
294-9124, wmiller@iastate.edu
Grazing Meetings Highlight New Management Practices
AMES, Iowa -- Cow/calf producers have discovered that grazing their animals through the winter months adds a new dimension to their management practices. From grazing stockpiled forages to reducing compaction caused by cornstalk grazing, producers are working hard to find new methods to reduce the costs of cow-calf production.
"Producers are moving away from more traditional practices in order to glean the most from their pastures and their cattle," said Carl Neifert, Extension livestock field specialist for Iowa State University and the Iowa Beef Center. "We're sponsoring these workshops to give producers a fresh outlook."
Two ISU Extension field days will help producers get the most from their grazing practices. A winter grazing field day will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12 at the McNay Research Farm in Chariton. Topics include a synopsis of results obtained from a recent ISU cornstalk grazing trial, compaction measured on grazed cornstalks, end-data from stockpiled grazing projects and risk management solutions during severe winters. Following the field day, producers will have the option to tour each of the ISU projects.
"ISU has done quite a bit of grazing research, and we hope to get this information out to producers who are making tough management decisions," said Joe Sellers, an ISU Extension livestock field specialist. "Drought conditions throughout last summer and fall dramatically reduced the amount of available forage; now, deep snow in various parts of the state has hampered grazing and put additional stress on cows."
The second field day will be held Monday, Feb. 19 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Guthrie Center Farm Bureau Office, 203 N. 4th Street, Guthrie Center. This meeting not only will address stockpiled grazing information, but it also will give producers insight into using delayed season calving. Titles include year-round grazing basics, a computer projection model for year-round forage supplies, how to make May calving work, making year-round grazing work and monitoring cow/calf health and reproduction in a year-round grazing system. An optional farm tour is also included in this event.
"We want to give attendees knowledge from a producer standpoint," Neifert continued. "We've invited producers who actually use these management techniques to speak about their own experiences."
Both field days are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Neifert at the Madison County Extension Office, (515) 462-1001 or Sellers at the Lucas County Extension Office, (515) 774-2016.
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