IARN — An upcoming conference in south-central Iowa will provide beef producers a chance to learn more about the state’s industry.
The Iowa Forage and Grassland Council’s annual conference returns to an in-person event on March 30th. The conference will be held at the Iowa State University McNay Research and Demonstration Farm near Chariton.
ISU Extension beef specialist Patrick Wall says they have several presenters lined up, highlighted by Minnesota Agronomist Cody Nelson who deals with cover crops.
The conference will also highlight advancements in hay equipment from John Deere, increasing days of grazing for small and mid-sized cow outfits, carbon programs and a producer panel on cover crops. The event will conclude with a cover crop tour of the McNay Research Farm, which includes a spring and fall-calving beef herd.
“It’s a unique herd,” said Wall. “It’s purebred, but it has been selected for basically one trait for the last 40 years and that’s marbling. They have cattle there that grade choice and prime on a regular basis. They’ve been selecting for it basically for as many generations as I’ve been around. The program started right before I was a grad student and it’s still running today. I’ve been with Iowa State for just short of a decade, and I was out of grad school for awhile, so they’ve been at it for a long time. They other side of the McNay Research Farm is obviously the agronomy side. They do cash crops, but then they try to apply a lot of those to the beef herd.”
Registration for the event is open now and can be accessed by visiting Iowaforage.org. Those wishing to attend can also pay at the door.
Story courtesy of the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network.
Cattle rotationally grazing at Robbins Land & Cattle LLC. (Photo courtesy of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association)
