Orange City, Iowa — The I-29 Moo University collaborative will host a webinar for dairymen considering options for their facilities if they sell their cows. The webinar will begin at 12:00 noon on Friday, March 22nd.
Presenters will address three topics of concern for making the enterprise transition:
Brian Dougherty, ISU Extension Ag Engineering Specialist, will cover some important engineering considerations when planning for the conversion of dairy barns to housing for other livestock. Advantages and limitations of different designs will be discussed, and examples of dairy barn conversions will be shown.
Bill Halfman, UW-Madison Extension Monroe County Agriculture Agent, will discuss the economics of beef feeding enterprises to determine if they are a good fit for their operation and resources, plus showcase spreadsheet tools and some benchmark numbers that producers should consider.
Tina Kohlman, UW-Madison Extension Fond du Lac Dairy & Livestock Agent, will present on the economics for farms that are no longer milking but are considering raising pre-weaned calves to utilize their facilities and labor for income generation.
After the presentations there will be a question and answer period for questions from the audience. In addition, the program will be archived for viewing at a later date.
While there is no registration fee, pre-registration is required on-line by CLICKING HERE. Following registration, a link will be emailed with directions on how to access the webinar.
Topical webinars featuring Extension professionals are part of the on-going educational programs available through I-29 Moo University. The I-29 Moo University is a consortium of Extension Dairy Specialists from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Now in its fourteenth year, the consortium provides resources and education to enhance a sustainable dairy community along the I-29 corridor by focusing on: best management practices, utilization of research-based expertise and resources, and ag-vocating the benefits of a vibrant dairy community.
For more information on Renovating Dairy Barns for a New Career, or other I-29 Moo University programs, contact your Extension Dairy Specialist. In Northwest Iowa, contact Fred M. Hall at 712-737-4230 or email fredhall@iastate.edu.
