Iowa Beef Center

05/20/2026

Our Virtual Fence Bus Tour, organized with UNL Beef and Iowa Forage and Grassland Council is quickly approaching! Have you registered⁉

🗓 June 16 - 17, 2026

Halter, Nofence USA, Gallagher Animal Management and more virtual fence options will be discussed in an open, honest conversation. All operations have different features that might make one option a better fit than another!

Attendees can expect to:
➡ Talk to producers with multiple years of experience using virtual fence
➡ Have a side-by-side comparison of different virtual fence systems
➡ Meet a cohort of like-minded producers intent on implementing virtual fencing themselves

Registration deadline is June 9.

Check out the event webpage for all the details.
🔗https://go.unl.edu/vf_bustour

05/15/2026

🐮 Does hair shedding matter? Absolutely. 🧬

As summer heats up, your cows’ coats might be telling you more than you think. Hair shedding isn’t just cosmetic — it’s key to cattle comfort, productivity, and profitability.

Cows that shed their winter coats earlier:
✅ Handle heat stress better
✅ Breed earlier in the season
✅ Wean heavier calves (up to 57 lbs more!)
✅ Are more efficient & adapted to their environment

Other tips to keep in mind:
☀️ Delayed shedding might signal nutritional stress, fescue toxicosis, or breed adaptation issues.
📊 Hair shedding is heritable (0.35–0.42), so selecting for this trait can improve your herd over time. Start scoring your cattle now—late May to early June is ideal in much of the Midwest.
💲 Bottom line: Early shedders = healthier cows + heavier calves + better returns.

To learn more, check out this article written by Dr. Randie Culbertson, ISU state cow-calf extension specialist, in Iowa Cattlemen's Association magazine: https://go.iastate.edu/PMERV2.

05/14/2026

Growing Beef Newsletter for May 2026 Beef Month - Ticks, fescue, sorghum research, nitrogen management and heat stress prep, all this and more in this issue of Growing Beef! https://mailchi.mp/mail/growing-beef-newsletter-for-may-2026

05/13/2026

Check out this upcoming pasture walk in Clayton County on June 30 from 6-8 PM!

🪏Weed control measures
🌱Rotational grazing benefits
🌾Forage species selection
🚜 Fertilizer value

“Currently, pastures in Northeast Iowa are growing very well, but that also means that many w**ds are also doing well.”

Learn insights for w**d management, interseeding and species selection at an upcoming pasture walk in Clayton County.

Learn more 👉 https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/clayton-county-pasture-walk-be-held-june-30

Iowa Beef Center, Clayton County 4-H & ISU Extension and Outreach

05/13/2026

Cows are on grass across much of Iowa (🥳), which means now it's time to think about fly and tick control measures. 🌱☀🐜

In this episode of the Iowa Beef Collective, Dr. Matt Brewer from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine explains the history, discovery, and science behind both Asian Longhorned Tick and New World Screwworm. More importantly, practical prevention and treatment strategies are discussed to help keep these pests out of your herd and beyond your fences!

Tune in on your favorite platforms🎙
Podcast links below 🔗

05/08/2026

We can't control the weather, but we can control a forage system and livestock that are resilient through unpredictability.

Join us at the Iowa State University Beef Teaching Farm to play in a soil pit and talk about our favorite trio - livestock, forage & soil.

📆 June 9th
🕗 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM.

Topics include:
🌧 Weather extremes and practical tools for producers from a climatologist.
🌾Using diverse forages to establish a resilient, productive system.
🪱 Soil, roots and water infiltration
☠ Toxic plant ID and management
🤠 Managing the system as a whole for long-term success

This event will cost $20/person and includes lunch.

Spots are limited to register soon! Find all details on the event website: https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/event/2026/central-iowa-resilient-systems-field-day

05/06/2026

Register TODAY for this Beef Reproduction Workshop in Dallas County!

Interested in Beef Cattle Production? This workshop is for you!
BEEF CATTLE REPRODUCTION
May 13, 2026
5:30-8:30PM
Dallas County Extension Office
28061 Fairground Road, Adel, IA
Presented by:
Chris Clark, ISU Extension and Outreach Beef Specialist
Randie Culbertson, ISU Cow Calf Specialist
🐂AI
🐂Estrus Synchronization
🐂Tips to optimize reproduction efficiency

Registration deadline is May 6, 2026.
Register Online at: go.iastate.edu/K1HDUP
Or Call the Dallas County Extension Office at (515) 993-4281
Or Email Aleta Cochran: [email protected].
Questions? Call Chris Clark: (712) 250-0070
or email: [email protected]
Registration fee is $20 and will include a light meal.
You may pay at the door.

05/06/2026

Deciding virtual fencing will enhance your operation is one thing, but picking the system that is the best fit is another.

With that in mind, we have partnered with UNL Beef and Iowa Forage and Grassland Council to organize a bus tour that will feature multiple virtual fencing systems in action.

🗓 June 16 - 17, 2026

Attendees can expect to:
➡ Talk to producers with multiple years of experience using virtual fence
➡ Have a side-by-side comparison of different virtual fence systems
➡ Meet a cohort of like-minded producers intent on implementing virtual fencing themselves

Registration deadline is June 9.

Check out the event webpage for all the details.
🔗https://go.unl.edu/vf_bustour

05/05/2026

Dr. Dewell got to spend some time helping out with a youth program this week!
Hands-on, impactful lesson. A perfect way to highlight beef month! 🤠

05/01/2026

Plenty of cattle have already been processed this spring, and more are going to be processed in the next month!
Throwing it back to our videos to review basic chuteside tips.
1️⃣ Manage the equipment. Keep products at the correct temperature, clean syringes properly, and know when needles need replaced.
2️⃣ Manage the injection site. Keep injections a hand width apart and administer products according to the label.
3️⃣ Manage animal stress. Stress will limit an animals response to an administered product. Managing stress is good for animal welfare, your pocketbook, and your mental state while working cattle.

04/30/2026

Cow-calf producers in central IA - join us!

Interested in Beef Cattle Production? This workshop is for you!
BEEF CATTLE REPRODUCTION
May 13, 2026
5:30-8:30PM
Dallas County Extension Office
28061 Fairground Road, Adel, IA
Presented by:
Chris Clark, ISU Extension and Outreach Beef Specialist
Randie Culbertson, ISU Cow Calf Specialist
🐂AI
🐂Estrus Synchronization
🐂Tips to optimize reproduction efficiency

Registration deadline is May 6, 2026.
Register Online at: go.iastate.edu/K1HDUP
Or Call the Dallas County Extension Office at (515) 993-4281
Or Email Aleta Cochran: [email protected].
Questions? Call Chris Clark: (712) 250-0070
or email: [email protected]
Registration fee is $20 and will include a light meal.
You may pay at the door.