Southern Iowa beef producers who want to learn more about grazing management, in general, and managing tall fescue, in particular, are invited to attend any of four beef management workshops this spring.

Joe Sellers, an Iowa State University Extension beef program specialist, says the session dates of May 30, May 31 and June 1 will allow attendees to hear from experts from the University of Missouri and AgBotanica, who also will be presenting at the 2017 Veterinarian Update session on May 31.

“We’re fortunate to have speakers Diane Spurlock and Craig Roberts, who also will be presenting at the Iowa Beef Center’s annual Veterinarian Update at the ISU McNay Research Farm,” Sellers says. “Both will share current information in their expertise area with our workshop attendees.”

Spurlock will explain using the T-Snip test to identify fescue-tolerant breeding stock, and Roberts will explain renovating fescue pastures with the spray-smother-spray technique. Sellers will talk about cattle supplementation strategies.

Beef cattle nutrition and grazing
Workshop dates, times and locations are as follows:

• May 30, 6:30 p.m., Davis County Extension office, 402 E. North St., Bloomfield

• May 31, 6:30 p.m., Decatur County Fairgrounds, 1700 N.W. Church St., Leon

• June 1, 8 a.m., Carpenter’s Hall Rotary room, 1215 Court Ave., Chariton

• June 1, 1 p.m., Wayne County Extension office, 220 East Jefferson St., Corydon

The series is sponsored by the Iowa Beef Center and Iowa State Extension and Outreach. A flier with information for all sessions is available on the Iowa Beef Center website. Registration is $10 per person to cover speaker expenses and is payable at the door. Snacks and soft drinks will be served at each location. For more information contact Sellers by phone at 641-203-1270 or email [email protected].

Annual update for beef veterinarians
The annual Update for Veterinarians program, organized by Iowa Beef Center features a full day of education and demonstrations focused on beef cattle. ISU Extension and beef program specialist Joe Sellers is organizing the program and invites practitioners who work with cattle to make plans to attend the May 31 event at the McNay Research Farm near Chariton.

“In addition to speakers from ISU, we’ll have Dr. Craig Roberts from the University of Missouri and Dr. Diane Spurlock from AgBotanica,” Sellers says. “This program is an opportunity for our veterinary colleagues to get in-depth and up-to-date information on BRD [bovine respiratory disease] treatment, the snip test for identifying fescue tolerance in cattle, fescue and grazing issues, liver biopsy collection techniques, heifer development, and more. Also, six hours of continuing education credits have been approved for attendees.”

Registration begins at 9 a.m. at the McNay headquarters, with the first speaker starting at 9:15 a.m. After the noon meal, there are two concurrent sessions in the on-site beef facilities, which will repeat so all attendees can attend both sessions. The program will end about 4 p.m. Those who preregister by May 29 pay $65 per person, which includes the meal. Those who preregister after May 29 and those who register onsite pay $85. All registrations are done through the Lucas County Extension office in Chariton.

Cattle nutrition and health topics
The brochure with a fillable registration form is available on the IBC website. For more information, contact Sellers at 641-203-1270 or [email protected]. Topics and speakers in presentation order are:

• Ancillary therapies for BRD treatment, Jenna Funk, ISU

• Mineral requirements and evaluating mineral status of cattle, Stephanie Hansen, ISU

• Genomic snip test to identify fescue tolerance in cattle, Diane Spurlock, AgBotanica

• Improve vs. renovate fescue pastures, Craig Roberts, University of Missouri

• Where are we on the Veterinary Feed Directive? Discussion about experiences the first four months, Chris Clark, ISU Extension

• Wet lab collecting liver biopsies (hands-on), Scott Radke and Grant Dewell, ISU

• Heifer development, young cow nutrition, managing cow nutrition on fescue, Chris Clark and Joe Sellers, ISU; Craig Roberts, University of Missouri.

Source: Iowa State University