Cattle producers are encouraged to make plans to attend two upcoming annual conferences. First, there is the Three-State Beef Conference set for January 10, 11 and 12, 2017 with locations in Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska. Second, there’s the Corn Belt Cow-Calf Conference at Ottumwa in southeast Iowa on January 28.

The Three-State Beef Conference (formerly the Four-State Beef Conference) is designed to give beef cattle producers and others in the beef industry in these states a regular update on current cow-calf and stocker topics. The conference provides a forum of specialists from three of the leading beef cattle land grant universities in the U.S. as well as other industry experts.

The Corn Belt Cow-Calf Conference is the premier educational event in Iowa for cow-calf producers. It has provided timely, accurate and important information to the state’s beef cattle industry for more than 40 years. Iowa State University Extension beef program specialist Patrick Wall says the upcoming conference is set for January 28, 2017 at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa and will continue that successful tradition.

Plan now to attend 2017 Three-State Beef Conference
Topics and speakers for the January 10, 11 and 12, 2017 event include: “Cows in Need of a Career Change – Culling Strategies to Maximize Returns”—Patrick Gunn, Iowa State University Extension cow-calf specialist; “Managing Common Forage Toxicity Issues of Beef Cattle”—Chris Clark, ISU Extension beef program specialist;

“Developing a Herd Health Program”—Craig Payne, University of Missouri Extension veterinary specialist.

The first session of the conference is the Iowa location in Creston at Southwestern Community College on Tuesday, January 10. Registration is at 5:30 p.m. and the program begins at 6 p.m. The Missouri session will be held on Wednesday, January 11 in Albany at the MU Hundley-Whaley Learning Discovery Center. Registration is at 5:30 p.m. and the program follows at 6 p.m. The Nebraska session is on Thursday, January 12 at the Gage County UNL Extension Center in Beatrice with registration at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting at 6 p.m.

Clark, who is the Iowa contact for the conference, says you are strongly encouraged to preregister for any location by Friday, January 6. “Calling or emailing your reservation helps with meal plans and also helps keep costs down,” he says. “The registration fee is $25 per person and includes a meal and copy of the conference proceedings.”

The conference brochure has agenda information and a registration form. For more information contact your local university Extension office or visit the conference website at extension.iastate.edu/feci/3StBeef/. For general information contact Clark at 712-250-0070 or email at [email protected]. You also can contact your regional ISU Extension livestock specialist.

Plan now to attend 2017 Corn Belt Cow-Calf Conference
The premier educational event in Iowa for cow-calf producers is offering a comprehensive package of information to attendees next month. The popular Corn Belt Cow-Calf Conference is set for Jan. 28, 2017 at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa.

“Producers have come to expect relevant information from the Corn Belt Cow-Calf Conference on current topics that impact their profitability,” says ISU Extension beef cattle specialist Patrick Wall. “The 2017 program targets a variety of topics designed to help producers of all ages and production goals. Seedstock and cow-calf producers, as well as researchers and veterinarians from across the Midwest, will lead sessions that offer attendees valuable information to put into practice on their farms.”

Wall says the 2017 event will offer free admission and be preceded by the KIIC Farm Show on Friday afternoon prior to the conference, and all attendees will enjoy the three keynote speakers.

Features a number of timely topics and interesting speakers
“Our keynote speakers are Dr. Kim Vonnahme of North Dakota State University, Anne Burkholder of Will Feed, Inc. in Nebraska and Cody Peck from Padlock Ranch in Wyoming,” he says. “Vonnahme will talk about recent research in fetal programming and how nutrition during gestation affects more than just the dam. Burkholder will describe her career transition from Ivy League psychology major to feedlot manager and explain how she improved cow-calf suppliers by giving them valuable carcass information. Peck will offer opportunities to capture margin in the cow-calf sector.”

As an added bonus, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey will address current policy topics impacting Iowa livestock producers. A great collection of presenters and producers rounds out the informational sessions.

Doors open for the 2017 conference and trade show at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa promptly at 8 a.m. Official welcome is at 8:45 a.m., followed by three general session speakers then lunch and exhibit viewing. Afternoon begins with Cody Peck’s talk in the auditorium, followed by two repeating break-out sessions with five choices. Free admission includes a copy of the show guide and conference proceedings. No preregistration is necessary. Click here to See and download the conference brochure.