Iowa State University Extension has hired Erika Lundy as a beef specialist. In her new role, Lundy will work out of the ISU Extension office in Adair County in the southwest part of the state.

An ISU grad, Lundy has spent the last four years as a program specialist with the Iowa Beef Center. She worked with producers, industry leaders and other stakeholders to develop new Extension educational programming. She also headed research projects on grazing cover crops, implant strategies in feedlots and fescue tolerance effects on cow reproduction.

“I’m very excited to be back in southwest Iowa and have the opportunity to work with producers each day,” Lundy says. “In this role, interaction with producers is a two-way street and provides me with an opportunity to learn just as much from other producers as they hopefully can learn from me.”

Lundy joins a group of five other ISU Extension beef specialists located across Iowa who work to provide research-based information on cattle, production, marketing and management. Field specialists work in conjunction with faculty and staff at the Iowa Beef Center to develop and deliver the latest information to improve the profitability and vitality of Iowa’s beef industry.

“Erika has a strong background and training in both cow-calf and feedlot production, as well as ISU Extension and research experience,” says Dan Loy, director of the Iowa Beef Center and Extension beef specialist at Iowa State. “Her background, along with her being born and raised in the area, makes her the perfect fit for this job.”

In addition to her work experience as a program specialist, Lundy has worked as a graduate assistant with the Iowa Beef Center and at Iowa State’s Ruminant Nutrition Laboratory. Lundy holds a degree in animal science with a minor in ag business and a master’s degree in animal science from Iowa State.

Source: ISU Extension and Outreach

Carcass Challenge in 9th year

The Young Cattlemen's Leadership Program is recruiting for the 2019 Iowa Cattlemen's Association Carcass Challenge. The program measures the quality of cattle raised by Iowa's producers. Proceeds from the sale of the participating steers benefit this program and other educational programs offered by the Iowa Cattlemen's Association.

This is the ninth annual Carcass Challenge. As Iowa’s only statewide fed-beef competition, the ICA Carcass Challenge was created to:

• showcase Iowa’s beef cattle genetics, feedyard management and modern technology

• offer Iowa’s cattle industry a fun and competitive statewide fed-beef contest to highlight Iowa’s beef production advantages

• generate additional revenue to grow Iowa’s beef business through advocacy, leadership and education

• provide leadership and learning opportunities through the ICA Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program

Each November, sponsors donate 700-pound steer calves to compete in this Iowa fed-beef contest. Steers complete 180 to 200 days on feed to an average of 1,400 pounds and are market-ready.

Cash prizes and special awards are presented to contributors of the top 10% of individual steers based on the “retail value per day on feed,” recognizing both feedyard performance and end carcass merit.

A $5,000 cash prize is awarded to the Champion Steer donor(s). Awards for outstanding individual carcass results are also presented. Every effort is made to deliver maximum cattle efficiency, carcass value and net revenue of all steers.

Data collected on each steer
“We are excited to work with Kennedy Cattle Co. of Atlantic in western Iowa to feed the steers again this year,” says Casey Allison, the ICA staff member in charge of the program. “Throughout the testing period, we will collect data on the growth progression of each animal by using ultrasound technology, EIDs, and recording weights on test, at the interim period and off-test weights.”

Steer donors and program participants will receive regular communication throughout the test via email to stay up to date on progress in the feedyard. The program’s primary sponsor, Elanco, donates all the animal health products for the steers. Other partners include Gregory Feedlots, the Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity, Shnurman Sire Services, Thielen Trucking, Kooima & Kaemink and First National Bank.

Anyone interested in sponsoring a steer for the Iowa Carcass Challenge should call the ICA office at 515-296-2266 or visit the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association online.

Source: Iowa Cattlemen’s Association