By Patrick Wall, Sherry Hoyer
All signs point to Iowa as the most economical place to feed high quality beef cattle, and young cattle enthusiasts are eager to fill the void. Two new harvesting facilities in the state, an abundance of cheap feedstuffs and record-high fed cattle prices are the formula, and innovative beef cattle facilities are the solution, according to Patrick Wall. The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef program specialist said a three-location tour in southeast Iowa will provide a look at expansion options.
“The Iowa Beef Center, via the Beginning and Young Livestock Producer Network, is proud to host the free tour on Thursday, Sept. 25,” Wall said. “It begins near Albia with a stop at a pitted, covered feeding structure. We’ll then travel to rural Oskaloosa to view a hoop and mono-slope structure side-by-side in operation. After the third stop at a new calving and cattle handling facility near Otley, we’ll end with dinner at the Marion County Extension office in Knoxville.”
The tour offers young producers looking at expanding their beef cattle enterprise the opportunity to check out these new structures and to ask questions of those doing chores in them every day, Wall said. The tour also will provide nutrition information, and materials that compare manure handling and value from the various facility types. An event brochure is available on the IBC website.
“This is a huge investment for young farmers, and anything we can do to help them limit risk and find the building that fits their labor and resources will benefit the industry in the long run,” Wall said.
Source:iastate.edu