The year will soon be ending, but important decisions for cow-calf producers are just beginning. To help with these decisions, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will offer two meetings on Nov. 29 featuring the cow-calf outlook for 2024.
“2024 will challenge producers,” said Beth Doran, beef specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “Nutrition, health, and marketing are very different from the norm.”
As noted by Doran, the meetings feature three topics.
Doran will discuss how drought has affected the nutritional quality of this year’s feedstuffs and factors to consider when developing rations.
A local veterinarian will present the second topic of herd health – Jared Bruhn, DVM at Valley Veterinary Center, for the Holstein morning meeting; and Mark Rees, DVM at Animal Medical Centers, at the Spencer afternoon meeting. Each will visit about emerging health issues – Cryptosporidiosis, Johne’s Disease, and Mycoplasma bovis.
Lee Schulz, ISU livestock economist, will share the market outlook for cattle in 2024 and two financial decisions – whether to sell or retain calves for feeding and the economics of buying or raising replacement heifers.
Meeting times and locations are as follows:
Nov. 29, 9:30 a.m.-Noon, Lohff-Schumann Community Center – Holstein.
Nov. 29, 1:00-3:30 p.m., Grace United Methodist Church – Spencer.
There is no cost to attend either meeting, but registration is required. Please register by Nov. 27 to 712-225-6196 (Holstein meeting) or 712-262-2264 (Spencer meeting.)
For more information, contact Beth Doran at 712-737-4230 or doranb@iastate.edu.