All Things Beef Workshop Series Set in Afton

A new winter workshop series in Union County will focus on a different beef-related area per session with participant questions for presenters expected. Iowa State University extension beef specialist Chris Clark said the four workshops are intended for beef producers of all interests and experience levels. The series dates are Nov. 13, Dec. 5, Jan. 9, 2024, and Feb. 5, 2024, and all will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Clark, Jodi Hitz of the Union County extension office and Dawn Dugan of the Ringgold County extension office worked together to plan, organize and host these workshops to meet the needs and interests of area producers.

"Each session will be held at the Afton Community Center in Afton, and there will be no charge for the program," he said. "We are asking people to preregister for each session they would like to attend.  We are planning to provide a light supper and preregistration helps with our preparatio

The first session of All Things Beef will cover current financial conditions and information for producers to consider in making the best marketing decisions for their operations. Clark will be joined by ISU extension farm management specialist Tim Christensen in covering topics including backgrounding and preconditioning calves, cost of gain versus value of gain, factors in marketing calves this fall and winter, and the basics of Livestock Risk Protection, otherwise known as LRP, which is a risk management program toinsure against declining livestock market prices. LRP is available from USDA's Risk Management Agency.

The community center is located at 240 N Douglas in Afton, and preregistration can be made by calling either the Ringgold county extension office at 641-464-3333 or the Union county extension office at 641-782-8426. You also can email the Union county office at jhitz@iastate.edu.

Content focus for the other sessions is as follows: Dec. 5, nutritional needs of the cow herd; Jan. 9, 2024, calving management with a calving model for hands-on practice; and Feb. 5, 2024, preparing your pasture for spring. See the workshop series flyer with information on all sessions and preregistation details.