Iowa Forage and Grassland Council Conference set for Feb. 6

Jan 10, 2024

The 2024 Iowa Forage and Grassland Council annual conference is set for Feb. 6 in Ames. The event returns to Reiman Gardens, 1407 University Blvd., just to the southwest of Jack Trice Stadium.

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. with a welcome and introductions at 10 a.m. Two presentations are on tap for the morning session, and lunch at noon is followed by the IFGC annual meeting. The two afternoon sessions run from 1 to 3 p.m.

Conference topics and speakers are:

A Tool for the Grazing Revolution: Virtual Fencing, Meghan Filbert, No Fence.
Corn residue grazing: current recommendations and adjustments based on new data, Dr. Mary Drewnoski, University of Nebraska—Lincoln.
Cultivating Resilience: Exploring Traits and Tactics with Warm-Season Annual Forage, Dr. Shelby Gruss, Iowa State University.
Livestock water improvement ideas from the drought, Jeff Matthias, Iowa NRCS.

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Video: Assessing Welfare Resources During Late Finish - Dr. Anna Johnson & Emma Coursey

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Anna Johnson from Iowa State University and Emma Coursey from the University of Illinois discuss research evaluating welfare resources during the late finishing stage on commercial swine farms. They explain how feeder management, water use, space allocation, and pig health influence welfare outcomes and practical on-farm management. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Small resource issues can become larger welfare problems when multiple stressors interact across finishing barns."

Meet the guests: Dr. Anna Johnson / anna-johnson-05028a14 is the Morrill Professor of Animal Behavior and Welfare at Iowa State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from Texas Tech University and completed her master's degree in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on practical solutions that improve farm animal welfare, including sow productive lifetime, animal-human interaction, environmental enrichment, and Precision Livestock Farming.

Emma Coursey / emma-coursey-183810241 is pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine after earning a bachelor's degree in Animal Science from Iowa State University. Her academic interests include swine health, production, and animal welfare, with research experience evaluating welfare resources in commercial finishing pigs.