Iowa Beef Facilities Tour And Producer Training
US - Beef producers in northwest Iowa will want to circle 25 August on their calendars for a beef facilities tour and Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training in Ida County.
Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach beef programme specialist Beth Doran said the tour will feature stops at five facilities before dinner and include the BQA training after the meal.
“The tour begins at the Alan Friedrichsen farm near Holstein at two pm and features several types of facilities including wide mono-slope barns, a gable-roofed barn and a semi-confinement barn," Ms Doran said.
“Each facility producer will explain how they manage their facilities, cattle and manure.”
Throughout the tour, specialists from ISU Extension, the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF), the Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources will informally share information about animal welfare, building design, environmental regulations and managing manure.
The Ida County Cattlemen’s Association, ISU Extension and CSIF are coordinating the tour and BQA training. Thanks to sponsorship, there is no cost to attend the tour, dinner or BQA training. However, Ms Doran said participants should call the Ida County Extension Office at 712-364-3003 by 22 August so that meals and materials can be guaranteed.
Ms Doran said the BQA training will be from 7 pm to 8:30 pm following the evening meal. It will be conducted by Matt Deppe, IBIC Director of Industry Relations and the Holstein Veterinary Clinic, and will include a post-mortem examination. This training will allow producers to certify or re-certify in BQA.
Directions to the Alan Friedrichsen facility are as follows: from the intersection of Hwy 59 and Hwy 20 (east of Holstein one mile), go two miles south on Hwy 59 to 180th Street and 3/4 miles east on 180th Street.
TheCattleSite News Desk