Feedlot Short Course Coming to Southwest Iowa Producers

LEWIS — Building on the continued success of the Iowa Beef Center's Feedlot Short Course, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has created a regional version to provide a similar opportunity for southwest Iowa producers.

The Cattle Feeders Camp will be held Nov. 30 through Dec. 1 at the Wallace Learning Center at the Armstrong Memorial Research Farm near Lewis and the nearby JW Freunds Farms feedlot.

Registration is $250, and will be capped at 30 participants. Registration will close Nov. 22.

"While this program is not quite as long as the Feedlot Short Course, we're packing a lot of information, activity and discussion into the two days," said Erika Lundy-Woolfolk, presenter and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef specialist.

"Plus, our limited size of 30 attendees allows us to provide optimal hands-on opportunities and small group learning."

The program runs from 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, through 2:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 1. Weather makeup dates are Dec. 7-8, same times and location.

The event begins with classroom sessions on starting cattle on feed and preparing calves for the feedlot. After lunch is a feed-mixing demonstration and presentation on pros and cons of feedlot types, followed by a social hour and dinner.

Friday morning features a session on ingredients for a recipe for profitability, research update on feeding beef-dairy steers and farm demonstrations on managing foot health and bunk scoring. Following lunch, participants will learn about facility designs and join in discussion about the camp.

This year's presenters are Robbi Pritchard, feedlot consultant, Aurora, South Dakota; Dan Thomson, professor of animal science, Iowa State University; Dan Loy, animal science professor emeritus, Iowa State University; Garland Dahlke, research scientist, Iowa Beef Center, Iowa State University; Erika Lundy-Woolfolk, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef specialist, Iowa Beef Center.

Participants are responsible for making their own lodging arrangements. A block of rooms is available at the Rock Island Inn & Suites in Atlantic, 1702 SW Seventh St.

Reservations must be made by Nov. 15 to get the discounted rate ($99 + tax per night). The block is under Iowa State University Feedlot Meeting. Reserve directly with the hotel at atlanticrockislandinn.com/.