Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Greene County along with the Iowa Beef Center is offering an advanced calving clinic to help Iowa cattlemen and women prepare for a successful calving season and subsequent breeding period. A clinic will be offered Wednesday, Jan. 7, from 9 am to 2 pm at Clover Hall at the Greene County Fairgrounds.
Iowa State University Extension beef specialist Denise Schwab said the clinic will feature a variety of learning sessions and opportunities to share questions and experiences. Session topics will cover essentials from conception to calving, including strategies for managing dystocia with practice using the calving model, beef cow nutrition basics, neonatal calf health and care, and calving distribution management.
“Whether you’ve calved 10 cows or 10,000 cows, there’s always a new technique to learn to help you get one more calf born alive,” she said. “Attendees of previous advanced calving clinics have reported substantial satisfaction with the program, estimating an average benefit of $1,480 per operation.”
Erika Lundy-Woolfolk, ISU Extension beef specialist, said the life-size calving model is a popular hands-on feature of the clinics.
Dr. Caitlin Wiley from the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine will help participants with tips and tricks for handling difficult delivery situations, she said.
Local veterinarians Dr. Amy Klauer and Dr. Charles Martin of Fairview Veterinary Clinic will be present to provide insights on neonatal calf health and common reproductive challenges in the local area.
ISU cow-calf specialist Randie Culbertson will present a session on improving rebreeding success, and clinic organizers Schwab and Woolfolk will also lead a presentation on pre- and post-calving nutrition.
Because the sessions are designed for individual hands-on learning, attendance is limited to 50 participants per clinic location, and preregistration is required. The cost is $25 per person, which includes a meal.
Those who want to attend should register at least two days in advance by contacting the Greene County Extension office, 515-386-2138.
This statewide program is supported through sponsorship of the calving model from Boehringer Ingelheim. Local sponsorship provided by the Greene County Cattlemen’s Association. Persons who want more information can contact Jeff Lamoureux at jeffl1@iastate.edu or Lundy-Woolfolk at ellundy@iastate.edu.
