ORANGE CITY, Iowa — Cattle producers and agri-business professionals are invited to participate in a tour featuring fall grazing of cover crops. Two tours are scheduled in Northwest Iowa – the first on November 30 in the Castana area and another December 3 in the Newell area. Both tours are from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Cover crops offer cattle producers an opportunity to extend fall grazing and reduce stored feed costs, according to Beth Doran, beef specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
“One month of extended grazing can reduce the cost of production in a cowherd more than five percent,“ Doran said. “But remember that the fall grazing period may be more limited than in the spring due to timing of grain harvest, seeding method, species selection and weather.”
Each tour will feature two producers who are successfully grazing fall cover crops.
“The producer stops are in addition to a tour at the ISU Research and Demonstration Farms and topics presented by ISU Extension ag field specialists and Natural Resource Conservation Service conservationists,” Doran said.
Featured topics include selection of fall cover crops, methods of seeding, herbicide selection for grazing, best management practices for fall grazing, and potential funding for cover crop establishment. The field days are sponsored by ISU Extension and Outreach, the Iowa Beef Center and the ISU Research and Demonstration Farms.
On November 30, a bus is provided and departs from the Western Iowa Research and Demonstration Farm at 10:00 a.m. On December 3, participants should meet at the Lynn and Seth Smith farm, located at 2681 190th St., east of Nemaha. For this tour, everyone will drive their vehicle.
Registration for either tour is due November 28. The tour cost is $5 for the noon meal, which is payable at lunch. To register for the Castana tour, contact ISU Extension and Outreach – Monona County at 712-423-2175 or kwbaker@iastate.edu. For the Newell tour, contact ISU Extension and Outreach – Sac County at 712-662-7131 or ldwright@iastate.edu.
Participants are reminded to dress for winter, as much of the tour will be outdoors in the cover crop fields.
For more information or a flier, feel free to contact Beth Doran at 712-737-4230 or doranb@iastate.edu.
— Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
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