Eastern Iowa Hay Producers Association Annual Meeting & Conference

Area hay and forage producers are invited to attend the 31st Association (EIHPA) Annual Meeting and Conference on Thursday, March 20, 2014 at Buzzy's in Welton. Registration will begin at 10:00 a.m. with the program scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m.

This year's conference features two ISU speakers, plus regional updates from Virgil Schmitt, ISU Extension Field Agronomist, and Denise Schwab, ISU Extension Beef Specialist. Ryan Drollette, ISU Extension Farm Management Specialist, will kick off the event with an overview of the cattle industry and market outlook, and its impact on forage demand. Following lunch and a brief annual meeting to elect officers and directors, Dr. John Sawyer, ISU Extension Soil Fertility Specialist and Professor in Agronomy, will speak on Nutrient Considerations with Corn Stover Harvest. Sawyer has focused his research on efficient fertilizer use and nutrient, manure, and limestone management.

Registration for the conference is $30 and includes a membership to EIHPA and meal. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Certified crop advisor credits have been applied for. This conference is sponsored by EIHPA, Iowa State University Extension & Outreach, and the Iowa Beef Center.

The Eastern Iowa Hay Producers Association provides educational workshops and field days for forage producers in Jackson, Jones, Clinton, Cedar, Scott and Muscatine counties. However, forage producers from other counties are also welcome to participate. For more information contact Denise Schwab at dschwab@iastate.edu or Kevin Brown at brofarm@windstream.net or 563-872-4475.

ISU Offers New Horse Program 24/7

Want to learn the science of horse management on your time schedule? Begin by visiting the Master Equine Manager website at www.extension.iastate.edu/masterequine/. You will find a complete program description and registration information for easy access to begin learning The Master Equine Manager program is designed to enhance Iowa's broad-based horse industry.

Dr. Peggy Miller-Auwerda, ISU Extension and Outreach Horse Specialist, says "we designed the new Master Equine Manager Program to inform and educate people on quality horse care and responsible horse ownership."

Horse owners, enthusiasts, boarding facility managers and industry employees benefit from increased knowledge and networking with others in the horse industry. The program combines focused learning opportunities with a hands-on practical evaluation.

The learning modules and topics include : Welfare of Horses: Understanding Horse Behavior, Facilities and Equipment, Equine Quality Assurance; Horse Nutrition: Forages for Horses, Feeds and Feeding; Horse Health: Equine Emergency Treatment, Vaccinations for Horses, Understanding Horse Parasites, and Hoof Care; Selection of Horses: Conformation and Evaluation, Unsoundness's and Blemishes.

Registrations are accepted from junior and senior high school students and adults with an interest in horses. Graduates of the program will become a certified Master Equine Manager and are encouraged to share their skills and knowledge with others. Continuing Education Units are available upon request.

For more information, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/masterequine/, contact Dale Miller, State Coordinator Master Equine Manager Program, at dmill@iastate.edu, (641) 842-2014.

Calendar

March 5, 2014 Ornamental and Turf Applicators, Scott County Extension Office, 1:30-4:00 pm

March 21, 2014 Pesticide Applicator Testing, Scott County Extension Office, 10:00-2:00 pm

March 25, 2014 Scott County Extension Council Meeting, Scott County Extension Office, 7:00 pm

March 26, 2014 Certified Handlers, Scott County Extension Office, 9:00-11:30 am

Visit our events calendar at our web site: http://dbs.extension.iastate.edu/calendar/

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The Iowa Beef Center is releasing a newly revised version of their Feedlot Monitoring Software in February 2014. The ISU Feedlot and Cost Monitoring Software was initially created in 1982 and has been used by cattle feeders to track costs, profits and performance since. The software continues to reflect the philosophy that feeders need to objectively measure, monitor and react to changes based on existing and past livestock and financial performance.

"This software provides an affordable means to compile cattle feeding financial and performance information and to assist in the interpretation of what is occurring," says Dr. Garland Dahlke, the programs author.

The updated version allows for the same feed to beef focus as previous versions, including feeding period summaries, projections, closeouts, itemized account records and custom feeding invoice statements. A major change in the revised version is to allow for individual animal monitoring and projections as is necessary for heifer and bull development. Along with this feature, animal health issues have a greater focus with the new release giving an opportunity to track drug inventories and allow processing and treatment protocols to be imported. Cost and income channels are more flexible in terms of defining and recording the production inputs and outputs being tracked. Environmental documentation dealing with nutrient excretion, weather and manure logistics are incorporated to meet current reporting requirements. Finally, the renewed interest in benchmarking has been addressed with the ease of compiling and reporting closeout data via the internet.

Access to the new Feedlot Monitor software is possible by contacting the Iowa Beef Center at 515-294-2333. Cost is $600 for new users and $200 for existing users to upgrade. Three information and training programs are planned for northeast Iowa on: Monday, Feb. 17, 1:00-4:00 pm, Clinton County Extension Office, DeWitt; Thursday, Feb. 20, 1:00-4:00 pm, Jones County Extension Office, Monticello; and Thursday, Feb. 20, 6:30-9:30 pm, Buchanan County Extension Office, Independence. There is no charge to attend the information and training programs.

Space is limited so contact Denise Schwab at 319-472-4739 or  dschwab@iastate.edu to register and reserve your space. Participants may buy and install the program on their own laptop computer, or try a demonstration with the Beef Center's computer lab at this time.

Look for information, demonstrations, troubleshooting guides and program add-ons to appear on the Iowa Beef Center website (iowabeefcenter.org). For more information on the revised software contact Dr. Garland Dahlke at 515 294 9910, or check out the informational page at  http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/software_software_feedlot.html

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January 27, 2014 Private Pesticide Applicators Training, Scott County Extension Office, 9:30 am

January 27, 2014 Private Pesticide Applicators Training, Scott County Extension Office, 1:30 pm

January 28, 2014 Scott County Extension Council Meeting, Scott County Extension Office, 7:00 pm

February 12, 2014 Commercial Ag Weed, Insect, and Plant Disease Management, Scott County Extension Office,   9:00 am-11:45 am

February 25, 2014 Scott County Extension Council Meeting, Scott County Extension Office, 7:00 pm

February 26, 2014 Seed Treatment, Scott County Extension Office, 9:00 am-11:30 am

Visit our events calendar at our web site: http://dbs.extension.iastate.edu/calendar/