2023 Driftless Region Beef Conference set for Jan. 26-27 in Dubuque
12/5/22
DUBUQUE, Iowa – With nearly 2.5 million cattle in three Midwest states, university extension services in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin are teaming together to offer the Driftless Region Beef Conference. The eleventh annual event will be held Jan. 26-27, 2023 at the Grand River Convention Center in Dubuque.
The cattle business has been challenging in the last year with drought in some areas, excess rain in others, increasing hay prices and skyrocketing grain prices. Cow sales are up and heifers retained for the breeding herd are down. Fed cattle prices are at or near all time highs, but so are input costs. The volatility of the cattle industry is a concern for all producers. The 2023 conference will focus on practices to survive the market volatility into the future.
The conference Jan. 26 at 1 p.m. with Dr. Sarah Sellars from the University of Illinois with a general ag outlook and which carbon credits may benefit cattle producers. Lillie Beringer from Cascade and Jack Smith from Epworth will then share what they are doing to add economic stability to their business. Dr. Dan Thomson from Iowa State University will discuss the impact of cattle handling on performance, and new regulations on animal health products, and Dr. Dan Loy of Iowa State will discuss feeding options with high feed prices. Following dinner is the Bull Pen featuring a producer panel. Friday morning features the state beef council representatives discussing research funding, eight breakout sessions for feedlot operations and cow-calf producers, and a market outlook from Derrell Peel of Oklahoma State University.
Breakout speakers are Loy and Denise Schwab, Iowa State University; Bill Halfman and Dorte Dopfer, University of Wisconsin; Travis Meteer, Dan Shike and Josh McCann, University of Illinois; Zach Smith, South Dakota State University, and Colby Redifer and Jordan Thomas, University of Missouri.
The early registration fee of $85 per person must be received prior to midnight, Jan. 13. After that date, it increases to $115. More information on topics, speakers and lodging is available on the conference website.
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The Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University was established in 1996 with the goal of supporting the growth and vitality of the state’s beef cattle industry. It comprises faculty and staff from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine, and works to develop and deliver the latest research-based information regarding the beef cattle industry. For more information about IBC, visit www.iowabeefcenter.org.
Contact:
Denise Schwab, Iowa State University Extension beef specialist, 319-472-4739, dschwab@iastate.edu
