I-29 Moo University

The I-29 Moo University and the Northern Plains Forage Association Forage Webinar Series continues Tuesday, November 18 from 7 to 8:30 pm CST with a variety of forage topics including an overview of using drones to manage pasture and rangeland, water systems for livestock pastures and a market outlook.

Presenters include:

Kapil Arora, Iowa State University Extension Agricultural Engineer will share insights and current research on using pasture watering systems for livestock. Dr. Kapil Arora’s expertise includes composting, water quality, and environmental regulations. Kapil received his Master’s and his Ph.D. from Iowa State University.

Tracy Shane, Ph.D., serves as University of Nevada, Reno Extension State Livestock Specialist and will present “Drones on the Range: forage crop and pasture data to inform land management decisions”. During this presentation attendees will learn about how drones can be deployed to capture information about grazing lands or forage crops and turn that information into products useful for farmers, ranchers and land managers. Examples such as weed detection, vegetation monitoring, and forage production estimates will be presented. Operational challenges for moving drone research into everyday management will be discussed.  

Dr. Shane has over twenty-five years of combined experience as a rangeland management specialist and university lecturer in animal and rangeland sciences. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science and a Master of Science degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Science. Her Ph.D. research involved remote sensing of targeted livestock grazing treatments. She has been an FAA-licensed drone pilot for over five years and has trained three additional drone pilots during this time. She combines her years of experience working across Great Basin rangelands with satellite and drone-based remote sensing applications to provide actionable products for farmers and ranchers. She translates advancements in precision agriculture and animal science research into publications and tools useful to land managers. 

Barb Kinnan-Baier, Executive Director of the Nebraska Alfalfa Marketing Association will share her view of the current alfalfa market and insights for the 2026 markets

There is no fee to participate in the webinar; however, registration is required at least one hour prior to the webinar. Register online at: 

https://go.iastate.edu/NOVEMBER2025FORAGEWEBINAR