Join us on June 18!
Forage webinar series continues
The I-29 Moo University and the Northern Plains Forage Association Forage Webinar Series continues on June 18 from 7 to 8:30 pm with a variety of forage topics including a spring forage outlook, a forage market outlook and a discussion on Safety when using round bales.
Presenters include:
Amber Friedrichsen editor of Hay & Forage Grower will give an overview of alfalfa growing conditions, harvest conditions, and forage test results so far this year.
Friedrichsen grew up on a farm in eastern Iowa and graduated from Iowa State University in 2023 with degrees in agricultural communications and agronomy. While in college, Friedrichsen served as the editorial intern for Hay & Forage Grower for two summers and was an associate editor before assuming her current position.
Fred Hall, Northwest Iowa Extension dairy specialist will share his insights on where the hay market is headed including exports, prices, profit margins, hay stocks and predicted usage.
Phil Kaatz is a Michigan State University Extension Forage and Field Crops educator and his presentation will be centered on farm safety when working with round balers. Safety is always appropriate for anyone that uses or is around a baler. He will tie the cost of a used baler replacement into the societal cost of a farm accident.
There is no fee to participate in the webinar; however, registration is required at least one hour prior to the webinar. Register online at:
Beef on Dairy webinar series continues
Feedlot economics on June 19
The next beef and dairy cross webinar will be on June 19, 2025 at 12 p.m. CT and will feature Melanie Pimentel-Concepcion speaking about the effects of corn silage inclusion rate in the finishing diet on performance, carcass characteristics, and liver abscess incidence of Holstein and Beef x Holstein steers.
There is no fee to attend, but you must register at least one hour before the webinar here
Melanie Pimentel-Concepción is a PhD student at Michigan State University concentrating on beef cattle management. Since 2017, beef x dairy cattle have become more prevalent in the U.S. beef supply chain because they have improved beef traits and value compared to straightbred Holstein (HO) cattle. Michigan State conducted a research trial where they observed that beef x HO (BxHO) steers were more feed efficient, had a lower cost of gain, greater muscling, and a greater carcass value, resulting in a greater breakeven feeder calf value compared with HO steers. However, a 39 percent liver abscess (LA) incidence in the BxHO steers was observed. This relatively high rate of LA is concerning to the beef industry. They designed a study to measure feedlot growth, carcass traits, economics, and LA incidence of BxHO and HO steers fed finishing diets with a corn silage rate of either 20 percent or 40 percent. This study aimed to build upon our knowledge of feeding BxHO steers and investigate the role of corn silage as an antibiotic alternative that may improve animal health and reduce LA rates. The B×HO steers had greater average daily weight gain, feed dry matter intake, feed efficiency, carcass yield, and carcass value and revenue, resulting in a greater breakeven feeder calf value compared with HO steers. They also observed that increasing corn silage inclusion from 20 percent to 40 percent reduced LA incidence by 30 percent in both breed types without increasing cost of gain. Her presentation will show that breeding beef sires to dairy dams can result in steers capable of attaining a beef-type conformation to add value over HO steers.