Iowa - Articles - Page 2

2024 State of Dairy: Cautiously optimistic amid uncertainty in the Midwest

March 12, 2024

Entering an election year with high inflation and input costs, tight dairy farm margins and a farm bill that has been punted into 2024 has left many in the Midwest feeling a mix of uncertainty and cautious optimism about what is to come this year.

Growing the industry one heifer at a time

MYBEP offers youth cattle experience.

December 11, 2023

Abigail George

MYBEP connects young cattle enthusiasts with cattle producers and facilitates a mentorship relationship between the two. MYBEP participants receive a heifer calf to raise, show and start their own herd with.

Genetic testing benefits from a commercial cattleman’s point of view

Three commercial cattlemen share their experiences with genomic testing and how it has benefited their cattle individually and collectively.

August 2, 2023

Allyson Dalton

Over the past few years, genetic testing has become more readily available and used by commercial cattlemen. Information that was once used mainly by registered cattle producers is being utilized to make improvements on commercial operations and produce higher-performing cattle by making decisions with more information.

Are low-cost parlors the industry’s best-kept secret?

For more than 20 years, the low-cost parlor design has been a staple for speed and efficiency when it comes to milking systems. As the design has been fine-tuned, it has put more emphasis on ergonomics and safety while milking cows.

July 6, 2023

Jenn Coyne

J Schanbacher has milked in his fair share of milking systems, but there is one design that has met all his expectations as a dairy producer.

A big decision: How these producers knew it was the right time to milk with robots

When is it time to upgrade to an automated milking system? What should dairy producers consider before becoming a part of this growing sector in the industry? Three Midwest farmers share their experiences and offer advice for others.

June 7, 2023

Jenn Coyne

There are several factors to consider when upgrading a milking system, particularly if that upgrade goes from a traditional parlor to robots – including cost, feasibility, labor and herd adaptation among others.

Iowa woman continues family legacy, adds direct-to-consumer marketing

May 15, 2023

Abigail George

At 26 years old, Lillie Beringer is a full-time, third-generation farmer from Cascade, Iowa, taking over her grandparents’ farm. Though she is one of 26 grandchildren, she is the only one with dreams of keeping the farm going.

Design and management is key with monoslope barns

Design elements including ventilation and planned pen density, along with good management practices, make monoslope barns a good option for beef operations.

May 9, 2023

Beth Doran and Kris Kohl

Monoslope barns are common in the Upper Midwest and particularly in northwestern Iowa. Initially, they were built to control manure runoff and comply with new environmental regulations.

Progressive Events: The future of the industry a highlight at Central Plains Dairy Expo

More than 4,000 people from across the U.S. and three other countries attended Central Plains Dairy Expo. The educational event featured the latest in industry research and technology and set a cautiously optimistic tone for the next several years in dairy.

May 5, 2023

Jenn Coyne

There was something for everyone at Central Plains Dairy Expo March 28-30 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. More than 4,000 dairy producers and industry allies attended the event, representing 32 states and four countries, including Canada, France and Ireland.

I-29 Corridor: Sustaining a stable and strong pulse

The region’s outlook is heavily dependent on two primary issues – feed availability and cost, and processing capacity.

March 1, 2023

Dave Natzke

Running through the heart of the north-central U.S. and bordering three of the nation’s 24 major dairy states, Interstate 29 (I-29) is a strong vein from which to measure the pulse of the industry.