By Jennifer Bentley and Denise Schwab
Working with cattle can be an around-the-clock job, especially during certain busy seasons or when help is short.
But taking a break is essential, according to past participants of an educational program called “Boots in the Barn,” offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
For the dairy and beef farmers who have participated in this program – that “break” is more like a few hours away from the farm to learn even more about farming. But it’s time well spent, resulting in new ideas that improve farm efficiency and friendships with other cattlewomen.
“On the farm, we rarely slow down enough to re-think how we could be doing things or come up with other ideas,” said Molly Ihde, a dairy farmer from Windsor Valley Dairy LLC, in Fayette County. “The Boots in the Barn program provides dedicated time for doing this, while providing an opportunity to chat and share ideas among other producers.”
Windsor Valley Dairy LLC
Ihde farms with her parents, Steven and Connie Schmitt; her brother, Lucas Schmitt; and husband, Sam Ihde. They milk about 300 head of grade Holsteins using five Lely robotic milking machines, and crop farm about 900 acres.
Molly Ihde graduated from Wartburg College in 2016, with a degree in public relations and journalism. Following a stint as an ag communicator with Dairy Farmers of America and a county 4-H program coordinator, she returned to the family farm, where she helps with the dairy and continues some freelance work on the side, including a blog she writes for Hoard’s Dairyman.
She attended Boots in the Barn in spring of 2024, along with her mother, Connie Schmitt. Some of their favorite sessions included a calf birthing simulation (presented by the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine) and a review of calf nutrition and vaccination recommendations.
The birthing simulation offers participants a life-size model of a cow and calf and includes an inside look at the pregnant cow’s body, complete with the realistic task of pulling the calf in a variety of positions.
“The model helped improve our knowledge and our grasp of what’s actually happening internally when a cow is in labor, and when pulling a calf,” said Ihde.
As a result of lessons learned about rations and colostrum, the Ihdes have changed how they manage and store colostrum and also modified their calf vaccination protocol.
Enyart Family Dairy
About a half-hour northeast of Windsor Valley Dairy LLC is the Enyart family dairy, where Monica Enyart and her family milk 125 head of dairy cows.
Enyart enjoyed the same Boots in the Barn sessions as Ihde and Schmitt, and likewise said the calving and nutrition sessions were helpful.
This was her second time completing the program, and each time she learned something new.
“It’s always good to have those refreshers, especially among other farm women,” she said. “You can ask a question and feel a little more confidence than you might feel if you were among a group of men.”
Enyart is a 2006 graduate of Iowa State University, where she earned a degree in agricultural education, with a minor in horticulture.
What she also likes about Boots in the Barn is the diversity among participants. Even though all are women, there is a wide range of ages, roles and backgrounds.
“Not everyone is the milker – some people just take care of the calves, some people just mix the feed or handle field work. So, it’s just nice to see that everyone does something different, and we can learn from each other because of it,” she said.
Outreach for cattlewomen
Boots in the Barn began in 2018 as a collaboration between extension dairy specialist Jenn Bentley and extension beef specialist Denise Schwab. The two identified a need to reach women in the cattle industry.
“In 2018, we decided we wanted to offer women in ag programming that focused on animal care, but also the production side of managing cattle,” said Bentley. “There are so many women working in the day-to-day side of farming that we want to provide them some resources that can help.”
The program is similar for beef and dairy participants, although there are some important differences, according to Schwab. Dairy and beef calves usually differ in terms of breed, nutritional needs and finishing goals – so the program is offered separately among dairy and beef producers.
“As women, they are often more comfortable within cohorts of the same gender,” said Schwab. “They feel more comfortable asking questions and sharing their own experiences, and over time, they’ve been able to build a rapport with us as specialists.”
Lessons that last
Jackie Aberle, a beef producer from Buchanan County, has taken Boots in the Barn multiple times. She and her husband, Shawn, maintain about 50 cow-calf pairs.
Some of the most beneficial sessions for Aberle included a calf necropsy – an autopsy to determine why a calf died, and a discussion about farm succession.
“Like a lot of other farmers, we have multiple generations involved, with different roles and contributions,” said Aberle. “Sometimes, what we need the most is just the reminder to sit down and go over our plans and goals.”
All the participants in this article said the farm succession topic was among their favorites.
“The more people you talk to about succession planning, the better,” said Molly Ihde. “It’s something that’s always evolving, and with the markets changing and families growing, it’s never something that is one and done – you must be flexible.”
In addition to the high-level topics, like farm succession and calf nutrition, participants also learn a lot of “little things” that make a big difference.
For Monica Enyart, the little things include making adjustments to barn walls and curtains to increase ventilation. She learned that leaving a curtain partially open, or a barn door partially open, can sometimes increase airflow more than fully open.
She also enjoyed the forage discussion with Shelby Gruss, Iowa State’s extension forage specialist. Enyart said with the weather and climate challenges of the past several years, she is interested in exploring alternative forage crops, perhaps some that are new to northeast Iowa.
Future opportunities
Boots in the Barn has a bright future with ISU Extension and Outreach, according to Bentley and Schwab.
“These ladies often attend other extension programs because of the rapport they’ve built with the speakers and specialists,” said Schwab.
Bentley said there’s always something new to learn as the industry changes, and as new people enter the industry.
Boots in the Barn is typically offered in late winter, and into the first part of spring. If you’d like to attend a future offering, contact your area dairy or beef specialist. Jennifer Bentley can be reached at jbentley@iastate.edu or 563-382-2949; and Denise Schwab is available at 319-472-4739 or dschwab@iastate.edu.
Source : iastate.edu