ISU Armstrong Research Farm Will Host Beef Field Day

Aug 29, 2022

Field peas and forages will headline a beef field day at the Iowa State University Armstrong Research Farm on Friday, Sept. 16. ISU extension beef specialist Erika Lundy-Woolfolk said the field day program is geared toward local beef producers with information on exploring alternative cropping systems, tips for managing calves, and insight into the 2023 beef market.

Field peas and forages

“This field day is an opportunity to learn about research happening right here in southwest Iowa," she said. "Some of projects we’ll talk about are incorporating field peas into the cropping system, feeding field peas to feedlot cattle, and utilizing annual forages to expand grazing rotations."

Additional topics on the agenda are preparing calves for the feedyard and a beef cattle market outlook. Field day speakers are Lundy-Woolfolk; Dr. Dan Loy, ISU extension beef specialist; Dr. Dan Thomson, professor of animal science; Dr. Lee Schulz, ISU extension livestock economist; and Sara Lira, research scientist with Corteva Agriscience.

Thanks to sponsor Corteva, the field day and noon meal are free. Serving begins at noon with the program scheduled from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Following the program, an optional farm tour to view the research feedyard and individual intake feeding system will be offered. The event flyer offers a quick look at the topics, speakers and schedule.

Click here to see more...

Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.