AMES, Iowa – Women who are involved with the care of dairy and beef cattle can sharpen their skills during Boots in the Barn sessions this winter.
Eight sessions are being offered in northeast Iowa, covering topics like vaccines, calf health, forage and feed management, farm transitions and much more.
Past participants credit the program for helping them gain a better understanding of vaccines and animal care – while learning in an environment of all women.
“The last couple of years I’ve been the one in charge of giving the vaccinations. Let me tell you, I hated it! I was always nervous,” said one participant. “This time, though, I went in with confidence after learning some of the tips and tricks on giving subcutaneous injections. Vaccinations were a breeze this year. It was awesome!”
Jenn Bentley, dairy specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in northeast Iowa, said this year’s offerings are new and timely.
“This year’s program includes presenters who are outstanding in their field,” said Bentley. “With the variety of topics from feeding to health, not only from the cattle perspective, but also the overall farm operation, this is a program our dairy and beef women won’t want to miss.”
The course will be held Feb. 13, 20, 27 and March 12 in Edgewood; and Feb. 15, 22, 29, and March 14 in Decorah. At each location, the dairy session will run from 1-3 p.m. and the beef session will run from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Sessions
Feb. 13 – Woods Edge Golf Course, and Feb. 15 – ISU Extension and Outreach Winneshiek County office. The topic will be forage and feeding management. Gail Carpenter, state dairy specialist, Shelby Gruss, state forage specialist, and Jessi Lansing, nutritionist with Agri-King, will demonstrate and discuss selection, forage management tools, and best management practices for feeding high quality forage to the lactating dairy cow and the beef cow herd. Participants are encouraged to bring their own forage samples, TMRs for analysis and discussion.
Feb. 20 – Edgewood Vet Clinic, and Feb. 22 – Danan Lansing Building, Winneshiek County Fairgrounds. The topic will be understanding calf health with necropsy. Phillip Jardon, extension dairy veterinarian, will lead participants through a calf necropsy to discover physiology of the lungs, rumen development and other calf health issues. Sami Kemp and Ashley Vander Hart, both with the Edgewood Vet Clinic, will be on hand to join the discussion and provide topics on dairy and beef health care. At the Decorah location, Jessica Hammell, with Postville Vet Clinic, will be on hand to discuss neonatal calf scours.
Feb. 27 – Woods Edge Golf Course and Feb. 29 – ISU Extension and Outreach Winneshiek County office. The topic will be troubleshooting dystocia with a calving simulator. Caitlin Wiley, ISU College of Veterinary Medicine, will lead this hands-on session with “Butterscotch,” focusing on troubleshooting dystocia. For the dairy session, extension dairy specialist Jenn Bentley will be on hand to discuss colostrum management and for the beef session, Randie Culbertson, state beef specialist, will discuss calving distribution.
The final session will be held on March 12 – Woods Edge Golf Course and March 14 – ISU Extension and Outreach Winneshiek County office. The topic will be transitioning the farm and networking with charcuterie. At the Edgewood location, Kitt Tovar Jensen, attorney at the Iowa State University Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation, will help build confidence and leadership around family transition.
At the Decorah location, Jeannette Mukayisire, extension human sciences and family wellbeing specialist, will be on hand to provide resources and ways to initiate dairy and beef farm family discussions. At both locations, participants will also network with fellow dairy and beef women as they learn to build their own charcuterie boards, led by local businesses.
Those interested in the program can register online by Feb. 6 or by calling the ISU Extension and Outreach Delaware County office at 563-927-4201 or Winneshiek County office at 563-382-2949. The fee for this program is $30 per person. A brochure can be downloaded: Edgewood Boots in the Barn or Decorah Boots in the Barn
photo courtesy of ISU Extension & Outreach of Delaware County
